Read Review of Natural Ingredients by Luscious Jackson
Review Summary
About the Author
Not So Luscious, Jackson
May 27 '03 (Updated May 27 '03)
Pros Hip-hop, funk rock infusion straight out of NYC
Cons Boring songs, melodies, and vocals
The Bottom Line Fourteen tracks, twelve songs, zero real hits. Natural Ingredients is a wholly forgettable full-length debut.
Full Review
Based on the overwhelmingly lukewarm reception of the full length debut from Luscious Jackson, it was anybody’s guess as to whether or not the band would be able to eventually pull off the impossible. Would the New York band ever record a “great” song, much less LP? Would they ever gain widespread notoriety? Of course these questions went unanswered until the foursome returned with their second album in 1996.
Luscious Jackson proves that it is important to know important people in the music business. Had it not been for drummer Kate Schellenbach’s early membership in the Beastie Boys, the band would have never even existed. But after meeting Jill Cunniff (vocals, bass) and later connecting with fellow teenager Gabby Glaser (vocals, guitar) the idea of Luscious Jackson was born. Later, with the addition of keyboardist Vivian Trimble, the band’s lineup was complete. 1991 marked the official formation of the NYC-based band.
After signing with Beastie Boys label Grand Royal, they recorded their debut EP In Search of Manny. The recording received a great deal of positive press and in turn gave them the impetus to record their debut LP 1994’s Natural Ingredients. But where their earliest recordings explored somewhat darker and more thoughtful territory, Natural Ingredients was comparatively chipper and upbeat. Suddenly, the hip band with all the right friends traded in rave reviews for tepid ones.
Other recordings followed, most notable of which was their 1996 follow-up Fever In Fever Out where the band got their first hit in the form of Naked Eye. 1999’s Electric Honey also got fine enough reviews but with just a single or two worth mentioning, the album fizzled on shelves and left the band disillusioned. Luscious Jackson permanently called it quits in 2000.
Ignoring the initial EP release, Luscious Jackson began their short and modest career with the release of Natural Ingredients. For better or for worse, the album is on permanent record. The band had great promise, but the album itself was not representative what potential they had. But in the end it should have been indicative of the unfortunate direction the band would eventually go—selling out to the mainstream and in the end losing inspiration.
Even as mediocre an album Natural Ingredients was, it did get the band some amount of attention from mainstream media. Fourteen tracks long (including a short intro and interlude), the album in overall pretty boring. The songs blend into one another. The most popular of which, Cityscape, was a modest hit single but nothing about it appeals to me. The horns and samples are nice; heck the funky nature of it is even decent. But the vocals are monotonous and the melody is repetitive.
Not much about the album stands out as good or bad—just somehow lacking. Luscious Jackson was clearly fortunate that they had connections. This is probably what allowed them to make two subsequent albums. Deep Shag, Energy Sucker, Find Your Mind, and Angel are probably the best of the album. The songs bridge the gap between hip-hop, rock, R&B, and dance without coming off as experimental or strange. Luscious Jackson was clearly comfortable wearing many hats though at the time of Natural Ingredients the band had yet to find themselves.
And the thing that would later attract me to their music, the bleak-yet-energetic vocals, are almost completely lacking from here. The hip-hop influence is much clearer on this release than subsequent ones, but even with the funked up drums and guitars it is hard to get to the heart of Natural Ingredients. And maybe the fact that the album apparently lacks a heart is what makes it most troublesome. The songs are listless and drone on for no apparent purpose. The worst of the bunch are the painful and strangely mis-layered Strongman. Also problematic are Pelé Merengue, Rock Freak, and Here. Had Luscious Jackson been able to put more inviting melodies to their songs, the album as a whole would have been better. But as it stands now, it is very forgettable.
Natural Ingredients is a rather painful excuse for an album. As the band matured, they went even more mainstream almost totally dropping all hip-hop pretenses. Think of the track Naked Eye--that was anything but experimental. It was effectively mainstream dance. Luscious Jackson never was famous. The members—aside from their connection to Beastie Boys—never were in the limelight. Natural Ingredients showed them at their least inspired career point. And with that said, it paved the road to a quick demise.
Rating: 2/5 stars
Track Listing:
1. Intro
2. Citysong
3. Deep Shag
4. Angel
5. Strongman
6. Energy Sucker
7. Here
8. Intermission
9. Find Your Mind
10. Pelé Merengue
11. Rock Freak
12. Rollin'
13. Surprise
14. LP Retreat
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