Jacynthe - I Got What It Takes (1998) & Seize The Day (2003) DOUBLE POST!!

Jacynthe (pronounced Jah-Saint) is a pretty big deal in Quebec here in Canada. She is essentially seen as a much more talented French-Canadian version of Paris Hilton. This has less to do with her singing career than it does with her appearance in the French-Canadian version of The Simple Life, entitled La Vie Rurale, in 2004 with fellow Quebecois singer Anne Marie Losique. Before this she had a very successful singing career in Quebec and Japan, but not in the rest of the world, including most of the rest of Canada. She grew up in Quebec taking part in choirs and loving opera. She caught the attention of local label KLM Records and released the eurohouse song "Try My Love" in 1996 when she was 16. It was a modest dance hit and led to a second eurohouse single in 1997, "This Is The Night", which was nominated for a Juno award. The local success of both singles led to a full album deal. Jacynthe and her producers obviously wanted to broaden her sound and, taking a cue from Britney Spears, who was currently atop the charts, created a more teen pop sound for the rest of the album (BTW, the version on the pic above was the rerelease, so the version I have doesn't include the bonus track "I'll Be". Sorry!) The single "One More Time" was a mid-tempo pop number whose remixes got more attention. The song was also recorded in French as "Encore Un Fois", and she also released a French album which included some of the tracks from I Got What It Takes and new French tracks, including the bilingual single "Gimme Your Love". But it was the release of "Give It Up", her remake of KC from KC & The Sunshine Band's hit, that got her on the national Canadian charts, due in large part to KC's appearance on the track. She released a few more singles and was rumoured to have been working with the Backstreet Boys production team on her follow-up (the one-off single "Listen To My Heart" may be a result of that), but nothing more came of it. It took five years for her next album to appear (not counting the French Christmas album 12-25). This time she worked with Tito Izzo and had a much rockier pop sound. Though four videos and a remake of INXS' hit "Need You Tonite" were released from the album, Jacynthe's star failed to shine outside of Quebec. It was soon after that she filmed La Vie Rurale and became an even bigger star there. Then in 2006 she toured with Cirque Du Soleil's Delirium and recorded the album with them. She left them after the tour and has remained a fixture in Quebec and is also rumoured to be releasing new music soon.

Video for This Is The Night

Video for One More Time

Video for Don't Let Me Down

Video for Give It Up

Download I Got What It Takes

1		Answering Machine
2		Don't Let Me Down
3		One More Time
4		Piu Bella Cosa
5		Never
6		Sweet Caress
7		I Got What It Takes
8		Have A Party
9		I Want U Back
10		This Is The Night
11		Give It Up
12		Try My Love
13		Encore Une Fois
14		Interview
15		One More Time (Skee Dooo Remix)

Video for Look Who's Crying Now

Video for Seize The Day

Video for Undecided

Video for Don't Waste My Time

Download Seize The Day

1		Look Who's Crying Now
2		Seize The Day
3		Rescue Me
4		Undecided
5		Next In Line
6		Don't Waste My Time
7		Need You Tonight
8		Broken Love

Nathalie Archangel - Owl (1991)

I had never heard of Nathalie Archangel until I was perusing one of my favourite blogs, Recordo Obscura, a place where any and every piece of vinyl found in the bargain bin will eventually show up. Her first self-titled album, released in 1987 on Columbia Records, was featured there. I gave it a listen and immediately liked what I heard. It was produced by legendary pop producer David Kahne (whose credits are too numerous to mention here), so the quality is top notch, and the songs are fun and quirky synth and dance pop. She released two singles, "I Can't Reach You" and "Mr. Perfect For Me", that didn't get much attention aside from in hip dance clubs. Unfortunately it was never released on CD anywhere but Japan, however. But thanks to a comment on the post by Miss Archangel herself, I discovered that she did indeed release a follow-up on MCA Records (well, two follow-ups according to her, but I cannot find one bit of info on the third). Anyway, I rushed to eBay and discovered her second, Owl, was on CD and snatched it up! It was produced mainly by Greg Penny, who has also worked with k.d. lang and Elton John. And it is more mature than her first, but equally as good. No doubt I am not the first to compare her to Cyndi Lauper, both vocally and in song choice. It's like a lost Cyndi album! The song "So Quiet So Still" was the lead single, and it was also featured in the Ellen Barkin film Switch. There were other possible singles like "My Older Lover", featuring Frankie Valli and produced by Don Was, and "It Don't Heal Clean" featuring and produced by Howard Jones. But again the first single didn't make a significant impact, and I think it's safe to say she was dropped by the label. Likely her third album was released independently, and I'd like to get my hands on it. Otherwise I know and can find nothing else on this mystery lady. Well, I suppose I COULD send her a message on Facebook, since I found her there, but I am not one to hound strangers, no matter how much I respect their work! But I have a sneaking suspicion that I may just hear from her here. ;) If you're out there, Nathalie, please fill us in !

UPDATE!!: Aha, so Nathalie DID find this and write in the comments! Thanks so much for visiting and commenting, Nathalie!! Here's what she had to say:

"Ok, I give ;) The third record is called "Raven" (yes I do appreciate our feathered brethren--one of my daughters is called Wren). It was released on a small label called "Coyote" records at the turn of the last century. Most of this record was produced by Jim West (Weird Al) and Dana Walden (Champagne). N btw....My eldest daughter (not named for a bird), created a Facebook fanpage for me. It is something of a work in progress-- It can be found at: Nathalie Archangel:) That daughter is 12---You must be a "Millenial" to add :) to a name under any circumstances."

Please visit Recordo Obscuro to listen to and download her self-titled debut HERE (though it is posted as full sides and not track by track).

Video for Mr. Perfect For Me (from her self-titled album)

Download Owl

1		So Quiet, So Still
2		My Older Lover
3		Move You To Tears
4		To Last Me A Lifetime
5		A Very Thin Line
6		It Don't Heal Clean
7		Married Man
8		But...I Want You Tonight
9		To Be Real
10		...To Give It All For Love
11		Life...When The Oracle Is Disproved

Ceremony - Hang Out Your Poetry (1993)

Thanks to wonderful Dixiepokerace we have another of my cassettes turned MP3 and another perfect entry for the Isle! Thanks so very much again!! Ceremony was a six piece group fronted by 21 year old Chastity Bono, daughter of Sonny & Cher, and her roommate from New York University Heidi Shink, who was then known as Chance. The band gained notoriety not so much because of Chastity's famous parents and curiosity about the talent of their offspring, but because it was the vessel through which she eventually became permanently outed. The group was apparently supposed to be a project involving practicing gay-but-not-out Chastity and her then girlfriend Rachel, partly as an unsuccessful attempt to revive their flagging relationship (though Rachel doesn't appear as part of the line-up in this group, unless that's another moniker for Heidi, who is also a lesbian - perhaps I'll have to read Chas' autobiography to find out!). Geffen signed them in 1990, likely because of the success of Wilson Phillips, a somewhat similar sounding group that also featured the spawn of famed sixties singers. Thanks to the need for publicity to promote the group, Chastity had to venture into the public eye, which she had managed to avoid for the most part in her teen years. As a result, gossip mongers delved deep into her personal life, with Star magazine outing her soon after they were signed, though she then denied it. The album was recorded amidst and came out after all the hubbub, which no doubt contributed to the its failure, as at that time the world was not ready for gay celebs (which seems so archaic in this day and age). The first single "Could've Been Love", while getting some radio and video play, failed to become a hit, and the follow-up "Ready For Love" tanked. The album was produced by Cher's good friend and 'Hudson Brother' Mark Hudson. He helped give them a 1960's folk-rock sound, very Beatles' influenced, but with an updated twist. The best comparison would be the Bangles, with the jangly guitars and harmonies (though here those harmonies are a little more off-key). Chastity's voice is reminiscent of Cher's, if a few octaves higher. Overall the album is a pleasant listen, but given it's failure and Chastity's on-going turmoil, it's no surprise Geffen dropped them and they never recorded together again. Of course, Chastity's life has been well-documented since. She became a huge gay rights activist and worked with GLAAD, and had well-known differences with both of her parents regarding her sexuality. She also starred as a team captain in Celebrity Fit Club 3. But perhaps her biggest claim to fame in recent years is that she's undergoing a gender transition and now considers herself a man, going by the name of Chaz.

Video for Could've Been Love

Download Hang Out Your Poetry

1		Goodbye Sunshine
2		Steal Your Heart
3		Day By Day
4		Ready For Love
5		Ready For Love Refrain
6		Hang Out Your Poetry
7		Could've Been Love
8		Turn It Over
9		Trust
10		2 Of 1
11		First Day Of My Life
12		Breathless
13		Living In A Paradise
14		Livin' It Up

Lisa Vale - ...And I Love You (1992)

Here is another delight that I only had on cassette but was sent to me in MP3 form by the delightful DJMPHACTOR/A.J.. Another huge thanks! And this is also another artist who has a very low profile on the internet. But thanks to a fan site for the show Roundhouse, I have a brief bio. Considering I knew nothing about Lisa when I bought the cassette for $1, it was more than I could hope for! She was born in New York, and began dancing at the age of 9, learning ballet, jazz and modern dance. At some point along the way she also discovered an interest and talent in singing, and was impressive enough to get signed by EastWest Records. Her album was produced by famed rock and soul producer Humberto Gatica, and it consists of dance pop with hints of rock and soul. She released three singles from the album ("Remember", "Love Plus Love" and "Waiting In The Wings") but none were hits and she failed to capture a significant audience - until now! Leaving her recording career behind, she joined the cast of the Nickelodeon variety show Roundhouse in 1993 and also sang the theme song (clips of Lisa on the show can be found on Youtube). She left after the second season to have a daughter, but rejoined the cast for the show's fourth and final season. There was talk of a second Latin album, but it has yet to surface. And I can find nothing on her since. So, once again, if anyone has any info, please share!

Download ...And I Love You

1		Remember
2		Perfect Lover
3		And I Love You
4		Love Plus Love
5		Give It A Chance
6		Open Up Your Heart
7		Deeper Shade Of Love
8		Waiting In The Wings
9		Oh Yeah!
10		Love's Never EZ
11		Wonderland

Holly Knight - Holly Knight (1988)

Ah, how I love visitors to this blog! Here is an album I've been desperately searching for in MP3, as I only have the cassette but knew how perfect it would be for the Isle. And DJMPHACTOR aka A.J. was kind enough to share it with us all. Thanks so much! Holly Knight has been a well-known fixture in the American pop and rock world since the early 1980s. In her native New York she joined the rock band Spider as their keyboardist and songwriter in the late 1970s. They had two albums and three Hot 100 Billboard hits in the early 1980s: "New Romance (It's A Mystery)" (#39), "It Didn't Take Long" (#41) and "Everything Is Alright" (#86). They were also the first to record the song "Better Be Good To Me", written by Holly and later made a hit by Tina Turner. After Spider broke up, she continued as a very successful songwriter, writing huge hits like Pat Benatar's "Love Is A Battlefield" and "Invincible", Animotion's "Obsession", Scandal's "The Warrior" and Heart's "Never". In 1986 she teamed up with singer Paul Engemann and guitarist Gene Black as Device, and they had two Billboard Hot 100 hits as well: "Hanging On A Heart Attack" (#35) and "Who Says" (#79). However, they split after only one album, and Holly set her sights on a solo career. After her hot streak through the 1980s as a songwriter and band member, label Columbia obviously thought she was viable as an artist in her own right and signed her on as a solo artist. Her album was written by Holly, who also produced it with pop-rock producer Peter Chapman, and features famous friends like Daryl Hall from Hall & Oates and Nancy Wilson from Heart. Her first single, "Heart Don't Fail Me Now", was a mid-tempo dance-pop song and reached #59 on the Billboard Hot 100. The follow-up, "Every Man's Fear" (my fave), failed to chart and her solo career quickly dissolved. This was likely because, though an accomplished songwriter, producer and keyboardist, she was admittedly not the strongest singer, as is most evident in her version of "Love Is A Battlefield" (though who can compare vocally to Pat Benatar?). Undeterred, she has continued a very successful career as a songwriter and producer since, and still works with top-shelf performers. Also, the album track "Howling At The Moon" was incorporated into a dance song by Scooter, spotlighting her brief time as a vocalist (if anyone knows what this song is called, BTW, please let me know!).

Video for Heart Don't Fail Me Now

Download Holly Knight

1		Heart Don't Fail Me Now
2		Every Man's Fear
3		Sexy Boy
4		It's Only Me
5		Palace Of Pleasure
6		Why Dont'cha Luv Me (Like You Used To)
7		Baby Me
8		Love Is A Battlefield
9		Nature Of The Beast
10		Howling At The Moon