Author: Philosopher Kings, The

Format: CD

Release Date: 07-10-1997

Details: Amazon.ca Toronto's Philosopher Kings appeared in the mid-'90s playing pop music with soul-funk ambitions and jazz-man style. Famous, Rich and Beautiful, the group's second CD, finds the sextet casting its collective eye over a wide range of territory that slides from the pained but hooky lead-off single "It Hurts to Love You" to the six-minute jazz odyssey "Oleo" to a zippy instrumental called "Dinah." Along the way, vocalist Gerald Eaton--who, along with several other band members, abetted Nelly Furtado on her platinum debut--exercises his smooth croon, a tool necessary to pull off lines such as "Like Oleo margarine the spirits do glide," and demonstrates his facility with falsetto on "The End." That song, with its arrangement of voice, piano and French horn, and the tender "You're Allowed" showcase the group's sensitive side, while the swaggering "I Am the Man" and summery "Super Sugar Supreme" have sexier concerns in mind. Against this backdrop, the serious, borderline pretentious "The New Messiah" seems odd and out of place, but commendable. The group also deserves props for resurrecting the great Godley & Crème MTV hit "Cry." Unfortunately, its inclusion here also demonstrates the Philosopher Kings have some distance to go before they write a tune as immediately catchy and memorable. --Shawn Conner

UPC: 074648029129

EAN: 0074648029129

Languages: English

Binding: Audio CD

Item Condition: UsedVeryGood