Welcome to Review Revue, where every Thursday I dig through the KEXP stacks to share DJ reviews and comments written on the covers of LPs (and occasionally CDs) in the ’80s and ’90s, when the station was called KCMU, the DJs were volunteers, and people shared their opinions on little white labels instead of the internet.
This week we're looking at the second album from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who now need no introduction, but in 1985 were far from a household name. (If I'm going to get through their entire '80s and '90s catalog, I might need a few more decades. I posted their first album in 2007, and -- whoops! -- again in 2017).
RHCPs' self-titled debut was fairly contentious among the KCMU crew, with DJs evenly split between the nays and the yays (or at least the 'sure why not's) and some heated debate about commercialism. Freaky Styley, produced in Detroit by George Clinton himself, drew fewer comments overall, but also fewer negative comments, so I'll call that a victory. Good job everyone!
"More of these guys."
"Flea rips and so does this."
"Who needs this shit? What I mean is why go ask white boys to do this stuff???"
"What an incredibly ignorant thing to say."
"More power to 'em! The King of Funk produces."
This week's Review Revue revisits Kate Bush's classic Hounds of Love. See what KCMU DJs thought back in the day.
This week's Review Revue revisits The Breeders' landmark debut. See what KCMU DJs thought back in the day.
Scratch Acid may have made music that was practically designed not to be played on the radio, but KCMU DJs did what they had to do to get them on the air, even if only one song on this EP was remotely acceptable.
In this week's Review Revue, KEXP revisits the 1985 self-titled debut from renowned folkie Suzanne Vega.
I was flipping through the R section in KEXP's vinyl library the other day when I stumbled across several records by the Red Hot Chili Peppers (which is exactly what should happen when you're flipping through the R section in any radio station worth its salt). It occurred to me at the moment - as h…
