Consumer Guide Album

Alexander O'Neal: All Mixed Up [Tabu, 1989]
Duty dictates that I detail my discographical cavils, to wit: the original versions of six of the eight songs remixed here (one of them in two permutations) were all on Hearsay, the better of the two albums (oops, three: forgot the Xmas collection) he's managed since 1985. Four (five counting the extra permutation) are on side one--everything but "Hearsay" itself. So if like me you own Hearsay, if like me you convinced yourself to enjoy the ballads, you lose: the usual arguments for concision just don't wash here. Maybe these remixes are no better than the originals, but they're also no worse: at seven minutes or so apiece, nothing wears. If you're not tired of that familiar canted bass line climbing those familiar canted steps by now, for all practical purposes you never will be. Get your fast ones here. A−