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The Brand New Heavies (album)

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The Brand New Heavies
Studio album by
Released16 April 1990[1]
Recorded1989–1990
GenreAcid jazz
Label
The Brand New Heavies chronology
The Brand New Heavies
(1990)
Heavy Rhyme Experience, Vol. 1
(1992)
Alternative cover
North American cover
Alternative cover
1992 cover
Singles from The Brand New Heavies
  1. "People Get Ready"
    Released: 1989
  2. "Dream Come True"
    Released: 13 August 1990[2]
  3. "Never Stop"
    Released: 23 September 1991[3]
  4. "Dream Come True '92"
    Released: 3 February 1992[4]
  5. "Don't Let It Go to Your Head"
    Released: 20 July 1992[5]
  6. "Stay this Way '92"
    Released: 30 November 1992[6]

The Brand New Heavies is the debut album by British acid jazz group The Brand New Heavies. The album was originally released on 16 April 1990 on Acid Jazz Records.[1] The album was reissued in 1991, featuring vocals by new group member N'Dea Davenport.

Following the reissue, the album became more successful than its original release, debuting on the UK Albums Chart at number twenty-five and earning a silver-certification by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). The album spawned six singles: "People Get Ready", "Dream Come True", "Never Stop", "Dream Come True '92", "Don't Let It Go to Your Head", and "Stay this Way '92"; the latter three of which peaked in the Top 40 on the UK Singles Chart.

Release and promotion

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On 16 April 1990, The Brand New Heavies was released exclusively in the United Kingdom on Acid Jazz Records.[1] Shortly after the release of the album, the group's lead vocalist Jaye Ella Ruth departed from the group and was replaced with American singer N'Dea Davenport. In 1991, the group reissued the album in North America on Delicious Vinyl Records. The North American version featured an additional song titled "Never Stop". To promote the album, The Brand New Heavies appeared on various television shows from 1991 until late 1992. On 19 October 1991, The Brand New Heavies performed "Stay this Way" on American musical variety television show Soul Train.[7] On November 9, 1991, the group performed "Never Stop" and "Stay this Way" on Showtime at the Apollo.[8]

On 20 February 1992, the group performed "Dream Come True" on British music chart television programme Top of the Pops.[9] On 2 March 1992, The Brand New Heavies was released internationally on Full Frequency Range Recordings (FFRR).[10] The international version omitted the song "Shake Down" and included two new songs: "Got to Give" and a cover version of "Don't Let It Go to Your Head". An expanded edition of the album was released on BGP Records in 2007.[11]

Singles

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In 1989, The Brand New Heavies released the single "People Get Ready", which failed to chart. "Dream Come True" was released as the album's second single on 13 August 1990.[2] The song peaked at number sixty-three on the US Hot R&B Singles chart.

"Never Stop" was released as the first international single and third overall single from The Brand New Heavies on 23 September 1991.[3] A commercial success, it peaked at number forty-three on the UK Singles Chart.[12] The song became their first crossover hit, peaking at number fifty-four on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number four on the US Hot R&B Singles chart. The accompanying music video for "Never Stop" was directed by Douglas Gayeton.

"Dream Come True" was reissued with vocals by N'Dea Davenport and released as the second international single and fourth overall single on 3 February 1992.[4] The song peaked at number twenty-four on the UK Singles Chart and number forty-two on the US Hot R&B Singles.[12] "Don't Let It Go to Your Head", a cover version of Jean Carne's song, was released as the fifth single on 20 July 1992,[5] peaking at number twenty-four on the UK Singles Chart.[12] "Stay this Way" was released as the sixth and final single from the album on 30 November 1992. The song peaked at number forty on the UK Singles Chart and number nineteen on the US Hot R&B Singles.[12]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[13]
Chicago Tribune[14]
Entertainment Weekly(favorable)[15]
Select3/5[16]

AllMusic's Alex Henderson gave The Brand New Heavies a favourable review. He praised the album for its use of live instrumentation instead of synth instruments.[13] Henderson commented, "Real horns -- not synthesizers made to sound like horns -- enrich those gems as well as the sweaty vocal funk of "People Get Ready" and "Put the Funk Back in It" and the jazz-influenced instrumental "BNH."[13] Henderson also complimented group member N'Dea Davenport for her performance on "Stay this Way" and "Dream Come True".[13] Marisa Fox of Entertainment Weekly rated the album two and a half stars out of four.

Commercial performance

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The Brand New Heavies debuted at number twenty-five on the UK Albums Chart on 14 March 1992.[17] The album spent eighteen weeks on the chart, gradually falling back to number fifty-eight before dropping off the chart.[17] On 1 January 1993, the album received a silver-certification by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).[18] In the United States, the album peaked at number seventeen on the US Billboard Top R&B Albums chart.

Track listing

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Original release
No.TitleVocalistLength
1."BNH" 5:55
2."Gimmie One of Those" 3:43
3."Dream Come True"Jay Ella Ruth4:53
4."Put the Funk Back in It" 3:26
5."People Get Ready" 3:47
6."Ride in the Sky"Jay Ella Ruth3:20
7."Sphynx" 6:14
8."Stay This Way"Jay Ella Ruth4:14
9."Shake Down" 4:20
Deluxe edition 2007
No.TitleLength
10."Never Stop (featuring N'Dea Davenport)"4:11
11."Rest of Me"4:22
12."Reality"3:54
13."Mother's Tongue"4:35
14."A Day at the Seaside"3:36
15."Country Funkin'"4:45
16."Never Stop (Jan Kincaid Version)"4:44
17."Dream Come True" (Original 1988 Version)5:22
International edition 1991
No.TitleVocalistLength
1."BNH" 5:55
2."Dream Come True"N'Dea Davenport4:53
3."People Get Ready"N'Dea Davenport3:47
4."Never Stop"N'Dea Davenport4:13
5."Put the Funk Back in It" 3:19
6."Gimme One of Those" 3:42
7."Ride in the Sky"N'Dea Davenport3:24
8."Sphynx" 4:47
9."Stay This Way"N'Dea Davenport5:43
10."Shake Down" 4:19
Re-release international edition 1992
No.TitleVocalistLength
1."Dream Come True"N'Dea Davenport7:47
2."Stay This Way" (The Heavy 7")N'Dea Davenport4:10
3."People Get Ready"N'Dea Davenport3:47
4."Never Stop" (Morales Remix Single Edit)N'Dea Davenport3:55
5."Put the Funk Back in It" 3:20
6."Don't Let It Go to Your Head"N'Dea Davenport3:49
7."B.N.H." 4:28
8."Ride in the Sky"N'Dea Davenport3:43
9."Gimme One of Those" 3:43
10."Sphynx" 6:11
11."Got to Give"N'Dea Davenport, Jan Kincaid4:26

Personnel

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The Brand New Heavies

  • Simon Bartholomew – guitar, vocals
  • N'Dea Davenport (1991) – vocals
  • Lascelles Gordon (1991) – percussion, guitar
  • Jan Kincaid – drums, keyboards
  • Jaye Ella Ruth (1990) – vocals
  • Andrew Levy – bass, keyboards, writer & producer
  • Jim Wellman (1991) – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, keyboards

Charts

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Chart performance for The Brand New Heavies
Chart (1992) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[19] 139
UK Albums (OCC)[20] 25
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[21] 17

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[22] Silver 60,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ a b c "New Releases" (PDF). Music Week. 14 April 1990. p. 38. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  2. ^ a b "New Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 11 August 1990. p. 27. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  3. ^ a b "New Releases" (PDF). Music Week. 21 September 1991. p. 21. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  4. ^ a b "New Releases" (PDF). Music Week. 1 February 1992. p. 19. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  5. ^ a b "New Releases" (PDF). Music Week. 18 July 1992. p. 19. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  6. ^ "New Releases" (PDF). Music Week. 28 November 1992. p. 19. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  7. ^ Soul Train D.J. Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince/Brand New Heavies. Internet Movie Database. Retrieved on 26 July 2024
  8. ^ Showtime at the Apollo Episode #5.9. Internet Movie Database. Retrieved on 26 July 2024
  9. ^ BBC One - Top of the Pops, 20/02/1992. BBC. Retrieved on 26 July 2024
  10. ^ "New Releases" (PDF). Music Week. 29 February 1992. p. 12. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  11. ^ "The Brand New Heavies - Expanded Version". Discogs.com. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  12. ^ a b c d The Brand New Heavies Official Chart History. Official Charts. Retrieved on 26 July 2024
  13. ^ a b c d The Brand New Heavies (AllMusic Overview). AllMusic. Retrieved on 27 July 2024
  14. ^ Kot, Greg (11 April 1991). "Home Entertainment: Recordings". Chicago Tribune. p. 7.
  15. ^ Fox, Marisa (29 March 1991). "The Brand New Heavies". Entertainment Weekly.
  16. ^ Hewitt, Paolo (July 1990). "The Brand New Heavies: The Brand New Heavies". Select. p. 83.
  17. ^ a b The Brand New Heavies Chart History on Official Charts. Official Charts. Retrieved on 27 July 2024
  18. ^ The Brand New Heavies (Silver Certification). British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved on 27 July 2024
  19. ^ "Australiancharts.com – The Brand New Heavies – The Brand New Heavies". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  20. ^ "The Brand New Heavies | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  21. ^ "The Brand New Heavies Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  22. ^ "British album certifications – Brand New Heavies – The Brand New Heavies". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 18 August 2024.