Let's Ghetto It

Overall Album Score: 7.4 out of 10

The funny thing about corporate pop music is the moment they give their artist a little more legroom for creative development (if they want it, that is), the quality of the music almost always seems to get better. Minogue continues to snatch more and more creative control over this album, and there's only one full-fledged SAW composition here, "Word is Out." She co-writes most of the other material.

OK, Kylie doesn't help co-write any of the album's best songs with radio hit potential, but there really isn't an all around abysmal moment. Sure, "I Guess I Like it Like That" is a difficult song to sit through at times, but at least it has some "charisma" if you will (it sounds like they were goofing around, but I can't tell for sure).

That and the bland pop number "Finer Feelings" is the album's only weak point. The rest are usually good or fair, but that's a bit of a step up from her previous albums, which had some unrelenting cheese in it! For some reason, I can't get over liking the title track. True, the instrumentation is pretty cheap, but it's charming. It's unusual in the sense that it doesn't sound like Minogue is a pop diva. The hook is catchy, so what's not to like about it?

Another notable song though certainly not perfect is an acoustic track, of all things, with "No World Without You." "Too Much of a Good Thing" is a fun samba styled track although it's similarly imperfect. The cheesy ballad "If You Were With Me Now" isn't so bad as it is dated ... the melody is passable enough. "Right Here, Right Now" is recognizable as one of the album's hits, but it's a little bland for my taste. It seems like it could have been more.

All in all, this is a lacking but much improved effort. As you might know, Kylie would sever her ties with SAW and start taking even more control of her image later on...ohhhh, yeah..........

Overall Album Score: 7.4 out of 10 (The album isn't a masterpiece or anything, but it's rather solid.)

Average Song Score: 7.6 (The hits aren't any better, but the supporting material is greatly improved.)

Album Tilt: 7.5 (Good diversity livens up the effort. It doesn't grow tiring like some of the previous albums.)

Artist Rating: 7.0 (Kylie's still struggling in this area even though there were still a few pretty nice things they did in places.)

Track Reviews

Word is Out 9/10

This seems to be the final straight SAW composition. I'm glad to report that it's one of the better ones! The melody is catchy. The production certainly fashioned it to be a big hit on the radio, and it probably was. The good thing is the production generally keeps the song bouncy and doesn't strike me as being so dated. (Remember, I just got off reviewing a Michael Bolton album a few days ago ... this is similar pop music but not entirely dated.) This is a fun song ... Kylie's signature spirited performance doesn't seem to be here for some reason. Well, I like this song anyway. It's harmless and fun.

Give Me Just a Little More Time 7.5/10

This is a cover of an old Motown song ..................... It's makes a fine listen altogether. It strikes me as more of a filler song, but at least they did this instead of writing a sub-par song. The production and instrumentation is strictly standard. There's nothing too noticable here.

Too Much of a Good Thing 7.5/10

This one isn't bad either. Kylie helped with the songwriting here. The style of this track seems to be like a club techno-beat song, but it's quite a but more subdued rather than obnoxious. This is not necessarily a throwaway song ... there's a few neat things they do here. The goofy panning was a neat idea. There's also some weird breathing they insert here at times (.......weird breathing, hmmm...) Anyway, there's a decent hook or two in the melody. I can't seem to think this warrants a higher score.

Finer Feelings 6.5/10

Stockman and Waterman composed this track meaning they were missing their vowel! The melody is probably more advanced than the previous track, but the hooks are mostly barren. (It seems like they were about to come into a hook, but they veer off it....... oo, that sounds frustrating.) The production is fine but completely standard. (Again, I don't really feel the song is so dated ... that's a nice quality.) This is as bad as a Madonna song!!!!!! Eeek!!!!!!

If You Were With Me Now 7/10

Oh, here comes the dated vibe. This is the type of love ballad that only the late '80s and the early '90s could have produced. (Or, a really nice one by the two B's in ABBA in 1984 called "He Knows Me Too Well," which has good lyrics too.) The production isn't the most dismal in the world, but ... well it's getting there. She duets with an R&B singer named Keith Washington who is most famous for dueting with Kylie Minogue. It's difficult for me to deny that the melody doesn't have a few nice hooks, but they're weak more or less.

Let's Get To it 9.5/10

For the love of Pizza, this song sounds like something that would have been composed for Super NES, but I really like this one. The instrumentation sounds pretty cheap and minimal for a pop diva, but it's charming! It doesn't draw me in with its sweeping hooks (like "I Should Be So Lucky"). This song has undeniable hooks, but the overriding quality of it is it's sweet and charming. This is a nice, mid-tempoed song that's great to just sit back and enjoy.

Right Here, Right Now 7/10

Not too great here, unfortunately. It seems like they were fishing for another hit like "Better the Devil You Know," but the hooks just fail to deliver. An example of this song's problem is the chorus consisting of "Right Here, Right Now" and then they echo that phrase immediately after without changing the notes. That seems like a missed opportunity for a much needed hook to me!

Live and Learn 8/10

This is a similar type of song to "Let's Get to It" in that the backing music sounds like it could have been for Super NES! I find that charming! So sue me! Although it all sounds like a bastardized version of a samba. (I guess that's no crime.) The melody this time is a little worse with only a couple weak hooks in it.

No World Without You 8/10

This is surprisingly sparse, although I think probably a little too sparse. It's just Kylie singing along with an acoustic guitar that seems to strum irregularly. The melody isn't great but it's fine enough. In fact I think the instrumentation is a little bit too sparse, but at least it's a tasteful, simple song and it lends this album some diversity.

I Guess I Like It Like That 6/10

The first time I listened to this album, this is the only one I had difficulty sitting through. I want to think that this is a creative song ... and it probably is. But it just goes too far. Those orchestra hits are too familiar to the early '90s (with obvious reference to C+C Music Factory). It sounds like a weak imitation of other pop of the day and six minutes was way too long for it. On the other hand, I have the feeling they were shooting for a parody, but there's no way for me to tell for sure. It's not such a pleasant experience.

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