Sex Cymbal is the fourth solo album by American singer and drummer Sheila E., released in April 1991 by Warner Bros. Records, four years after her previous album. It is the first Sheila E. album that does not feature any input from her mentor Prince.
| Sex Cymbal | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 1991 | |||
| Recorded | 1990–1991 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 59:49 | |||
| Label | Warner Bros. | |||
| Producer |
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| Sheila E. chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Sex Cymbal | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [1] |
| Ebony | favorable[2] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B+[3] |
| People | mixed[4] |
| Robert Christgau |  [5] |
History
editIn 1990 Sheila went into the studio to record the album with her brother Peter Michael. She and Michael produced the whole album together and a few songs feature co-production from David Gamson and J.P. Charles.[citation needed]
Sex Cymbal produced three singles, "Sex Cymbal", "Droppin' Like Flies", and "Cry Baby". The title track, which includes an intro with a brief sample of Sheila's 1984 single "The Glamorous Life", was released as the lead single, and it reached the top 40 of the US R&B and Dance charts. The second single, "Droppin' Like Flies", was a top 40 Dance hit but stalled at number 77 on the R&B charts. The third and final single from the album, "Cry Baby", failed to chart.[citation needed]
The album is a departure from her previous album Sheila E., which was notable for its Latin influence and mixing many styles of music such as jazz, rock, funk, R&B, and salsa. It has a very prominent house- and dance-focused sound that was popular in the late 1980s and the early 1990s.[citation needed]
Track listing
editProduced and arranged by Sheila E. and Peter Michael except where noted.
- "Sex Cymbal" – 4:26
- "Funky Attitude" – 5:11
- "Leader of the Band" – 4:04
- "Cry Baby" (Sheila E., J.P. Charles) – 5:44
- "Lady Marmalade" (Bob Crewe, Kenny Nolan) – 5:04
- "808 Kate (Drum Solo)" – 1:00
- "Loverboy" – 4:03
- "Mother Mary" – 5:23
- "Droppin' Like Flies" (Peter Michael, David Gamson) – 5:26
- "What'cha Gonna Do" – 4:40
- "Private Party (Tu Para Mi)" – 4:39
- "Family Affair (Percussion Jam)" – 1:00
- "Promise Me Love" – 5:37
- "Heaven" – 4:36
Personnel
edit- Sheila E. – lead vocals, production
- Michael Peter – production
- J.P. Charles – co-production on "Cry Baby"
- David Gamson – co-production on "Droppin' Like Flies"
Charts
edit| Chart (1991) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)[6] | 117 |
| US Billboard 200[7] | 146 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[8] | 56 |
References
edit- ^ AllMusic review
- ^ Ebony review
- ^ Entertainment Weekly review
- ^ "Picks and Pans Review: Sex Cymbal". People. Vol. 35, no. 17. May 6, 1991. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
- ^ Christgau, Robert. "Sheila E." Robert Christgau.
- ^ "Bubbling Down Under Week Commencing June 17, 1991". Retrieved June 21, 2022.
- ^ "Sheila E Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
- ^ "Sheila E Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
External links
edit- Sex Cymbal at Discogs (list of releases)