Search - Kristine W :: Land of the Living

"Looking For A Beat- KRISTINE W"

J. A. freakin' freestyle | Chicago, Il. | 01/12/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Hello everyone! I first Saw Kristine W perform at the now defunct club called Vortex in Chicago's "Boystown" here on Halsted Street in 1994. The moment she stepped out onto the stage the whole audience was in awe. Her song "Feel What You Want" had been being played in heavy rotation all summer long('94) in the clubs, so finally people were able(especially me) to put a face with the name and song. I think it was Thanksgiving weekend(Sat. nite to be precise). She came out in an all platinum white/cream pant suit w/ matching white high heel shoes and a "V" bang short platinum blonde wig. And to top if off Kristine W had three to four platinum feather boas cascading behind her that were attached to an all white headdress. Plus she was wearing tight silk gloves that were also a crisp white while emmiting that husky yet soulful instrument into a microphone head set. She was the epitome of glamour and was so striking that she resembled a porcelin doll or that of the "white queen" in a chess set. Most of the people I was standing next to were in shock and saying,"Man, this chick can sing!" I was utterly transfixed with Kristine's voice and classy presence. She had single handedly brought Glamour back to this grim, dark and often times pretentious club. Kristine W. was singing a faster, up tempo(to this day I cannot find) club vocal version of "Feel What You Want". She followed it up with I think "Let Me In" where she was playing to the audience- naming names and stating,"Man I gotta be there...so come on LET ME IN!" By this time, the audience was so riled up in delight with Kristine W, that I believe that we all crowned her the new dance diva of Halsted St. She and her two female backup dancers made a couple of costume changes and showered us with more of her dance cuts which were to eventually to of become instant dance anthems- "One More Try" and I think it was "Land of the Living" but not 100% sure. She also did a cover medley of "Hot Stuff" and "She Works Hard for the Money which DONNA SUMMER would've been very proud of. While performing this number, I noticed the people at the front edge of the stage were so excited that they were hanging onto KRISTINE W's green-sequined dress with green banana leaf type accessories which may have been made of chiffon or silk taffeta(?). It was very Fellinisque. At this moment, I was thinking to myself, "Boy, KRISTINE W is really giving us an all out, 110%, non-stop, all heart performance!"

Afterwards, she stayed and autographed photos for a massive line of newely christened KRISTINE W fans. I was so nervous to talk to her but she immediately put me at ease. I asked her what the "W" stood for and she responded,"Oh it's for Weitz." She was so polite and engaging and probably thinking,"Oh my feet are aching.",(ha,ha- just kidding KRISTINE W if you're reading this). While doing her signing, the D.J. was playing her promo c.d.(which I ended up winning afterwards in a karaoke contest), "Feel What You Want" Came on and I sang a couple of verses in front of her, as if it were an impromtu audition. She looked at me in amazement as if she was thinking,"Man, this boy can sing!" Anyways, I'm not conceited but I loved "Feel" so much that I had to bust out a line or two and especially in front of the artist who created it. From that moment on, I became a true KRISTINE W fan and have bought almost everything KRISTINE W has put out(not counting some of those very hard to find imports and that uptempo club vocal version you sang that night Kristine). Maybe someone will notice the demand and put out a c.d. of these rare versions/remixes or reissue them on vinyl(I have a record player-hint,hint). Fans and new people coming on board "LAND OF THE LIVING" is a must have- it's a staple in your KRISTINE W collection. Also try to find "A PERFECT BEAT", KRISTINE'S 1ST album. It has a track:"GIVE ME TONIGHT" that appears on the movie soundtrack of Patrick Swayze's film,"ROADHOUSE"(1989)-I just saw it on cable a few days ago.

Thanks, PEACE- JULIUS-ALLAN

p.s. I'm leaving a list of KRISTINE W'S singles





KRISTINE W: THE SINGLES



DO YOU REALLY LOVE ME? 1985

A PERFECT BEAT 1986

GIVE ME TONIGHT 1989(appears in "ROADHOUSE")

FEEL WHAT YOU WANT 1994

ONE MORE TRY 1996

LAND OF THE LIVING 1997

I DON'T WANNA THINK ABOUT THAT 1997(released as an import)

JAZZIN' 1997(club release)

CLUBLAND 2000

STRONGER 2000

LOVING YOU 2001

STAND IN LOVE 2001

CRAZY LIFE 2003

FLY AGAIN 2003

SAVE MY SOUL 2004









"

The Hardest Working Woman In Dance Business

Harry R. Scharf | St. Louis, MO United States | 08/02/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this album in August 1996, on the strength of a review in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (which ordinarily doesn't review obscure, underground dance albums) which called Kristine W. the '90's Donna Summer. Well, that was good enough for me, and on a trip to Charleston, WV, I found the cassette version at, of all places, the mall record store there. I've since bought it twice on CD, the first one having been stolen, the second one autographed at her concert at St. Louis Gay Pride in '04.



The Post-Dispatch review didn't do the album justice, as I expected a disco-ey collection of music. Instead, this was idiosyncratic, true underground house music, thanks, I'm sure, to the production influence of Rollo & Rob D. In fact, her subsequent albums, while enjoyable and catchy, have gone in a more mainstream, pop-dance direction, and they just don't grab me like the first one did.



But there's That Voice. Listen to her sing the phrase "shoeshine blues" in Feel What You Want, and I dare you not to get a shiver down your spine. That Voice is what makes me a loyal fan; I would probably buy a CD of her singing German oom-pah music.



Live, Ms. Weitz is a multi-talented one-woman band. She sings to backing tracks but also plays percussion and saxophone and a couple of other instruments I've probably forgotten. A tightly choreographed routine is supported by back-up dancers, and she did not falter during the humid St. Louis summer heat, earning, for me, the title of The Hardest Working Woman In Show Business. (Note: LOVED the review of the guy who described in minute detail her outfit when she performed in '94 in Boystown - LOL)"

Amazing

Marcus | Washington, DC | 04/06/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Kristine W's Land Of The Living is by far the most amazing album I have ever purchased. Kristine is one of those amazing white singers that could easily be mistaken for a black woman if you only heard her voice and never saw her face (a la Lisa Stansfield). Standout tracks for me include:"Land Of The Living" - the song starts off like that in a cabaret bar and then proceeds into full-on house, and her throaty vocals are amazing."Love Song" - one of the very few love songs where love and sex are both present."Let Me In" - again her vocals blew me away. I love the latin percussion on this track."Feel What You Want" - it starts off with eerie trance chord progression and then shfts into a house song"Prairie Day" - the prelude to "One More Try". It was so beautiful, it should have been its own song."Don't Wanna Think" - as soon as the beat comes in, you can tell that the song is going to rock."