Grace Jones: I Love You To Life

"If I could have my way / There would never be an end to this beginning"

Grace Jones (one of the names I wish I would see playing live this summer) collaborated recently with photographer Chris Levine, known for his work using 3D and light effects, on an art installation called Stillness at the Speed of Life. Some of the photos revealed are mysterious and beautiful but now we get to see the music video that resulted from those sessions. Here's the video for I Love You To Life, a gorgeous Compass-Point styled track from her latest album, Hurricane. To find out more about the Jones and Levine collaboration please visit www.gracejonesbychrislevine.com.

Grace Jones - Hurricane

Yes, finally! After 20 long years, here it is, the new record by Grace Jones. And it's so good! Not surprising as this project involves such names as Tricky, Brian Eno and Sly & Robbie. Some songs take her into an entirely new direction (Corporate Cannibal, Hurricane, Devil In My Life) and I can totally see her in the future doing a record with Nick Cave (who she praised on a recent interview). On some other tracks it's simply Grace back at her Compass Point days, with that great exotic sophisticated vibe and her menacing spoken vocals. The lyrics are, as usual, brilliant (she's not only a great vocalist but a great writer), personal and entertaining. The album is filled with lush orchestrations, wicked percussion, ambient sounds flavoured with electronica and, on top of it all, her unique voice.This puts recent records I've heard to shame, few other singers have half of the audacity she is showing here, taking risks with her music without compromising her artistic integrity while, at the same time, maintaining her sense of fun. Probably one of the best albums of 2008. Welcome back Grace!

Tracks you must download:
Corporate Cannibal, William's Blood, Hurricane, Devil in My Life.

Iconic Images # 4

Dazed Jones





Grace Jones "graces" the cover of the November issue of Dazed and Confused. I love her. Always did. I was probably 8 when my father had her "Slave To The Rhythm" video recorded on a Kodak video cassette and I got those images stuck in my head. Anyway, here she is again, with a brand new album after 20 years from her latest musical release. The portfolio is done by Chris Cunningham and is titled, 'The Devil Inside'. Jones explains her understanding of the shoot, "It's not fashion, it's an anti-fashion shoot. He's shooting me like art." Dazed and Confused's Creative Director (Nicola Formichetti) goes further in explaining: "It's a collaboration between two of the most progressive and innovative artists of our time, again pushing the boundaries of perception." Bless the guys at Dazed for such a brave choice.

I really can't wait for the record, the tracks I've heard so far are amazing! She did lost a bit of her essence in the mid-80's (let's blame it on her cocaine addiction) but these tracks seem to show her back in shape again, all dark, mysterious and poetic at the same time. "Hurricane" will be available November 3rd (in Europe at least) and features tracks produced by Ivor Guest, Brian Eno and Sly & Robbie. Tracklist is:

1. This Is
2. Williams' Blood
3. Corporate Cannibal
4. I'm Crying (Mother's Tears)
5. Well Well Well
6. Hurricane
7. Love You To Life
8. Sunset Sunrise
9. Devil In My Life

This is technology mixed with a band

On top, a little bit of glamour from Grace Jones from her Disco 54 days. Bellow, a brand new track called "This is Life" leaked from her new album (out on October) on Wall of Sound Records. The track is most probably produced by usual partners in crime Sly&Robbie and it goes back to her Compass Point sessions in the early 80's. I love it! It has been described as something M.I.A. would probably do if she was able to sustain a melody. I'm really excited about this record, it's her first in 20 years and judging by the leaks so far it sounds very promising.

Let the hype begin...

Above, the stills from Grace Jones new video, called "Corporate Cannibal". It was premiered at the Meltdown Festival (curated this year by Massive Attack) where Grace gave a 2-hour show that seems to have amazed everyone. Her last studio album goes back to 1989 but 2008 will see her releasing "The Hurricane" album, and I can't wait for it any longer. This new song is really impressive and as avant-garde as she was in the 80's, so she is due for a great comeback. Other leaked songs didn't disappoint me either. She is one of the most important performers ever, one of the first truly originals to exploit the importance of image in music by becoming the muse of artists such as Andy Warhol, Keith Haring and her former lover Jean Paul Goude. Let's put it this way: without Grace there would be no Björk.

Bellow, the video for "Corporate Cannibal" as screened during the Meltdown Festival:



And the hedonistic disco classic "Pull Up To The Bumper" performance: