Bradley's Buzz

bubbaTUNESday - Point Yer Sisters Part 2 Priority

While their previous album Energy touched on rock and roll while keeping a bit poppy (Not poopy) The Pointer Sisters launched an attack on the rock and roll side of things, and why the hell not? They could sing just about anything and with so many great songs out there, why not break a mold and carry on. Unfortunetly for them they ended up with a big old dud on their hands Priorty didn't launch any real hit singles "Who Do You Love" hit #105 and "Blind Faith" hit #106 but I'm here to tell you if you own one Pointer Sisters album I'd go with this one - just for the singing style and the out front way the sisters push their whole attitude. I am also here to tell you I love Priority!

bub130 Pointer Sisters - PRIORITY (1979; July 15, 2008)
Here is my favorite of our two delicious Sisters la Pointer albums, opening with some ring wrunging guitar and drums June starts a growling and singing right from the beginning - "Who Do You Love" opens up Priority on a kick it kind of note, just one listen as the piano kicks in, the guitar kicks in and June starts crooning, it's totally fun... and not unlike Tanya Tucker's take into rock and roll on her Tear Me Apart album (also 1979) this isn't so wild in the rock and roll arena - I mean it's not Metallica, but I guess when you are used to an artist in a certain genre some of this comes as a surprise and "Who Do You Love" with its uber feisty delivery is certainly a surprise.

Then the sisters take a Bob Segar tune "All Your Love" to just as super extreme measures wringing out the emotion with their super cool voices though making it a tad of blues/rock rather than straight up rock - you know kind of like Rolling Stones or Bob Segar. Plus this one is sung by Ruth in her smokey little voice with a bit of a more Benatar-ish rasp.

The rugged take over comes back a few notches with Anita's sweet voice on "Dreaming As One" - a nice little ballad that comes off far from the sacharine ballads of time. It's just a lovely little song to bring it down a notch.

Then we move into some super cool territory with a Graham Nash tune "Turned Up Too Late" - a sassy little number that effects the conkles of my bitter heart. "Hey baby what are you blind/ how long you been gone/ I'm not the returning kind/ I don't need you to lean on".. "You come to me with eyes all watery/ do you believe I'll fall in/ poor little thing so out of date/ now I can say your love has/ turned up too late.." But there's even better lyrics to be had:

"if you were the sun and moon/ I'd still cloud over/
rain would still fall down too soon/ and we would just grow colder"

and my ultimate fav - "Hey baby I ain't ashamed/ Of being turned down/ I hope you got the same strength/ You're gonna need it now.." once again sassy pants Pointer.

Then should someone doubt they were going for a more rocking sound they put themselves up to ridicule by doing a cover of the Rolling Stones "Happy" but should you want to laugh at the notion of the Pointers taking on the Richards/Jaggar let me tell you they make it their own and totally nail it. The song was even released as a single in the UK but like most of the material here it didn't do anything chart wise.

"Blind Faith" was the first single and it should've been a hit, I just don't understand how some things never make it. Of course it doesn't hurt that it's Ruth singing and she is ultimately my fav singer in the group - I mean come on "Automatic" and that man voice, she's practically the black Alison Moyet or is Alison the white June Pointer? - Anyhoos, "Blind Faith" has everything including the other Pointers "bop shoo bopin'" behind Ruth's sassy (yes still sassy) vocals on the sassy (yes still sassy) lyrics.

The next song "Don't Let A Thief Steal Into Your Heart" has made its way into my heart as one of my all time Pointer Sister songs. Opening with a semi menacing rock guitar that turns bluesy you have Anita yelling "yeah" before breaking into a catchy chorus - "don't let a theif into your heart/ or you may end up broken hearted/ don't let a whisper tear you apart/ or you will wind up right back where you started..." Then the verses and the catchiness with Anita's high voice and Ruth's low growl singing simutaneously - it sends chills right down the point of - er spine.

The Pointer Sisters kind of knew about formula when they opted to record another Bruce Springsteen song, this time turning to "(She's Got) The Fever" which is a long steamy little song that was never going to be a single but sure as heck makes a great song. In fact when I initially did our first Pointer Sisters Bubbatunes compilation On Fire, it was the only song on there from this album (but I didn't have the album then so what did I know about how great this is) - and now I'm kind of glad I did, as it really is a great song and full of that Pointer Power. Oh and umm Ruth sings the lead (go figure).

The whole gloriousness that is Priority ends with the riporous "The Shape I'm In" full of spicy lyrics and rockin' vibes - it's the perfect ending to a great overlooked album.

And now you like me, the Bradle that I am, can enjoy the greatness that is Pointer Sisters Priority (with lyrics and artwork - as this poor puppy will probably never see the light of day on CD).

Pointer Sisters - Priority (bub 130)
Track List:
01. Who Do You Love 02. All Your Love 03. Dreaming As One 04. Turned Up Too Late 05. Happy 06. Blind Faith 07. Don't Let A Thief Steal Into Your Heart 08. (She's Got) The Fever 09. The Shape I'm In

Download POINTER SISTERS - PRIORITY

Labels: bub130, Bubbatunes, BubbaTUNESday, Pointer Sisters, Priority

posted by swivek @ 11:41 AM