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Black Radio Won't Play This Record

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Black Radio Won't Play This Record
Studio album by
Released1992
Genre
LabelScotti Brothers[1]
ProducerThom Panunzio
Mother's Finest chronology
Subluxation
(1990)
Black Radio Won't Play This Record
(1992)
Meta-Funk'n Physical
(2003)

Black Radio Won't Play This Record is an album by the American band Mother's Finest, released in 1992.[2][3] The title of the album comes from a comment made by a Scotti Brothers executive.[4] The band supported the album with a North American tour.[5] The first single was "Generator".[6]

Production

[edit]

Displeased with their previous studio album, the band hired new management and recorded demos.[6] Three original members of Mother's Finest played on the album: Joyce Kennedy, Glenn Murdock, and Jerry Seay.[7] It was produced by Thom Panunzio.[8] "Power" is a tribute to female toughness.[9]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[10]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[7]
The Indianapolis Star[11]
MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide[12]
Rock Hard9.5/10[13]

The Washington Post wrote that "lead singer Joyce Kennedy wastes no time bemoaning lack of black fan support for black rockers, singing in the first song, 'Negro': 'Like a rebel without a cause/ I play my music to no applause'."[8] Spin called the album "loud, irreverent, and oozing integrity," writing that it "dishes out a Chaka-Khan-meets-alternametal onslaught."[14] The Indianapolis Star deemed it "unadulterated hard rock," declaring that the band "manages to rage pretty effectively against racial and sexual stereotypes with an infectious metallic beat."[11] The Kingston Whig-Standard said that "the guitars tend to be grungy and delivered at a high speed but [the band] don't believe in cliches either."[15]

AllMusic wrote: "Taking off the gloves (both musically and lyrically) and throwing urban contemporary considerations to the wind, MF excels by doing what it does best: scorching heavy metal and hard rock with a touch of Ike & Tina Turner-ish soul."[10] Washington City Paper declared that "Kennedy’s voice is bred for the band’s ability to go from downtempo soul all the way up to power metal sprinkled with funk influences."[16] Miami New Times called Black Radio Won't Play This Record "one of the best rock albums of the Nineties."[17]

Track listing

[edit]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Like a Negro"Kennedy, Seay, Murdock5:05
2."Power"Kennedy, John Hayes3:59
3."Generator"Seay4:34
4."Cry Baby"Kennedy, Hayes5:25
5."Shirt"Kennedy, Hayes, Murdock3:00
6."The Wall"Kennedy, Murdock, Hayes5:19
7."Attitude"Murdock, Kennedy, Dion Murdock4:19
8."Crack Babies"Seay, Murdock, Sam McCovey5:11
9."Head Bangin' and Booty Shakin'"Murdock2:58
10."Stop"Seay, Cris Kennedy3:42
11."Move (Get Outta My Way)"Seay, Kennedy, Dee Dee Hakim4:27
12."L.P.F."Kennedy, Hayes3:49

References

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  1. ^ Heim, Chris (1 May 1992). "New kids on the block". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. S.
  2. ^ "Mother's Finest Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  3. ^ Mahon, Maureen (June 23, 2004). Right to Rock: The Black Rock Coalition and the Cultural Politics of Race. Duke University Press.
  4. ^ Miller, Michael (November 13, 1992). "Message of Mother's Finest: Rock Isn't for Whites Only". The State. p. 3D.
  5. ^ Weatherford, Mike (4 Sep 1992). "Rock Options". Las Vegas Review-Journal. p. 2E.
  6. ^ a b Linafelt, Tom (15 May 1992). "Mother's Finest brings rock act to the Strand". Kicks!. The Sun News. p. 3.
  7. ^ a b Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6. MUZE. p. 28.
  8. ^ a b "Black Rockers on the Move". The Washington Post. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  9. ^ Hunt, Dennis (21 Oct 1992). "Mother's Finest Showcases Anger in Roxy Show". Los Angeles Times. p. F9.
  10. ^ a b "Black Radio Won't Play This Record". AllMusic.
  11. ^ a b Hill, Dave (10 July 1992). "Mother's Finest offers headbangin' rock". The Indianapolis Star. p. D8.
  12. ^ MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 412.
  13. ^ "Mother's Finest – Black Radio Won't Play This Record". Rock Hard.
  14. ^ Blush, Steven (Jul 1992). "Spins". Spin. Vol. 8, no. 4. p. 79.
  15. ^ Burliuk, Greg (4 June 1992). "More Than Just Soul". Entertainment. The Kingston Whig-Standard. p. 1.
  16. ^ "To Do This Weekend: Persona, GoldLink, and Mother's Finest". Washington City Paper. July 27, 2018.
  17. ^ Baker, Greg. "Finest's Worksong". Miami New Times.