Luscious Jackson

I hadn't thought about this 1990s classic in a while until, of all things, NBC used the intro to "Naked Eye" as an outro to a commercial break during a football game.

It still holds up. In addition to "Naked Eye," check out "Mood Swing," "Under Your Skin," "Electric," "Stardust," and the absolutely fabulous "Why Do I Lie?" Jill Cuniff was the principal songwriter, although Gabrielle Glaser wrote a few, and the other members were Kate Schellenbach and Vivian Trimble. Produced by Daniel Lanois.

Grab it, kids!

Judging by the glowing comments already here, I suspect my review will get panned...... Here goes:

This is the album where Luscious Jackson lost their hip-hop edge. The songs before were a little more funkdafied, a little more bass-heavy, a little more soulful. Fever In Fever out is a lot more radio friendly and palatable, and kind of bland in comparison to LJ's previous efforts.

I am sure this is a fine album, but it is so much more poppy and over-produced than the last 2 albums that I hardly recognize the band.

I miss "Natural Ingredients" and "In Search of Manny". Be sure you check out these other albums.

4.5 Stars

Luscious Jackson's debut album "Natural Ingredients" (1994) more or less took up where the classic EP "In Search of Manny" (1992) left off. Protégés of the Beastie Boys, Luscious Jackson's early work combined NYC hip-hop and riot grrrl, with a clear pop-sensibility.

The band's second full-length album "Fever In, Fever Out" was released in 1996 and certified Gold (500,000 albums sold). While the band didn't take a 180 degree turn for their sophomore release, "Fever In, Fever Out" sees the band branch out artistically and go for a smoother, slicker sound, but without loosing its edge.

While many albums are filled with a few really great songs, a few good ones, and some filler, "Fever In, Fever Out" doesn't work that way at all. The entire album, for the most part, is extremely laid back, with one song seamlessly flowing into the next, like a dream. In other words, "Fever In, Fever Out" is not a singles oriented album, with the exception of the lead-off first single "Naked Eye," which combines cool beats, stylish rapping and lush feminine vocals for an incredibly catchy winning formula.

In all honestly, while I felt that the album was somewhat monotonous at first, it has really grown on me with repeated listens. There's a lot going on with this album; subtle things that the listener might not get with just one listen, like touches of New-Wave Psychedelia on "Under Your Skin," and "Water Your Garden," or the mystical Eastern flair on "Take a Ride."

One thing that makes "Fever In, Fever Out" so cool is the album's off-beat, dark undertones and production, which are fully alluring, captivating the senses.

"Fever In, Fever Out" is a lot of things. It's a salad bowl of sounds and styles, including hip-hop, Psychedelia, world-beats, modern-day beatnik rhymes, and melodic, lush backgrounds--all co-existing, but never competing. While "Fever In, Fever Out" is overall slicker than its predecessors, it ultimately works to its advantage, as it's a mellower, more tranquilizing album. If you bought this album just for "Naked Eye," try giving the entire album a few spins, as there is a lot going on that's easy to miss the first time around.

I borrowed this CD from a friend, had no idea who LJ was, and immediately recognized their hit "Naked Eye." After listening to that song over and over, I listened to the rest of the CD, and it's all wonderful. They're creative and inventive, interesting, and the music is delicious. It's now my favorite CD to listen to on Saturday mornings. I have to buy it now because my friend wants his CD back! You can't go wrong with this purchase!

This Album is impressive. While an excellent album from beginning to end, there is no question that Mood Swing and Naked Eye are the masterpieces from Fever In Out. All of the girls in this band are great musicians including the seductive voice of the lead guitarist and the drummer. The Lyrics are poetic in nature in that they are abtract and require the audience to work. With the dearth of talent in the music industry, ie. Britney "BS" Spears and Nelly, the loss of a band like this is devastating.

A group I didn't even heard of up to some months ago (such a shame!). Really fine music, 4 chicks that go from rock to soul always in an elegant mood. This CD contains a smart version of Gainsbourg's "69 annèe erotique" too. Really lovely.

This is an excellent collection of fab Luscious Jackson hits. A great first for those who've never had the pleasure of listening to Luscious Jackson before and a must have for any fan.

I agree, In Search of Manny should've been included. "Life of Leisure" is one of my favorite songs!!! Oh well, for the casual fan it's perfect, otherwise if you loved LJ back in the day, you probably have the albums or CDs, etc...

Luscious Jackson may not have been the most ground-breaking influential band of all-time, but they were still pretty damn cool.

Over the course of eight years, the band--Jill Cunniff, (bass, guitar, vocals) Gabby Glaser, (guitar) Vivian Trimble, (keyboards) and Kate Schellenbach (drums) released one EP "In Search of Manny" (1992) and three albums "Natural Ingredients," (1994) "Fever In, Fever Out" (1996) and "Electric Honey" (1999) (which Trimble didn't play on). While the band started out as a sort of "female Beastie Boys" on their EP and debut album, their music became slightly more commercial and radio-friendly with their last two albums.

Overall, "Greatest Hits" (2007) does a pretty good capturing the best of LJ, even if it slightly misses the mark.

My biggest compliant with "Greatest Hits" is that it includes only one song from "In Search of Manny," the opening "Let Yourself Get Down." It actually wouldn't have been a bad idea to just have included all seven songs from the "In Search of Manny" EP, as all seven songs stand as some of the band's best work and the EP is, overall, the band's finest hour. Too many okay-but-not-great songs like "Love is Here" and the pointless remixes are included when the band could have been much better served by including the entire debut EP (clocking in at under 25 minutes, the band's other three albums still could still have been fairly represented). Since "In Search of Manny" is now out-of-print, including the entire EP here would have made it all the more desirable. It also would have been cool if a few songs from the outstanding "Klassics with a K" (1995) album had been included (a side project from Cunniff and Trimble's band the Kostars).

I also kind of wish the music from the GAP commercial had been thrown in (yeah it's only 30 seconds, but it was still infectious!)

All complaints aside, this compilation is still pretty good, gathering all their hits and essential songs from their three major studio albums. Songs like "Naked Eye," "Here," "Under Your Skin," "Deep Shag," "Ladyfingers" etc. have held up really well. If you are just a casual LJ fan, this compilation is will serve you well, although one is advised to check out the used CD bins and pick up the "In Search of Manny" EP.

Even if you already own all three albums and the EP, "Greatest Hits" is still worth picking up as it contains some hard-to-find songs like "Love is Here" and "69 Annee Erotique." The four remixes "Lady Fingers," "Naked Eye," "Why Do I Lie" and "Nervous Breakthrough" don't really do much for me personally, but they should be of interest to those interested in dance-type remixes.

Disco Funk o Rama... great listen! Sexy smooth voices lingering with eclectic sometimes disco music.

After reading all the other eight reviews of this album, I am upset that there are, after all, only eight of them and that this group, I just learned, disbanded in 2000. What a shame, because, coming from a person with a profound appreciation of music that defies categorical boundaries, they are the REAL thing.

This is one of the few albums- of which I'm listening to right now on my discman at 3 A.M. that I wouldn't be able to live without, in fact- that I can listen to at ANY time, any day, any mood, and not skip a track, or a groovy, hip beat. I tend to have favorites on any album, but on this one, EVERY song is my favorite, even though I discovered Luscious Jackson by listening to "Here (Squirmel Mix)" on the Clueless Soundtrack and was simply captivated by its hard-to-pin vintage allure. How truly smart Clueless was to use one of Luscious Jackson's, to quote one reviewer, "smooth, mellow, upbeat fun funky city grooves" on their already eclectic and wondrous soundtrack.

Natural Ingredients is an album that humbly and gracefully defines a generation of Reality Biters and angsty, lovestruck males and females. Even though Luscious Jackson is described as a "feminist" band, and they certainly are, their grooves and lyrics can ONLY be described as transcending every gender barrier in the book and achieving a brilliance and simplicity that makes the daily suffering of everyday existence seem all right and even necessary. I have NEVER heard a more life-affirming or revelatory album in my ENTIRE life! A big admirer of musicians who fail to be categorized easily, such as Bjork, Radiohead, and M.I.A., I NOW can add the tenderly understated and sadly underappreciated NY-based quartet Luscious Jackson to my fabulous list. :-)

Ladies, you got it GOING ON! Please reunite and let the WHOLE wide world know you're BACK in business, creaing music of such illustrious beats, seamless grooves, and endlessly creative lyrics. There are simply NO words, simply, to express my gratitude for finding your album (in the LIBRARY of all places!) and immediately, almost breathlessly, being wrapped in your bittersweet sanctuary of love, confusion, candor, humility, and, most importantly, redemption. ;-)

N.Y. -based Luscious Jackson are one of my all-time favorite groups, hopefully I do them justice! This is their first full-length, following the lo-fi but brilliant ''In Search Of Manny" Mini-album.It's one of their most popular, although I recommend any of their four releases. Sadly, they disbanded in 2000...

LJ is unique in that they blend so many styles so seamlessly, 70's-style funk, soul, hip-hop, pop, country, 60's-style rock/psychedelia, folk, you-name-it, they've heard it and they incorporate it. Yet their influences are not obvious and there's no blatant 'borrowing' of riffs like you sometimes see. Almost all the songs have intense, funky grooves...yet a lot of the time this album seems very relaxed and laid back. Yes, it's hard to pin down!

Opening with the ominous funk of 'City Song', the album maintains this sort of spacey, funky, rockin' tone until the final, dub-influenced 'LP Retreat' (an ode to vinyl). I love the interplay between Jill Cunniff's 'strong' melodic singing and Gabrielle Glaser's sung/spoken 'rapping'. You can always tell who's who, that's for sure! This is also the paragraph to mention Kate Schellenbach's stellar drumming. She's truly great, it's hard to create a distinctive style on the drums, but she does it! When most 'funk'-oriented groups would use a drum machine, LJ goes the opposite way...

And then there's the lyrics: brilliant, witty, totally understated. IMHO, Luscious Jackson have the best 'feminist' lyrics of any group, ever! Not that I'm a rabid fan or anything! It's just that Glaser and Cunniff are so articulate, to the point, never preachy, always witty. They only got better on subsequent albums. I'd say 'Ladyfingers' on their final album 'Electric Honey' is the best feminist anthem ever, but I AM only a man! :) Cunniff did say once that their music was for 'smart girls and quiet boys'...if you like progessive pop/rock/funk with a large dose of melodicism, that includes you, too! ;oD

First of the artist's four CD's.As most of you know,this isn't some cheezy spin-off featuring either of the Jackson girls.You know,La Toya,Janet or Michelle(I mean,Michael).Best described as alternative pop.Noticed some nicely done smooth vocals coupled with sensuous musical interludes.Tracks that should do it for most fans are "City Song","Energy Sucker","Strongman","Rock Freak" and maybe "Deep Shag".Might appeal to fans of The Breeders,Sean Lennon,Josephine Wiggs and Buffalo Daughter.

Fever In and Fever Out is the best place to start for folks unaquainted with Luscious Jackson. This album has some high points, but is nowhere near the quality of Fever

Good early EP from Luscious Jackson, a favorite of mine. I didn't even know about this until people here recommended it.Thanks. I love all that Groovy-Girl New York stuff anyway. So pick it up.Good record.

I was just contemplating CDs my friends and I listened to all the time in high school, and which ones I really miss. In Search of Manny has got to top the list. These groovy songs are unlike anything I've heard before or sense, and they would bring anyone out of a depressing funk. LJ's later, more commercial releases, weren't near as good or catchy.

It's kind of hard to pigeonhole the genre of Luscious Jackson. Were they hip-hop? riot grrrl? Alternative? College? Dance? Electronic? They were actually a little of all the above. If you took the Beastie Boys and mixed in a little Bikini Kill and L7, you'd end up with Luscious Jackson.

The band's all-too-brief career produced only three studio albums and this one EP, their debut "In Search of Manny" (1992). While the band's later work is definitely worth checking out, it's their classic EP that is the New York outfits best work. Clocking in at under the half-hour mark, all of these seven songs are equally captivating and infectious and sound just as fresh and vibrant today as they did back in the early 90s. You'll find yourself listening to this EP two or three times in a row.

Such a classic EP, it's surprising that it's now out-of-print. Luckily it's relatively easy to find available used at amazon or at a used CD shop. If your into NYC style hip-hop/Bestie Boys/college/alt. rock and haven't checked out this EP, your missing out.

Long before Fannypack and Northern State, there were the women of Luscious Jackson who created their own blend of hip hop music. I was still in high school when I discovered Luscious Jackson's "In Search of Manny". This was way before "Fever In, Fever Out" and "Natural Ingredients". I was looking for music that my peers in high school weren't listening to. What I ended up discovering was punk music and the idea of the do-it-yourself ethos that artists like Ian McKaye of Fugazi and Ani Difranco lives by. Luscious Jackson was one of the few groups that I started listening to long before the masses caught on. I barely remember buying the cassette version of "In Search of Manny". It definitely was nothing I had never heard of before. I am not a fan of hip hop music but I dug what I heard right away. In some bizarre way, Luscious Jackson reminds me of the best elements of trip hop music with their laid back grooves. Everyone in the band plays an instrument. There is nothing synthetic about their music. I know. I had seen the band perform live on the second stage of 1994's Lollapalooza. I had just caught them performing after I got out of the mosh pit for L7. Because the audience wasn't big, I was able to get pretty close to the stage. Looking back that was cool because I was into the band before everyone else in this country was (unfortunately for a brief moment). It is really difficult to pick out one particular song over another. All the songs on this EP (extended play) is great. You can hear Kate Schellenbach's Beastie Boys' days influence the music. It isn't overtly obvious but if you listen to the songs long enough, you can certainly hear bits of the Beastie Boys in the music. It is a shame that Luscious Jackson called it the day. They truly were something special in a sea of garbage in the '90s.

I wanted this ep to go on and on. Daughters of Kaos is amazing.

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!

despite probabley(ney definitely!) needing to lenghten their mini skirts down to thier toes and wear high necked collars, these girls still rock out and being ten years older doesn't make them less vigorous. With out Vivian, they, I suppose, focus more on the rock and less on the Pop and technobabble side of it. The 1991 albumn where they were teenie boppers themselves is a joke in comparison to later. Of course Natural Ingrediants is still my fav, with "Naked Eye" close seconds behind. Don't try sampling these on Media player here, it just does an MS "talk fu" crash of yer system save em to Real One then play offline.

Luscious Jackson may be well considered the sweetest version of the beastie boys as versatile as innovative as the beasties are, Luscious Jackson delivers funny, sweet and experimental music, very 90s, very alternative, very entertaining, in "Electric Honey" sadly their last release the Jacksons became a trio after the departure of the gorgeous keyboardist they had, this didnt affected sustancialy and "Electric Honey" is perhaps their best release, check out "Lady Fingers" , "sexy hipnotist", and my favorite "Devotion"

HM

Od samog pocetka albuma koji otvara neverovatno dobra funky stvar Nervous Breakthrough, album Electric Honey pruza nezaustavljivu pop disco funky energiju. Album koji se voli, ili jednostavno stavi po strani ( za one koji nemaju ukusa :)). Pogotovo treba obratiti paznju na pesmu Fantastic Fabulous gde se kao gost vokal pojavljuje Deborah Harry.
Album je visoko sofistikovan i neodoljivo sexy. Za svaku preporuku. Obavezno za svaku ozbiljniju kolekciju.

I'm a true blue LJ fan and with its funky, groovy-licious sound, I jez cant' get enough of 'em. It's been on my cd player for 2 months now.

Out of the box, I just want to reiterate my heading. Mike McGonigal is a moron! He criticized Jill's samples and lyrics as being unoriginal and basically tired. Please, as an artist and musician, you create around what captures the moment you are in. As for City Beach, the music sounds and feels good. So sorry that you lack the ability to tap into the good vibes emanating from this solo debut Mike. How in the world did you get a gig writing artist/CD reviews? Of course, everyone is entitled to an opinion, even when they miss the mark...completely. I actually loved "Lazy Girls" when I first heard it a while back. This afternoon I was shopping at the Gap out here in L.A. and I heard "Happy Warriors" over the music system. The track sounded great! I really like Jill's voice and her melodies. Problem is, traditional radio will never spin the songs on this CD, but then again, who cares about traditional radio anymore? I've worked in the industry for 15 years and it continues to get worse. It is usually out of touch and not capable of taking any risks. IT is unoriginal and basically tired. I always find it ridiculous that people with the least amount of music ability, take such issue with those the are creating original music. Hey Mike? When's the the last time you wrote and produced a song, let alone a CD, that ANYONE actually wanted to purchase or listen to? Maybe you should "chillax" a bit on the reviews and take another trip down to Beach City. Yes Mike, you are still a moron.

This album has some of the most unique, upbeat, and happy songs on it! I smile when I listen to it and it does take me to a time of sitting on a beach. I highly recommend this album to everyone as I did all my friends! They love it and I think you will too!

A wonderful blend of rock, funk, and pop. Cuniff has a warm, engaging voice, and she sings and writes like a grown-up - one with a sense of playfulness to go with her intelligence. Every song here has a good melody, sharp words, and a memorable hook. I took a chance on this based on an on-line review, and I'm very glad I did.

During our long, hot summers, we sun loving lizards' in the Southwest dream of cool, white sandy beaches, with spritzes of ocean water pelting our bodies. It's the only relief we can afford besides a box fan and a creaking, old evaporative cooler.

Fortunately for us, ex-Luscious Jackson front woman Jill Cunniff has crafted a beautiful slice of life album with her solo debut City Beach, offering comfort for everyone needing a break from the broil of global warming.

City Beach mixes myriad musical styles, from Brazilian jazz to alternative rock into an intoxicating brew of mood pieces. From the opening number "Lazy Girls" to the sullen ending piece "Disconnection", Cunniff paints pictures of her beloved New York City, infusing personal memories of `eating orange popsicles' to observations on how the city is changing for the worse, to deep examinations of male/female relationships. In a way, City Beach is a musical novel based on real life, the ebb and flow of carefree adolescence to the unpredictability of adulthood, much like the shifting tides of the ocean.

Cunniff has packed City Beach with powerful support, from her collaboration with music critic Vivian Goldman, and Emmylou Harris, who provides back-up vocals on "Disconnect". Cunniff contributes guitars, bass, organ and an extraordinary vocal range; handles much of the production duties and works programming on the project. Special call outs go to Rachel Yamagata for a sterling turn on keyboards on "Kaleidoscope", drummer Tony Mangurian; and Nathan Rosenberg, Sam Hollander, Dave Schommer and Jim Kissling for being Cunniff's partners in crime on the post production.

It's rare to find an album so flawless. Cunniff brings a colorful sensuality to her vocal chops, beckoning the listener with intense harmonies that add vitality to the entire album. The instrumentation is relaxed, almost lazy in a sense, rolling along with Cunniff's direct vocals. It's a change from the almost chant-like vox from her Luscious Jackson days. Ultimately, City Beach achieves a nearly impossible goal- you'll find yourself humming to these songs during your morning commute while contemplating meanings of the vivid lyrics.

Unlike so many solo projects, City Beach is not for Luscious Jackson fans only. If anything, Cunniff stamps this project with her persona. It's the kind of album for anyone who appreciates the dynamic range of female vocals and blended with the looping fun of music sampling. Listening to City Beach is a bit like listening to a tougher, edgier Sarah McLaughlin record. It's simply that good.

For my fellow Southwesterners, you don't have to wait until summer vacation to head for the Pacific. You can share a blanket on the beach all year with Jill Cunniff, but beware--she will bewitch you into staying with her on that beach long past your vacation is over.

LJ fans will not be disappointed. Jill Cunniff's debut album is worth the wait! Don't be influenced by negative reviews, hear it for yourself and you'll be glad you did. This is the album I get all my friends this year.

7 Tracks: Here (Original LP Version) (3:33), Here (Explosion Mix) (5:06), Bam Bam (Live) (2:22), Here (Squirmel Mix) (3:29), Queen Of Bliss (3:40), Surprise (Live) (2:44), Here (Love/Hate Mix) (3:43).

I hadn't thought about this 1990s classic in a while until, of all things, NBC used the intro to "Naked Eye" as an outro to a commercial break during a football game.

It still holds up. In addition to "Naked Eye," check out "Mood Swing," "Under Your Skin," "Electric," "Stardust," and the absolutely fabulous "Why Do I Lie?" Jill Cuniff was the principal songwriter, although Gabrielle Glaser wrote a few, and the other members were Kate Schellenbach and Vivian Trimble. Produced by Daniel Lanois.

Grab it, kids!

Judging by the glowing comments already here, I suspect my review will get panned...... Here goes:

This is the album where Luscious Jackson lost their hip-hop edge. The songs before were a little more funkdafied, a little more bass-heavy, a little more soulful. Fever In Fever out is a lot more radio friendly and palatable, and kind of bland in comparison to LJ's previous efforts.

I am sure this is a fine album, but it is so much more poppy and over-produced than the last 2 albums that I hardly recognize the band.

I miss "Natural Ingredients" and "In Search of Manny". Be sure you check out these other albums.

4.5 Stars

Luscious Jackson's debut album "Natural Ingredients" (1994) more or less took up where the classic EP "In Search of Manny" (1992) left off. Protégés of the Beastie Boys, Luscious Jackson's early work combined NYC hip-hop and riot grrrl, with a clear pop-sensibility.

The band's second full-length album "Fever In, Fever Out" was released in 1996 and certified Gold (500,000 albums sold). While the band didn't take a 180 degree turn for their sophomore release, "Fever In, Fever Out" sees the band branch out artistically and go for a smoother, slicker sound, but without loosing its edge.

While many albums are filled with a few really great songs, a few good ones, and some filler, "Fever In, Fever Out" doesn't work that way at all. The entire album, for the most part, is extremely laid back, with one song seamlessly flowing into the next, like a dream. In other words, "Fever In, Fever Out" is not a singles oriented album, with the exception of the lead-off first single "Naked Eye," which combines cool beats, stylish rapping and lush feminine vocals for an incredibly catchy winning formula.

In all honestly, while I felt that the album was somewhat monotonous at first, it has really grown on me with repeated listens. There's a lot going on with this album; subtle things that the listener might not get with just one listen, like touches of New-Wave Psychedelia on "Under Your Skin," and "Water Your Garden," or the mystical Eastern flair on "Take a Ride."

One thing that makes "Fever In, Fever Out" so cool is the album's off-beat, dark undertones and production, which are fully alluring, captivating the senses.

"Fever In, Fever Out" is a lot of things. It's a salad bowl of sounds and styles, including hip-hop, Psychedelia, world-beats, modern-day beatnik rhymes, and melodic, lush backgrounds--all co-existing, but never competing. While "Fever In, Fever Out" is overall slicker than its predecessors, it ultimately works to its advantage, as it's a mellower, more tranquilizing album. If you bought this album just for "Naked Eye," try giving the entire album a few spins, as there is a lot going on that's easy to miss the first time around.

I borrowed this CD from a friend, had no idea who LJ was, and immediately recognized their hit "Naked Eye." After listening to that song over and over, I listened to the rest of the CD, and it's all wonderful. They're creative and inventive, interesting, and the music is delicious. It's now my favorite CD to listen to on Saturday mornings. I have to buy it now because my friend wants his CD back! You can't go wrong with this purchase!

This Album is impressive. While an excellent album from beginning to end, there is no question that Mood Swing and Naked Eye are the masterpieces from Fever In Out. All of the girls in this band are great musicians including the seductive voice of the lead guitarist and the drummer. The Lyrics are poetic in nature in that they are abtract and require the audience to work. With the dearth of talent in the music industry, ie. Britney "BS" Spears and Nelly, the loss of a band like this is devastating.