release date: Sep. 1986
format: vinyl (925 490-1) / cd (2011 remaster)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,28]
producer: Marcus Miller, Tommy LiPuma
label: Warner Bros. - nationality: USA
Studio album by Miles Davis following You're Under Arrest (Apr. 1985). Six of eight compositions are credited Marcus Miller, one song (track #2) is co-composed by Davis, one (track #5) is by George Duke, and one (track #6) is a Scritti Politti-cover written by David Gamson, Green Gartside. All music is arranged by Marcus Miller who also plays most instruments. Davis is exclusively credited on trumpet, which basically makes this a Marcus Miller album featuring Miles Davis. But that probably wouldn't attract the same attention.
I've always shared double feelngs about the album. Some tracks really showcase the genius Miles Davis with no one else being able to fill in with his playful improvs, and then at the same time, it's over-packed with drum machines, synths, and sequencers making it one part '80s ugly' and everything but timeless, and boldly using funk and contemporary r&b as a hip foundation that mostly comes out as an aggressive wall of pop funk trying too hard to be hip. Still, it's quite defining as an original release, and frankly better than most of Davis' more recent albums.
Not his best but still worth knowing.
[ allmusic.com 2,5 / 5, The Guardian, MusicHound Jazz 4 / 5, The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings 3 / 4 stars ]
