Esthero - Wikked Lil Grrrls
List Price:
Our Price: $3.39
You Save: $10.57 (76%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $1.04 (click here)
Category: Music CD
See more CD details
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
CD Details
Artist: EstheroEdition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2005-06-28
Music Label: Reprise / Wea
Soundtracks:
- We R In Need Of A MusicalReVoLuTion
- DragonflyÂ?s Intro
- Blanket Me In You (Never Is So Soon)
- Everyday Is A Holiday (With You) -(featuring Sean Lennon)
- Thank Heaven 4 You
- If Tha Mood - (featuring Shakari Nite)
- Bad Boy Clyde
- Beautiful Lie
- Junglebook - (featuring Andre 3000)
- My Honeybrown
- Wikked LilÂ? Grrrls
- Gone - (featuring Cee-Lo Green)
- My Torture
- Melancholy Melody
- Fastlane - (featuring Jemeni and Jelleestone)
- DragonflyÂ?s Outro
- Brave Bear Woman
Music reviews of Wikked Lil Grrrls
Music Review: A "Wikked Lil'" Delight!
Rating: 5 Stars
A more structured, though still cultural, stretch from 1998's "Breath From Another", Esthero's sophmore effort, "Wikked Lil' Grrrls", is an amazing blend of jazz, hip-hop, trip-hop, pop, swing , lounge and world music.
With its musical arms wrapped around diversity, Esthero has started her own little rebellion on this "Musical Revolution". "Thank Heaven 4 You" is a soft, wondorous ballad of love much akin to that of Sade, yet uniquely Esthero's own signature style for Bossa-nova and intelligence. It is songs like these that she has brought into her commercial release that will catch the public's discerning ear and give them a taste of evolved, yet still "Breath"-y, Esthero. Other notable tunes that delve into the bossa-nova, chill-out sounds are "Beautiful Lie" (one of her best works to date), "My Torture" (those of you familiar with her songs "Lounge" and "Superheroes" will definitely enjoy this track), and "Dragonfly's Outro".
Esthero has also made more "mainstream" music to be displayed on this album and, although more commercial, they have a sound like no other, retaining her dignity as a cult faovourite and indie classic. "We R In Need Of A Musical Revolution" is her call to arms for musicians and music lovers alike to not only share your music, but to question the priorities of like-minded papparazzi heads like MTV, Ashanti, Britney Spears and R. Kelly. The strength and determination in this song are beautiful. This album's mainstream gem, though, remains, since her "Revolution" EP, "Everyday Is A Holiday (With You)", a gorgeous collaboration with Sean Lennon on writing and piano. It is at once immediately accessible and a throw-back to the happy, peace-y love songs of the 60s--a joyous dive into nostalgia, indeed. "Fastlane", featuring Canadian spoken word artist, Jemeni, and Canadian rapper, Jelleestone, is bound to become another hugr club hit hot on the heels of the Top 10 Billboard hit, "O.G. Bitch".
Another stand out aspect to the album is it's phone messages and spoken word pieces. "Dragonfly's Intro" is an awesome poem written and performed by Jemeni over the telephone, which gives it an atmospheric and, almost haunting, attitude. It's words are written beautifully and delivered stongly. "My Honeybrown" and "Brave Bear Woman" are two wonderfully placed phone messages tht give the album an insight to Esthero's life and personal inspirations. Though most folks will find these annoying and self-righteous, i see no logic to those folks' reasoning.
But, here, it is the songs that are heavily, and sometimes directly, influenced by jazz and swing that give her shine a rugged and sexy aura. "If Tha Mood" (featuring Shakiri Nyte) is a rough, lust-ridden story wrapped in a fiery passion, evident in the sometimes explicit lyrics: "She won't f*ck you/Like i do/She's not/Into that/Wild sh*t" and, as the chorus so blatantly reveals: "If tha mood should hit ya/and ya wanna/baby/i don't mind/A little taste should relieve the tension/I feel inside". It is a new-jack swing, jazzed out tune that could easily be worked into the soundtrack for "Chicago". But, the most note-worthy jazz tune on this album is "Melancholy Melody". Contrary to it's title and lyrics, "Melody" is a sure-fire future standard that may be covered by many jazz musicians in the coming years. It is beautifully written and the musicianship in this tune particularly is flawless and purely jazz inspired. The title track, "Wikked Lil' Grrls", is Esthero's attempt at hard-core swing--and in this effort she succeeds well beyond anyone's expectations. Fun, flirtatious, and extremely danceable, it is this song that will have you breaking out your blue suede shoes and grabbing your partner for a good trip inside the juke-box. Other tracks worthy of a jazz and swing ear are "Bad Boy Clyde" and "Dragonfly's Outro".
Though a deparutre from her earlier days, Esthero's "Wikked Lil' Grrrls" is a delightful little treat. Any regards for homogony and "genre" are completely disregarded here, and she expresses herself through song, not through success. It is that attitude, art over profit, that gives her "Revolution" a meaning and a head start, as well as a following and a reason to look up to her. If you are afraid of one who manages to meld musical genres together so flawlessly that the term "genre" is completely lost, then steer clear of "Wikked Lil' Grrrls" because this Grrrl will knock your teeth out!!!!!
Description of Wikked Lil Grrrls
Wikkid Lil' Grrrls is a sexy, sophisticated blend of hip-hop, jazz, dance, rock and soul. Add Cee-Lo Green of Goodie Mob, Sean Lennon and a crew of producers including Dr. Dre cohort Camara Kambon (Eminem, Mary J. Blige) and Wikked Lil' Grrrls is as wikked cool as Esthero herself.After the release of Esthero's heralded 1998 disc Breath from Another, the Toronto singer seemed to have an open road of opportunities ahead of her. Breath soared on people's best-of lists, allowing Esthero the chance to collaborate with everyone from the Black Eyed Peas and Mos Def to Sugar Ray. Her future seemed filled with long-term opportunity and promise. Strangely, however, after that bright burst, the singer all but disappeared. Aside from the occasional guest performance, it was seven years of curious silence. For being such a talented singer-songwriter--one deeply influenced by Nina Simone, Saul Williams, and Burt Bacharach--her jazzy, sultry, hip-hop grooves were timely, yet strangely absent. Finally, with Wikked Lil' Girls and its first single, "We R in Need of a Musical Revolution," the silence wasn't just broken, it was blown wide open. An acerbic, beat-driven track, the song unapologetically attacks the current state of pop music ("I'm so sick and tired of the s#@! on the radio") rightfully and righteously. The disc then shifts from uptempto timeless pop ("Every Day Is a Holiday," featuring Sean Lennon) to sexy downtempo ("Beautiful Lie") and then to a later section of slow songs and smooth jazz--a fluid rollercoaster of sound. The final song, "Dragonfly's Outro," is a gorgeous, float-on-clouds track with horns sampled from '80s soundtrack legend Bill Conti. Mixing up vocal styles, interesting samples, and great contemporary beats, it shows how great Esthero can be at her best--an amalgamation of many influences and her own talented, wikked ways. --Denise Sheppard
Alternative Rock CDs
Music Genres
Bestsellers in Alternative Rock CDs
Bouncing Souls - Maniacal LaughterRelease date: 1996-01-26; Music CD
Best price: $30.00
Blondie - Parallel LinesRelease date: 1994-07-29; Music CD
Best price: $149.98
Doors - L.A. WomanRelease date: 1993-04-09; Music CD
Best price: $99.99
Amon Duul - Phallus DeiRelease date: 1997-04-08; Music CD
Price in other shops:
Tangerine Dream - MelroseRelease date: 1990-10-02; Music CD
Best price: $74.98
Tangerine Dream - Private Music of Tangerine DreamRelease date: 1992-11-10; Music CD
Best price: $5.00
Price in other shops:
![Ska Explosion [VHS] Image](/images/Ska-Explosion-VHS-6303381014-X.jpg){kind=small}
Ska Explosion [VHS]Cleopatra; Release date: 1995-02-28; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $14.99
Price in other shops:
![Little Earthquakes [VHS] Image](/images/Little-Earthquakes-VHS-6302488664-X.jpg){kind=small}
Little Earthquakes [VHS]Atlantic / Wea; Release date: 1992-11-10; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $12.50
Price in other shops:
Exileby Geoffrey Oryema
Music CD
Best price: $4.95
![Louder Than Live [VHS] Image](/images/Louder-Than-Live-VHS-6301627865-X.jpg){kind=small}
Soundgarden - Louder Than Live [VHS]A&M Video; Release date: 1991-07-01; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $192.68
Similar CDs
DetailsRelease date: 2002-08-13; Music CD
Best price: $7.60
Price in other shops:
Telepopmusik - Angel MilkRelease date: 2005-06-21; Music CD
Best price: $8.88
Price in other shops:
Zero 7 - Simple ThingsRelease date: 2001-11-13; Music CD
Best price: $7.60
Price in other shops:
Zero 7 - When It FallsRelease date: 2004-03-02; Music CD
Best price: $4.71
Price in other shops:
Bitter: Sweet - Drama (Dig)Release date: 2008-06-03; Music CD
Best price: $10.87
Price in other shops:
Supreme Beings of Leisure - Supreme Beings of LeisureRelease date: 2000-02-22; Music CD
Best price: $7.09
Price in other shops:
Esthero - O G BitchRelease date: 2004-09-14; Music CD
Best price: $8.41
Esthero - We R In Need Of A Musical ReVoLuTIoN!Release date: 2009-10-13; Music CD
Best price: $3.42
Price in other shops:
Esthero - Breath From AnotherRelease date: 1998-04-28; Music CD
Best price: $2.69
Price in other shops:
Esthero - Breath From AnotherRelease date: 1998-04-28; Published: 1998-04-28; Music CD
Best price: $4.99
Price in other shops: