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Post by MartinT on Sept 15, 2022 16:29:55 GMT
Judie Tzuke - Welcome to the Cruise
 Come on now, how many of us were listening to this album during the post-punk years, perhaps finishing off our university degree or starting out in work? With its touches of prog, it came as a blessed relief from some of the worst music (punk) of that period. Her debut album combines an initial impression of a halls-of-residence easy listening vibe with some complexity and creativity upon further inspection. She has a plain but still easily identified voice and rarely if ever uses vibrato. The album gave Tzuke her first single, Stay with Me Till Dawn, one of her very best songs. Recorded quality is so-so but that music takes me right back to being a student again and it sounds better now that it ever did then. Having seen Tzuke in performance as recently as three years ago, I can attest that she still has the magic and her early music remains some of her best. open.qobuz.com/track/44789852
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Post by Barrington on Sept 15, 2022 19:15:41 GMT
Remember the single , touches of prog you say , interesting .
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Post by John on Sept 15, 2022 20:19:25 GMT
I remember liking Judie I think I saw her live many years ago but not sure
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Post by julesd68 on Sept 16, 2022 10:25:53 GMT
One of those artists who has completely passed me by.
Sounds like a female version of Christopher Cross in terms of singing style and undemanding soft rock. I do like the clarity of her voice.
Songs are on the whole pretty good, if very much of their time; may well grow on me. Some are a bit bland but some are quite eclectic and interesting with good instrumentation. Very nice vocal arrangements and a couple of dreadfully overplayed guitar solos lol. Fab drumming from the excellent Simon Phillips on tk2. What a career he has had.
I'm torn between 3 and 4 - will go for 3.
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Post by John on Sept 17, 2022 13:21:23 GMT
A 4 from me. Well produced with some good songs like Love and affection
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Post by yorkshireman on Sept 18, 2022 1:13:25 GMT
A 5 from me one of my favourite albums of Judies
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Post by petea on Sept 18, 2022 8:19:19 GMT
I think the only times I have heard Judie Tzuke was on ToTP or similar years ago. I had a friend who like her albums back in the day, but I don't ever recall hearing them and so this is a good opportunity to remedy this, so thanks for the choice, Martin.
Her voice sounds quite strained in most of the tracks, but that is clearly her singing style and she seems to use the upper part of her range all the time. I didn't go much for the more 'prog' songs on the album and, for example, on the opening track it just seemed to be padding and didn't seem to go anywhere. Most of the more pop songs on the album were Okay, but pretty instantly forgettable I found.
I quite like the instrumentation on "Katiera Island", but I didn't like the vocals at all. "For You' was better although I could have done with less of the overdubbing / backing. I thought "Ladies Night" was quite good, but wished it didn't start to transition into a 'power ballad' at the 2 minute mark. "Stay with me Till Dawn" was better done I thought and a good closing track.
What were they thinking in including the disco wannabe track, "New Friends Again" on the album? Dreadful.
The highlight of the album was "Bring the Rain". I liked the more restrained production and the more relaxed singing and I even liked the way it built up (and use of the 'orchestral' later stage) and I have played it three times in succession and, although I will almost certainly never play the album again, I will likely play this again at times.
I think based on that I can only give it a 2 ("Bring the Rain" would get either a 4 or 5 though).
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Post by Slinger on Sept 28, 2022 18:58:14 GMT
By track 4 I was hitting Google, and got a surprise. This was released in '79, and Phil Collins' "In The Air Tonight" was recorded in 1980. I was going to accuse Judie of ripping him off, but after doing my homework, it might have been tho other way around.  That heavily gated drum sound definitely dates it though. Track 5 couild almost be Kirsty MacColl, which is no bad thing. All in all though, there's nothing (Apart from "Stay With Me Til Dawn") I'd class as particularly memorable. It's like a time capsule from a time when I was listening to completely different types of music. 3/ 5 as the musicianship from a load of guys at the top of their game is brilliant throughout. |
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Post by MartinT on Sept 28, 2022 20:24:06 GMT
Thought this might interest a few. Judie Tzuke guest sang for Morcheeba on one album in 2008 while Skye Edwards was taking a break from them. Surprisingly, this combo works well.
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Post by ChrisB on Sept 28, 2022 21:37:57 GMT
I played this once and didn't get much from it, I'm afraid. I did resolve to give it another go after a few days, but when it came down to it, I just didn't feel like hearing it again. Pretty telling, I'd say.
2 out of 5
I put some Freddy King on instead - time much better spent!
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Post by ChrisB on Sept 28, 2022 21:58:20 GMT
One thing I meant to say is that, when I played it, I wondered what it might have sounded like if 'Rumours' hadn't been released a couple of years previously.
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Post by ajski2fly on Sept 29, 2022 15:19:40 GMT
I have there of Judie Tzuke's albums, I prefer "Shoot the Moon" to "Welcome to the Cruise". This one is a mix of MOR/soft Prog and stood out as different at the time, but not so much now IMO. Still and enjoyable listen a 3/5 from me.
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Post by MikeMusic on Oct 30, 2022 10:06:18 GMT
Quite like the music
Can't get past the vocals. Maybe its the frequency she songs at
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Post by speedysteve on Nov 2, 2022 17:26:09 GMT
I once owned it.
Best left in the 70s / early 80s🙂
A friend of mine used to live very near her.
"I don't care who you are, you're not parking your car in my garage"😂
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Post by MartinT on Nov 2, 2022 19:37:47 GMT
Ruth and I saw her just three years ago as part of the Woman to Woman tour and she (and Beverley Craven and Julia Fordham) were quite brilliant. She hasn't lost her touch at all and I would say her singing voice has improved over the years.
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Post by Barrington on Nov 29, 2022 14:57:27 GMT
Forgot to vote on this as I never played it again , very dated and didn't like it . Hate to give albums 1/5 but....
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That heavily gated drum sound definitely dates it though. Track 5 couild almost be Kirsty MacColl, which is no bad thing. All in all though, there's nothing (Apart from "Stay With Me Til Dawn") I'd class as particularly memorable. It's like a time capsule from a time when I was listening to completely different types of music. 3/5 as the musicianship from a load of guys at the top of their game is brilliant throughout.
