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Rating:
Continuing after "Slave To The Rhythm" must not have been easy, that's for sure: STR is the Opera, the Delirium, the musical and aesthetic pinnacle of the cult of personality, the point of no return. Grace "eyes of flame" Jones tries, and just a year later, almost by inertia, releases an album like "Inside Story"; it's transitional and has little impact; could it be that the golden years of the Panther are now coming to an end? In 1989 it's the turn of "Bulletproof Heart," which would remain her last album for almost two decades. This album doesn't have a great reputation; it's generally labeled as the last negligible legacy of a character already on the path to becoming outdated. Critical prejudices, nonsense. At least in my opinion, of course, but still, nonsense. "Bulletproof Heart" is a fine record, a great swan song for an institution, a true and genuine number one in the history of Pop.
You all remember Grace Jones, right? Of course you do, how could you not? That stage presence, that look, that voice above all; Grace Jones is LOUD in every way, so what can you expect from someone like her? Acoustic folk? An album of (urgh...) piano-ballads? But thankfully not, she was smart enough to prefer the good retreat over potential falls into such traps; in "Bulletproof Heart," she delights us with big synths, booty-shaking funk, and powerful performances. It's worth saying, this album doesn't have the refinement and noir nuances of "Warm Leatherette" and "Nightclubbing," nor the formidable glamour-camp vibe of "Portfolio" and "Fame," but it still rocks. First of all, it's thoroughly enjoyable, great songs, some even surprising; between the two twilight GJ albums, I clearly prefer this one to "Inside Story," more uniformity, more impact. Grace Jones flexes her muscles, shiny and supple as ever, and it's quite a spectacle, as usual. With funky soul and synth shades, it's spontaneous to think of Prince as an inspiration, especially on the original side A of the LP; "Bulletproof Heart" indeed has this distinctive feature, a dual soul: very direct and tight, more classically "black" the side A, more extravagant the B, where Grace gives free rein to her creativity with tribal rhythms and great theatricality. You certainly won't be bored, I can guarantee you that.
Yes, with Grace, you never go for the subtle, she hits you with "Driving Satisfaction", then a pounding "Kicked Around" and the intensely bawdy funky-disco pulses of "Love On Top Of Love", just to make the point; raucous, raw, hormonal music, but above all fun. A good, enjoyable base without too much pretension, which, combined with Miss Jones's voice and charisma, becomes explosive, in this case, it's the performer who makes the song, not vice versa: in any other hands, I doubt the outcome would have been so convincing, but here you really feel the extra edge of a unique and irreplaceable performer. A performer who, of course, also excels with more classy sounds, as in the case of "Paper Plan", a very fine and catchy synth-ballad, where we find a softer and more relaxed Grace, while with "Crack Attack" she demonstrates her forward drive, even "late in her career": sparse rhythm, enticing electronics, serious theme, and a rapper feature. Great track, yet another demonstration of how Grace Jones was the TRUE queen of Pop, fashionable yet sometimes a trailblazer, in the case of "Crack Attack" she arrived many years ahead of the "competition".
Side A is rich and full-bodied, but I prefer B, here you find the most original and distinctive things of "Bulletproof Heart", the first to catch attention is a statuesque reinterpretation of "Amado Mio", where you can appreciate a Grace Jones as hot and shamanic as ever, but not only: there is an "On My Way" enveloping, minimal, and very sensual, with a triumphant echo and vocal effects at the end, then the visionary erotic-tribal fantasies of "Seduction Surrender" and a "Someone To Love" where the early Grace Jones, the disco one, re-emerges in all her carefree charm. Recapping, in side A we find a more "modern" and feisty metropolitan GJ, while B is "the call of the wild", you let yourself go a little, more atmosphere and more imagination. With "Bulletproof Heart", Grace Jones exited the scene in grand style, because even though it's not her best album, it's a varied, complete, and engaging collection, almost a little primer of her entire career; those who love Grace Jones cannot turn up their noses at "Bulletproof Heart", it just doesn't exist, at least as far as I'm concerned.
The choice to retire after this album, and thus after just eleven years of recording career, is highly appreciable, intelligent, and fully understandable, as well as practically unique for a star of her level. The times were inescapably changing, can you see Grace Jones mingling with flannel shirts? And why would she have to, that was no longer her world, the risk of monumental missteps (real ones, not purported ones like the excellent album reviewed here) was decidedly too high, and after producing such masterpieces of aesthetics, fashion, and Pop, it can be said she had nothing left to prove. On the contrary, by suspending activity, Grace demonstrated the intelligence and humility not to consider herself eternal and untouchable. She purified herself from the dross of a life at the highest levels of the star system, and in doing so, she gave another lesson in style; the last, the hardest to follow, it does not surprise me at all that it has been received by no one, unfortunately.
You all remember Grace Jones, right? Of course you do, how could you not? That stage presence, that look, that voice above all; Grace Jones is LOUD in every way, so what can you expect from someone like her? Acoustic folk? An album of (urgh...) piano-ballads? But thankfully not, she was smart enough to prefer the good retreat over potential falls into such traps; in "Bulletproof Heart," she delights us with big synths, booty-shaking funk, and powerful performances. It's worth saying, this album doesn't have the refinement and noir nuances of "Warm Leatherette" and "Nightclubbing," nor the formidable glamour-camp vibe of "Portfolio" and "Fame," but it still rocks. First of all, it's thoroughly enjoyable, great songs, some even surprising; between the two twilight GJ albums, I clearly prefer this one to "Inside Story," more uniformity, more impact. Grace Jones flexes her muscles, shiny and supple as ever, and it's quite a spectacle, as usual. With funky soul and synth shades, it's spontaneous to think of Prince as an inspiration, especially on the original side A of the LP; "Bulletproof Heart" indeed has this distinctive feature, a dual soul: very direct and tight, more classically "black" the side A, more extravagant the B, where Grace gives free rein to her creativity with tribal rhythms and great theatricality. You certainly won't be bored, I can guarantee you that.
Yes, with Grace, you never go for the subtle, she hits you with "Driving Satisfaction", then a pounding "Kicked Around" and the intensely bawdy funky-disco pulses of "Love On Top Of Love", just to make the point; raucous, raw, hormonal music, but above all fun. A good, enjoyable base without too much pretension, which, combined with Miss Jones's voice and charisma, becomes explosive, in this case, it's the performer who makes the song, not vice versa: in any other hands, I doubt the outcome would have been so convincing, but here you really feel the extra edge of a unique and irreplaceable performer. A performer who, of course, also excels with more classy sounds, as in the case of "Paper Plan", a very fine and catchy synth-ballad, where we find a softer and more relaxed Grace, while with "Crack Attack" she demonstrates her forward drive, even "late in her career": sparse rhythm, enticing electronics, serious theme, and a rapper feature. Great track, yet another demonstration of how Grace Jones was the TRUE queen of Pop, fashionable yet sometimes a trailblazer, in the case of "Crack Attack" she arrived many years ahead of the "competition".
Side A is rich and full-bodied, but I prefer B, here you find the most original and distinctive things of "Bulletproof Heart", the first to catch attention is a statuesque reinterpretation of "Amado Mio", where you can appreciate a Grace Jones as hot and shamanic as ever, but not only: there is an "On My Way" enveloping, minimal, and very sensual, with a triumphant echo and vocal effects at the end, then the visionary erotic-tribal fantasies of "Seduction Surrender" and a "Someone To Love" where the early Grace Jones, the disco one, re-emerges in all her carefree charm. Recapping, in side A we find a more "modern" and feisty metropolitan GJ, while B is "the call of the wild", you let yourself go a little, more atmosphere and more imagination. With "Bulletproof Heart", Grace Jones exited the scene in grand style, because even though it's not her best album, it's a varied, complete, and engaging collection, almost a little primer of her entire career; those who love Grace Jones cannot turn up their noses at "Bulletproof Heart", it just doesn't exist, at least as far as I'm concerned.
The choice to retire after this album, and thus after just eleven years of recording career, is highly appreciable, intelligent, and fully understandable, as well as practically unique for a star of her level. The times were inescapably changing, can you see Grace Jones mingling with flannel shirts? And why would she have to, that was no longer her world, the risk of monumental missteps (real ones, not purported ones like the excellent album reviewed here) was decidedly too high, and after producing such masterpieces of aesthetics, fashion, and Pop, it can be said she had nothing left to prove. On the contrary, by suspending activity, Grace demonstrated the intelligence and humility not to consider herself eternal and untouchable. She purified herself from the dross of a life at the highest levels of the star system, and in doing so, she gave another lesson in style; the last, the hardest to follow, it does not surprise me at all that it has been received by no one, unfortunately.
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