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Bizarre Fruit

M People
1 disc

1. Sight For Sore Eyes
2. Search For the Hero - (remix)
3. Open up Your Heart
4. Love Rendezvous
5. Precious Pearl
6. Sugar Town
7. Walk Away
8. Drive Time
9. Padlock - (remix)
10. And Finally
11. Itchycoo Park (Bonus Track) - (remix)
12. Itchycoo Park (Morales Classic Club Mix) (Bonus Track)
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Additional Info

Manufacturer Part Number (MPN): 82876678552
Credits

Producer
Engineer
M People: Heather Small (vocals); Mike Pickering (vocals, saxophone); Paul Heard (keyboards, programming); Shovell (percussion).
Additional personnel: G.A. Parricelli, Jim Williams (guitar); Yolisa Phale, Steven Hussey, Ivan Hussen, Ellen Blair (strings); Chris "Snake" Davis (saxophone, flute); John Thirkell (trumpet); Andy Connell, Graham Harvey (piano); Julian Crampton (bass); Andy Gangadeen (drums); Paul Jervier (programming); Juliet Roberts, Carroll Thompson, Beverly Skeet, Fay Simpson, Paul "Tubbs" Williams (background vocals).
Recorded at The Strongroom, London, England.
CD contains 2 bonus tracks.
The Manchester, England-based trio M People scored in 1994 with a series of British Top Ten hits from its debut album Elegant Slumming; both "Moving on Up" and "One Night in Heaven" became U.S. dance club smashes, thanks to an endearing mixture of house and R&B, and Heather Small's startling vocal presence. Fortunately, M People did not suffer the dreaded sophomore slump; the 1995 release Bizarre Fruit continues in much the same vein as its predecessor. Bizarre Fruit is chock-full of funky house grooves, and Small's deep, soulful vocals add just the right touch to the mix, making M People considerably warmer than most contemporary dance acts. The "Moving on Up" soundalike "Open Your Heart" was a major club success in its own right. In addition to the obvious dance appeal, "Open Your Heart," like most of M People's music, has a touch of '70s R&B in the mix. The album's opener, "Sight for Sore Eyes," has a grandiose gospel-influenced intro before kicking into the funky groove and a melody similar to Technotronic's "Pump Up the Jam." The jazzy "Search for the Hero," and the retro-soul tune "Precious Pearl" are also highlights. M People, unlike many mid-'90s dance music acts like C+C Music Factory and the Real McCoy, deserves kudos for releasing an album just as entertaining and consistent as its debut. Bizarre Fruit is a worthy follow-up to Elegant Slumming and should please those who enjoy a little soul when hitting the dancefloor. . ~ William Cooper
Critic Reviews

Rolling Stone (8/10/95, p.59) - 3.5 Stars out of 5 - Good - "...This self-produced album is not one long throbbing dance marathon; the group's unifying vision of emotive pop music pulls together a collection of actual songs. They're all emboldened by Heather Small's lustrous contralto, catchy melodies and a house-music undertow..."
Spin (6/95, p.99) - 7 - Flawed Yet Worthy - "...Although the instrumentation...relies on traditional musicianship rather than samples, the riffs and tunes quote liberally from 30 years of American R&B. M People's consistently substantial songs generate much body heat..."
Entertainment Weekly (5/19/95, p.63) - "...has more than its share of house-quaking grooves. Their secret? Delectable R&B-based arrangements layered on top of the beat and Heather Small's smoky, ecstasy-or-bust voice..." - Rating: A-
Musician (5/95, pp.90-92) - "...a dream you can dance to....is no longer interested in charting the outer limits of clubland, but rather turning the underground sounds of yesterday--lush disco sweeps with butt-burning basslines, sway-your-arms choruses--into today's hits..."