JOEY AND NORMAN JAY MBE PRESENT – GOOD TIMES 4 (RESIST)
October 19th, 2004 by duck
When a compilation series reaches its fourth instalment, it’s pretty much a guarantee that the series has been doing something right. However, that’s no guarantee the compilers will manage to keep doing things right – even if those compilers are Norman and Joey Jay.
Which brings us nicely to ‘Good Times 4′. Like previous instalments, the album is unmixed – which initially struck me as a bit of a shame really, as somehow the album seems to lack a certain amount of flow here and there. For example, I really can’t see the logic in dropping the (frankly pretty awful) swingbeat of ‘Strictly Rollin’ between La Funk Mob’s funk-hop re-rub of ‘Bug Powder Dust’ and Estelle’s heartfelt poem ’1980′. It would seem to be much better placed before the La Funk Mob track lead into this section of the album from Mica Paris’ early 90′s rare groove ‘I Should Have Known Better’. Although, to be honest, I kind of feel like the Jays “should have known better” than to include the Mica Paris at all, as it’s pretty snooze worthy.
This isn’t too serious a criticism though, as the intention of the album seems to be less a flashy DJ mix, and more a collection of tracks that Norman loves – presented in the manner of a mix tape passed to you from a friend. And there are some stone cold killers included, of that there is no doubt. Jamieson’s ‘Common Ground’ featuring Terri Walker, and remixed by Bimbo Jones, shows that it’s still possible to write a straight up house tune that sounds totally fresh, the aforementioned ‘Bug Powder Dust’ remix is as stunning as ever (and was previously pretty hard to obtain) and Willis Jackson’s ‘Nuther’n Like Thuther’n’ is a crate diggers dream.
Complimenting these gems are a number of recent commercial hits like Norman’s own remix of ‘Lola’s Theme’, and ’1980′, and a smattering of soul classics like The Impressions ‘We’re a Winner’, and reggae heavyweights like Aswad’s fantastic ‘Warrior Charge’. Unfortunately the album does seem to contain rather too many ever-so-slightly cloying rare groove tracks, or else electro and house tracks in a similar style. Norman himself admits in the sleeve notes he would like to have included more hip hop on the album, and in places the make up of the mix does seem slightly overbalanced in favour of one sound. Part of this is my personal taste shining through perhaps – and if you’re keen on the late eighties/early nineties sound, you might enjoy ‘Good Times 4′ far more than I did. For me however repeated listening leaves the impression that the album could have been slimmed to just a single disc, and worked far better.
‘Good Times 4′ is by no means a failure, it certainly lives up to the Good Times name, it just fails to push that reputation any further. The compilation is worth every penny in order to get hold of the gems it does contain – and as it’s unmixed, you can always burn your favourites off to another CD or your iPod – but listening to it throughout often requires you to skip the odd track.
Duck
Joey and Norman Jay’s Good Times 4 is out now on Resist
