Brother Sister

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This article is about the 1994 Brand New Heavies album. For the mewithoutYou album, see Brother, Sister. For other uses, see Brother Sister (disambiguation).

Brother Sister
Studio album by
The Brand New Heavies
Released4 April 1994[1]
Recorded1993–94
Genre
Length58:07
LabelDelicious Vinyl
The Brand New Heavies chronology
Heavy Rhyme Experience, Vol. 1
(1992) 		Brother Sister
(1994) 		Shelter
(1997)
Alternative cover
UK/International cover
Singles from Brother Sister
  1. "Dream On Dreamer"
    Released: 14 March 1994[2]
  2. "Back to Love (UK only)"
    Released: 23 May 1994[3]
  3. "Midnight at the Oasis (UK only)"
    Released: 25 July 1994[4]
  4. "Spend Some Time"
    Released: 17 October 1994[5]
  5. "Brother Sister (US promo only)"
    Released: 1994
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[6]
Entertainment WeeklyB−[7]
Gavin Report(favorable)[8]
The Guardian(favorable)[9]
Knoxville News Sentinel[10]
Music & Media(favorable)[11]
NME7/10[12]
Orlando Sentinel[13]

Brother Sister is an album by British acid jazz and funk group the Brand New Heavies, released on March 22, 1994, by Delicious Vinyl. It spawned several singles, including "Spend Some Time" which spent two weeks at number two on the American dance charts.[14] A cover of Maria Muldaur's "Midnight at the Oasis" became popular in the UK, but was not included in the US version of the album.

Brother Sister was lead singer N'Dea Davenport's last album with the Brand New Heavies before leaving to complete her solo album (which she had put on hold to join the Heavies). She returned to join the band ten years later.

Critical reception[edit]

Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote, "Still punch drunk from the single "Dream On Dreamer", the heavy weights of acid jazz hit you knock out with this 15-track album. It can be divided into three rounds--a strong opening and end with some shadow boxing inbetween. In "round 1" N'Dea Davenport powerlifts the title track with its electric piano to the level of '70s jazz funk outfit Deodato. When it really comes to hard hitting, in "round 3," she "kills" the "Fake" opponent with a swing not heard from the UK since the heyday of the Average White Band."[11] Ian McCann from NME commented, "Brother Sister is a fine album, as far as it goes. The upbeat vibe they're noted for floods out from the opening tune, "Have a Good Time", a cool, chiefly instrumental groove, heavy on Maceo Parkerish sax. [...] If you're soulfully inclined, play Brother Sister on sunlit mornings as you walk to the dole office and it'll make perfect sense."[12]

Track listing[edit]

US Release
No.TitleLength
1."Have a Good Time"3:12
2."Brother Sister"4:46
3."Dream On Dreamer" (Edit)4:00
4."Ten Ton Take"3:28
5."Mind Trips"5:48
6."Fake"4:34
7."Spend Some Time"4:24
8."Los Burritos" (US ONLY)1:09
9."Back to Love"4:38
10."Snake Hips"2:03
11."Keep Together"4:22
12."People Giving Love"5:05
13."Forever"5:10
14."Day Break"5:25
UK/International Release
No.TitleLength
1."Have a Good Time"3:12
2."Brother Sister"4:46
3."Dream On Dreamer"4:53
4."Midnight at the Oasis" (UK ONLY)4:05
5."Back to Love"4:49
6."Ten Ton Take"3:28
7."Mind Trips"5:47
8."Spend Some Time"4:24
9."Keep Together"4:21
10."Snake Hips"2:04
11."Fake"4:34
12."People Giving Love"5:06
13."Worlds Keep Spinning" (UK ONLY)5:08
14."Forever"5:32
15."Day Break"5:25

Personnel[edit]

The Brand New Heavies

Musicians

  • Maxton G. Beesley, Jr. – keyboards
  • Brady Blade, Jr. – vocals (background), production coordination
  • Mike Boito – keyboards, vocals (background)
  • The Brand New Heavies – percussion, producer, engineer, art direction, mixing
  • Amp Fiddler – keyboards
  • Ray Gaskins – saxophone, vocals (background)
  • John Thirkell - trumpet, flugelhorn (Solo on "Dream on Dreamer")
  • Gerard Presencer – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Kevin Robinson – trumpet
  • Dennis Rollins – trombone, trombone (Tenor)
  • Eric Sarafin – strings, engineer, mixing
  • Jeff Scantlebury – percussion
  • Mike Smith – flute, saxophone
  • Steve Williamson – saxophone
  • Aaron Zigman – string arrangements

Production[edit]

  • Matthew Donaldson – photography
  • Brian Gardner – mastering
  • Chris Jones – engineer
  • John Laker – engineer
  • Michael C. Ross – executive producer, mixing
  • Martin Schmelze – engineer
  • Yo-Yo – engineer

Remix album[edit]

Excursions: Remixes & Rare Grooves
Remix album by
The Brand New Heavies
Released1995
Genrefunk, hip-hop, R&B
LabelDelicious Vinyl
Singles from Excursions: Remixes & Rare Grooves
  1. "Close to You (UK only)"
    Released: 27 February 1995[15]
  2. "Mind Trips (US only)"
    Released: 7 November 1995

Excursions: Remixes & Rare Grooves was released in the United States by Delicious Vinyl Records. This album functions as a component to the US release of Brother Sister. Its cover art mimics the UK release of Brother Sister. Among its tracks are the two bonus tracks from the UK version of the album that were unavailable stateside. The UK hit "Close To You" was previously only available on the Prêt-à-Porter motion picture soundtrack. "Bang" and "O-Fa-Fu" were a pair of B-side instrumentals from the UK CD-single of "Stay This Way" in 1992. "Keep It Coming" is an extended version of a Jan Kincaid-penned B-side on The Heavies' "Don't Let It Go to Your Head" single.

Track listing[edit]

Excursions: Remixes & Rare Grooves
No.TitlePrevious ReleaseLength
1."Mind Trips" (BNH Remix) 4:58
2."Bang""Stay This Way" UK single3:55
3."Brother Sister" (The Angel Remix) 5:04
4."Close to You"Pret-a-Porter soundtrack4:08
5."Dream On Dreamer" (Angel Remix) 4:25
6."O-Fa-Fu""Stay This Way" UK single2:45
7."Keep It Coming""Don't Let It Go to Your Head" UK single6:14
8."Forever" (Soulpower Remix)"Forever" UK single5:09
9."Keep Together" (Jan Kincaid Version) 4:59
10."Country Funkin'" 4:45
11."Worlds Keep Spinning"Brother Sister UK release5:08
12."Midnight at the Oasis" (Ian Green Remix)Brother Sister UK release3:45

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Album Releases" (PDF). Music Week. 2 April 1994. p. 20. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  2. ^ "New Releases" (PDF). Music Week. 12 March 1994. p. 21. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  3. ^ "Single Releases" (PDF). Music Week. 21 May 1994. p. 27. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  4. ^ "Single Releases" (PDF). Music Week. 23 July 1994. p. 29. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  5. ^ "Single Releases" (PDF). Music Week. 15 October 1994. p. 27. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  6. ^ AllMusic review
  7. ^ Bernard, James (25 March 1994). "Brother Sister". Entertainment Weekly.
  8. ^ Ryan, Linda (26 March 1994). "Gavin Picks — Albums" (PDF). Gavin Report. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  9. ^ Sullivan, Caroline (15 April 1994). "Music: Love 'em or leave 'em - Rock/Pop". The Guardian.
  10. ^ Campbell, Chuck (22 April 1994). "Forget Cobain; Let Love 'Live Through This'". Knoxville News Sentinel.
  11. ^ a b "New Releases: Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. 14 May 1994. p. 10. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  12. ^ a b McCann, Ian (9 April 1994). "Long Play". NME. p. 41. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  13. ^ Gettelman, Parry (22 April 1994). "Brand New Heavies". Orlando Sentinel.
  14. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 41.
  15. ^ "Single Releases" (PDF). Music Week. 25 February 1995. p. 43. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
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