Sheila E. - Romance 1600

German edition of her hit sophomore album, originally released in 1985 on Prince's imprint Paisley Park. Eight tracks including the hit, 'A Love Bizarre'. Album Description

With a little help from Prince, Sheila makes good music.

It's glaringly obvious how much involvement His Purpleness had in the creation of Sheila E's "Romance 1600" - You can hear his lyrical style all over this album, and he even sings on it. His guitar is noticeable here and there (or someone is really mocking his style) and the general feel of this album is Prince when he was still cool (i.e. before he became overly pious in his songwriting and attitude). This is a fun album full of sexuality, funk and naughtiness.

Don't believe that this is all Prince, though. Sheila is the star here, and she carries the album from start to finish. Her drums are the backbone of this record. Her vocal style is necessary to these songs sounding the way they do. Her flair is what takes this out of the realm of being just another group playing Prince's music (see "The Family", "Vanity 6" and "Apollonia 6" as well as some early work by "The Time" for those) and into the realm of being a Sheila E joint. And a fun one it is!

Sheila rocks the house with "Sister Fate" (a tune about Prince and her?), "Toy Box" (totally naughty Prince lyrics notwithstanding), "Dear Michelangelo", her duet with Prince entitled "Love Bizarre" and the album's title track, "Romance 1600". She draws on some seriously soulful chops to belt out "Bedtime Story" (and one wonders if she's singing about Prince in this one as well).

Sheila's band reminds us that they're talented in their own right with the instrumental "Merci for the Speed of a Mad Clown in Summer", which breaks out as one of my favorite tracks on the album. Why? Because this one is pure Sheila E, blasting on the drums like a she-beast, and loads of Eddie M. making the saxophone do amazing things. This is funk/jazz that takes the album out of Prince's yard and plays to the strengths of the band, instead. Sheila's father must surely have loved this tune.

"Yellow" is another cool tune, which also seems to feature a lot of Prince in it. It's almost certainly penned by him (just listen to it!), so no Prince fan should skip this album.

All in all, "Romance 1600" takes the concepts of Sheila E's earlier "The Glamorous Life" and improves upon it, finding some of herself mixed in with all the Prince that you can handle. It is lamentably the last time Sheila E put out an album that seriously rocks. Her later works were fun, but didn't have the old Prince flair (either he was hands-off, or his religious conversion caused his satellite works to slip even further than his main catalog). "Romance 1600" is therefore like a grand farewell to the era of 1980s Prince-styled naughty funk. Sadly, after this album, it's all self-reflection and communing with God, without an f-word in sight.

Consider "Romance 1600" to be Sheila E's swan song, and her epitaph as a funk artist, all rolled into one. September 23, 2008

She does it again!

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3EBCRRHK303I1 My name is Jeremy Gloff. I am a musician (check me out on Amazon!) and retro music enthusiast. If you enjoyed this review make sure to check out my Amazon user profile to check out my other reviews. I am always up for making new friends and discussing the music I love!!! August 26, 2008

She does it again.

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R143A194MJ4HXW My name is Jeremy Gloff. I am a musician (check me out on Amazon!) and retro music enthusiast. If you enjoyed this review make sure to check out my Amazon user profile to check out my other reviews. I am always up for making new friends and discussing the music I love!!! August 26, 2008

probably then but not now

never listened 2 this album when it came out. only like love bizaree. added 2 my prince play it live list...3121... March 22, 2008

...Color The Dreams In My Head

Romance 1600, released in 1985 on Prince's Paisley Park imprint, was precussionist Sheila E.'s follow up to her grammy-nominated debut album "The Glamorous Life". I really got into this album not only because of Ms. Escovedo's extrordinary drumming skills or her hypnotizing beauty, but because this album was loaded with that Minnesota funk/rock sound that her mentor (Prince) put on the map a few years earlier - and also on "The Glamorous Life". But on this album, the funk went a bit deeper. Let me explain.

The album's credits read "Produced, Written & Arranged by Sheila E.", leading one to assume that Sheila had total artistic control over this album, but guess what? It's actually Prince and he's all over this album! Listening to it you'll notice each song has a HEAVY Prince influence noticable in the keyboards, the bass & especially the guitar. You'll also notice that this album also has the same funky/psychedelic vibe as Prince's "Around The World In A Day". Sure, that's Sheila on lead vocals & percussion and Eddie M. on sax, but Prince is on everything else, as he was on albums by The Time, Vanity 6, Apollonia 6, & The Family.

Now getting to the music. The hits here were "Sister Fate" (inspired by rumors that she & U-know-who had a thing going on) and "A Love Bizarre", her duet with Prince in all it's 12-minute-plus glory. "Dear Michaelangelo" is an interesting tale of a female peasant who's love for the artist was the only thing that could "save her from death's invitation". Sheila cuts loose a bit on the funky "Toy Box" while the swing jazz inspired "Yellow" has her trading lines with (U guessed it) Prince. On the new-wave-ish title track, Sheila describes a bizarre rendezvous with a masked lover (?) while the uptempo instrumental "Merci For The Speed Of A Mad Clown In Summer", with its sped-up sax solo, is both jazzy & psychedelic. The closer is the album's lone ballad "Bedtime Story". Sheila croons over a melodic groove carried by the drums played backwards.

I'll put it to you like this - If you liked Prince's "Around The World In A Day", you'll dig "Romance 1600" and you'll REALLY dig "Romance 1600 LIVE" - Sheila's 1986 live concert in San Francisco. I highly recommend both albums & the video.

December 14, 2007

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