Genre: soul
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: Nasty Girl
Company: Island
Catalog: ILPS-9329
Year: 1975
Country/State: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Grade (cover/record): VG/VG
Comments: --
Available: 2
GEMM catalog ID: 4858
Price: $25.00
As much as I love the likes of Millie Jackson, Laura Lee, Tina Turner and others, they ain't got nothing on Betty Davis ...
While a number of critics think 1975's "Nasty Girl" is the weakest of Davis' three studio albums, to my ears this is simply the kind of hardcore soul and funk that will scrape the paint off of your walls and send some sensitive folks running for the doors. Self-produced with Davis writing the majority of the material, If anything this time around she sounds even more pissed off and angry than on the two earlier studio sets. (Under such circumstance I definitely would not want to run into her in a dark alley.) Backed by a crack band, material such as the title track, 'Talkin Trash and 'Dedicated To the Press' manages to underscore Davis' don't-mess-with-me image without the outright trashiness that some of her contemporaries lean on. While her raspy voice and wild child image are simply perfect for this stuff, Davis also gets bonus points in that she demonstrates a clear affection for rock and roll. Anyone doubting that statement need only check out something like 'Shut Off the Light'. As far as I'm concerned there are only three weak tracks on the album; co-written by ex-husband Miles Davis (I think he provides the horn solo), 'You and I' is a surprisingly bland ballad, while 'F.U.N.K.' is all formula and no content and the closing number 'Lone Ranger' never goes anywhere before descending into bad Donna Summer-styled groaning and the sound of a horse braying. That leaves you with seven great tracks and 70% ain't bad for an album.
"Nasty
Girl" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Nasty Girl (Betty Davis) -
2.) Talkin Trash (Betty Davis) -
3.) Dedicated To the Press (Betty Davis) -
4.) You and I (Betty Davis) -
5.) Feelins (Betty Davis) -
(side
2)
1.) F.U.N.K. (Betty Davis) -
2.) Gettin Kicked Off, Havin Fun (Betty Davis) -
3.) Shut Off the Light (Betty Davis) -
4.) This Is It! (Betty Davis) -
5.)
The Lone Ranger (Betty Davis) -