Cymande - ARRIVAL appreciation
kitchenknight
4,922 Posts
Copped this last weekend at the Good Records Emporium in NYC. 
Now, Cymande was the first non-mainstream group that really sucked me in, and then I found the S/T for $3 for my first digging score, so when I saw this, I knew I was buying for almost PURELY sentimental/completist reasons.Jonny warned me that it sounded more moderny, and I didn't bother giving it a listen...Now, on a lovely Saturday, I'm sitting on the porch with a crossword, sipping some san pelligrino, and listening to this.AND HOLYSHIT, WHAT A BIZARRE FUCKING RECORD.On its own, this might hold up as a decent Modern joint- which isn't normally my thing, so I might be way off. BUT, given where the group had been before this, and what you come to associate with their name, it is almost comical how different it sounds.WHAT IS NOT ALMOST COMICAL, but just straight up hilarity, is how bad some of the songs are. There's some male/female duo that will make any house feel like the Dentists office.Now, I know it has been said this was a totally different band put together to capitalize on the name, so I came into it without much expectation. But whoa- what a weird fucking record, in context.
Now, Cymande was the first non-mainstream group that really sucked me in, and then I found the S/T for $3 for my first digging score, so when I saw this, I knew I was buying for almost PURELY sentimental/completist reasons.Jonny warned me that it sounded more moderny, and I didn't bother giving it a listen...Now, on a lovely Saturday, I'm sitting on the porch with a crossword, sipping some san pelligrino, and listening to this.AND HOLYSHIT, WHAT A BIZARRE FUCKING RECORD.On its own, this might hold up as a decent Modern joint- which isn't normally my thing, so I might be way off. BUT, given where the group had been before this, and what you come to associate with their name, it is almost comical how different it sounds.WHAT IS NOT ALMOST COMICAL, but just straight up hilarity, is how bad some of the songs are. There's some male/female duo that will make any house feel like the Dentists office.Now, I know it has been said this was a totally different band put together to capitalize on the name, so I came into it without much expectation. But whoa- what a weird fucking record, in context.
Comments
I couldn't figure out what to say, and then figured it was fitting; Its a unique record, as far as backstory goes, and one that I'll probably listen to again. And, man...slow ballads are just SO bad, they almost become good again. I wanted someone to walk by, and just look at me like, "dude, who is blating the Peabo Bryson duets?"
"Sweet Talk" is one absolutely beautiful breezy caribbean jazz tune. i listen to it often.
"Since You've been Gone" and "You Won't Feel So Proud" are also very beautiful and elegant 80's soul tunes.
i found 4 sealed copies of this in the winter. i may have one left.
that's good record right there.
fair enough; that shit blew my mind the first time i heard it ... basement party, freshman year of college. WOAH like Joey Lawrence all over that shit.
Damn. One of my top 10 all-time. For me, it's one of those perfect LPs.
Neither did I. But the two albums that followed were monsters.
As far as the Arrival album...what year was it from? 'Cause if it was two or more years after their final Janus LP in '74, that might be why it sounds so different. They probably weren't trying to keep consistent with the Janus albums so much as keep consistent with whatever was on the radio. (Also see: the Beginning of the End's modern-ish album from '76, five years after Funky Nassau and with a less intense sound...kind of like if War followed up Deliver The Word with The Music Band.)
Trippin' that record is a killer all the way through!
you crazy son???
thought it couldnt be too special beacuse it was a $0.50 find
please, this record stinks like macdonalds ass. that's why you used to find it everywhere. i also makes my ass hurt too.
no... promised heights is the record.
haha.
certainly don't see this laying around everywhere in ny anymore.
it's from 1981. completely different sound.
you can't compare it w/ other cymande albums.
we're talking about a 6-7 year gap.
definitely some turdlike tracks.
but three that really make this a nice record for me.
friends beg to disagree...
i don't care.
i stand strong.
how did that cover not impel you to listen to it immediately???
anyone thumbing their nose at cymande has a serious case of the waxidermies
GRAEMLIN ALERT!
from what i understand, that isnt cymande at all.
Hilarious. Hey Tom!
You know, this is the only one I don't have/I've never heard.
Whuddup Cosmo? you chillin?
I actually believe it. Why would a fairly high-profile band from the West Indies make a comeback on some outdated doo-wop label from Harlem? That don't add up.