On their 1996 album, Fever In Fever Out, cool New York hip-hop/funk-pop combo Luscious Jackson took a break from their dance-till-you-drop edict and addressed some serious relationship issues, recruiting producer Daniel La... more »nois to provide the appropriate murky, atmospheric vibe. Well, either that project purged the group of its sadness or the disc's less-than-spectacular sales prodded LJ to return to their more ebullient roots. Whatever the case, Electric Honey is a fluid, spirited release that expands upon the formula of 1994's Natural Ingredients. Jill Cunniff and Gabby Glaser's vocals have never sounded as sleek or sexy, and their playing has improved considerably. So have their songwriting chops, allowing hip-hop, funk, electronica, pop, and alternative rock sounds to coexist harmoniously within the same sonic framework. "Nervous Breakthrough" bumps and grinds to skankin' guitars, trumpets, and a throbbing electronic beat; "Alien Lover" pumps up the funk quotient and tosses in some otherworldly keyboards; and "Sexy Hypnotist" seduces the mind with a buoyant pop rhythm, engaging harmonies, and some compelling flute trills. And the Luscious girls earn extra points for recruiting the ultimate party girl, Deborah Harry, on "Fantastic Fabulous," whose title accurately sums up the entire record. --Jon Wiederhorn« less
On their 1996 album, Fever In Fever Out, cool New York hip-hop/funk-pop combo Luscious Jackson took a break from their dance-till-you-drop edict and addressed some serious relationship issues, recruiting producer Daniel Lanois to provide the appropriate murky, atmospheric vibe. Well, either that project purged the group of its sadness or the disc's less-than-spectacular sales prodded LJ to return to their more ebullient roots. Whatever the case, Electric Honey is a fluid, spirited release that expands upon the formula of 1994's Natural Ingredients. Jill Cunniff and Gabby Glaser's vocals have never sounded as sleek or sexy, and their playing has improved considerably. So have their songwriting chops, allowing hip-hop, funk, electronica, pop, and alternative rock sounds to coexist harmoniously within the same sonic framework. "Nervous Breakthrough" bumps and grinds to skankin' guitars, trumpets, and a throbbing electronic beat; "Alien Lover" pumps up the funk quotient and tosses in some otherworldly keyboards; and "Sexy Hypnotist" seduces the mind with a buoyant pop rhythm, engaging harmonies, and some compelling flute trills. And the Luscious girls earn extra points for recruiting the ultimate party girl, Deborah Harry, on "Fantastic Fabulous," whose title accurately sums up the entire record. --Jon Wiederhorn
R. A. Edington | Boise, ID, United States | 05/18/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Markedly different from Natural Ingredients and Fever In Fever Out, this album has a much more polished, rock-and-roll feel to it. Maybe it has something to do with their losing their keyboardist, maybe it has something to do with hanging out with Deborah Harry, but this CD definitely has a bit of a throw back to the days of Blondie-type "I'm gonna rock clean and fast and if you don't like it, ... off" rock-and-roll.The surprising aspect, having said that, is that "Electric Honey" is unmistakably LJ. The word "eclectic" still springs foremost to mind after listening to it. The wide range of sweet-and-gritty (but mostly sweet) vocals still make my hair stand on end. The great lyrics, hooks, grooves, and harmonies all combine to make music that couldn't be mistaken for any other band.I read an interview with Jill Cunniff where she said that the title "Electric Honey" didn't really mean anything, they just kind of liked it. I humbly disagree -- after listening to this CD, the title "Electric Honey" is not just kind of nice -- it's almost as though it couldn't have been called anything else. It's Electric, it's Honey, it's classic LJ. Now all we need is a reunion of the band..."
Their best album,great for rest, relaxation, tranquilisation
M. Vasiljevic | Belgrade, Serbia | 09/28/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I loved first one, Natural Ingredients. The pure and fresh ideas and naive, simple songs sounded great. Then came FIFO, their second album, with gloomier sounds. The third one is great: it combines dance rhytms, pop-rock melodies, satyrical verses and is their richest album, considering production and diversity of songs, (sung by two singers) but still has sincerity of their first album. It helped me during some personal crisis so it's great for relaxation and tranquilisation, too :)"
Fantastic, fabulous
Kinbote | The Alamo, TX USA | 11/24/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"1999's Electric Honey is the last effort (so far) of a super talented, under promoted band, and is their best. I don't know if the departure of keyboardist Vivian Trimble after the previous album was the beginning of the end, but if anything the musical quality is even better on this one! Trying to name standout songs is difficult because they are great all the way through. Also, even with its consistently sophisticated, sexy sound, it's truly right for "all ages." There's nothing you would be embarrassed playing for your mom or young child. In fact it's on high rotation now on my iPod as the favorite (anti-crying remedy) of my 1-month old daughter!
If you visit the MySpace pages of Jill Cunniff, Gabby Glaser, and Kate Schellenbach, it looks like these talented women are working on a Luscious Jackson revival. Apparently there's going to be new material in the next couple of years. I for one will be looking out for a repeat performance of this outstanding record!"
At Least It's Fun!
deafula | Ypsilanti, MI | 12/31/1999
(4 out of 5 stars)
"So rarely are bands willing to just make fun, dancable records any more that it gets downright depressing to see the few records that ARE like that get overlooked and panned by the critics. This album is one of the most pleasant listening experiences I've had all year. This is purely a good dance record, nothing more, nothing less. It gets a little long in some parts, but there are more party songs on this disc than any dull alternative one hit wonders have come up with in the last year. Do yourself a favor and just HAVE FUN AND LISTEN because this is the stuff that people are always complaining that no one makes anymore."
So Good I wore it out and had to buy another one.
deafula | 10/01/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This one spends a lot of time in all of my CD players. I have purchased two copies so far, because, the first wore out from excessive use; it had many scratches. Now that I have a new one, I listen to it over and over again also, but I am much more careful with it. It is a prized possesion in my music collection. From the funky-boom-boom beats of "Nervous Breakthrough," to the slower "Beloved," this album is..."Fantastic Fabulous." If you've heard "Ladyfingers" and think it's good, the rest of the album is superb. It's a party mix of dancing, rocking, and the like. It's a great blend of rock-pop-dance-techno-etc, etc. 'Honey' has been called the party album of the year, and it is. A great album for New Years Eve. By the way, make sure you have ALL of their albums!!! *****"