Comments for The Brand New Heavies, Excursions, Remixes, and Rare Grooves

Usually remix albums are tired attempts to sell the same product a second time. Leave it to the Heavies to break the trend. Of course, this album contains more than mixes; several tracks were unreleased in the States, others unreleased anywhere. The instrumental tracks "Bang," "O-Fa-Fu," and "Country Funkin" are from the Heavies earlier days, and boast a grittier edge to their 70`s influenced sound before N`Dea Davenport came along to sing lead vocals and lend a pop sensibility. Of course, the group is hardly worse for the wear because of that. N`Dea`s vocals shimmer and shine over the Heavies` unique blend of pop and funk; her readings on "Mind Trips" and "Dream on Dreamer," here remixed to fresh and funky perfection, are about as fine a pop vocal as you`re likely to find. The title track from their last release, "Brother Sister," is given an entirely new groove in its remixing, and it`d be difficult to decide which version was preferable. The awesome track "Close to You" was the only exceptional tune on the soundtrack from the film "Ready to Wear," and is equally enjoyable presented here in its original version for the film. (A house mix by Masters at Work and a "Single Version," no doubt the version released in the UK, exist on the import single for the song, but this version should suit any Heavies fan just fine.) The UK single "Midnight at the Oasis," a delightfully funky reworking of the 70`s pop tune, is thankfully included here, and the bonus tracks "Keep it Coming" and "Worlds Keep Spinning" (the latter of which was included in the film "The Truth About Cats and Dogs") are both a treat to Heavies singles-deprived stateside fans. Overall, the freshness of the remixes along with the new-to-the-US tracks make "Excursions" seem almost like a whole new Heavies release...and you can`t get much better than that.