Kylie Minogue Albums (10)
What The Critics Say
If Light Years was the comeback, and Fever the confirmation, then Body Language can best be described as Kylie's "big step forward." Sure it's still simple dance-pop, but this time she (and a team of producers and writers -- including Kurtis Mantronik -- it must be said) has put together an album that works as a piece. It's stylish without being smarmy, retro without being ironic, and its energy never gets annoying. In other words: a near perfect pop record. Instead of opting for more of the light dance- and disco-pop of the last two releases, Kylie has sought to expand her horizons. Adding elements of electroclash, '80s synth pop, bouncy club beats -- even a dash of Eminem-style raps! -- she's found the formula that not only makes her vocal shortcomings irrelevant but gives her the edge on the rest of the divas on their newfound quest: maturity. While Madonna, Xtina, and Britney have attempted to achieve maturity through trashiness and not really all that shocking behavior (i.e., that MTV Awards kiss), Kylie maintained a low profile, retained a sense of class, and put together what may well be the best album of her career. Simply, Body Language is what happens when a dance-pop diva takes the high road and focuses on what's important instead of trying to shock herself into continued relevance. ~ Chris True, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Fame can be a fleeting mistress, and nowhere more so than in the land of dance-pop divas. Many are lucky enough to have a hit album, much less two or three. What usually takes a one-hit wonder from the singles charts to career diva lies less in catchy hooks than in a combination of talent and the choice of collaborators. Obviously, the master of this technique is Madonna, whose talent and eye for talent in others has made her not only a worldwide pop sensation, but a worldwide icon. Arguably, running a close second is Kylie Minogue. Starting off as not much more than a female voice for the massively successful Stock, Aitken & Waterman hit factory, she moved on to work with some of the most prominent dance producers of the early '90s, making her one of the most visible pop stars outside of the United States. By 1997, she moved on to working with writers outside the genre. While this may have translated into poor record sales, her motives were in the right place. With 2001's Fever, Minogue combines the disco-diva comeback of the previous year's Light Years with the trend of simple dance rhythms which was prevalent in the teen dance-pop craze of the years surrounding the album's release. While on the surface that might seem like an old dog trying to learn new tricks, Minogue pulls it off with surprising ease. The first single, "Cant Get You Out of My Head," is a sparse, mid-tempo dance number that pulses and grooves like no other she's recorded, and nothing on Light Years was as funky as the pure disco closer of "Burning Up." And while it's hard not to notice her tipping her hat to the teen pop sound (in fact, on this record she works with Cathy Dennis, former dance-pop star and writer/producer for Brit-teen pop group S Club 7) on songs like "Give It to Me" and "Love at First Sight," her maturity helps transcend this limiting tag, making this a very stylish Euro-flavored dance-pop record that will appeal to all ages. Not one weak track, not one misplaced syrupy ballad to ruin the groove. The winning streak continues. [The U.S. version, released in early March of 2002, included the hidden tracks "Boy" and "Butterfly" -- a B-side and Light Years album track, respectively.] ~ Chris True, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
This two-disc set was recorded during Kylie's Impossible Princess tour. While most of the newer tracks are solid and sound close to the album versions, her soft dance-pop version of the Clash's "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" is downright awful. Mainly for die-hard collectors, less familiar fans will want to check out a greatest-hits compilation or her 1997 album Impossible Princess. ~ Chris True, All Music Guide
'Impossible Princess'
Release Date 1/1/1997
Tracks 12
Label Deconstruction
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
By 1997, much of the pop music landscape had changed. The music papers were declaring the "Techno Revolution" was on, Oasis and Manic Street Preachers were ruling the charts, and simple dance-pop seemed to be the domain of teenage girls. So what does the dance-pop diva of the '90s do? She recruits Manic Street Preachers' James Dean Bradfield, Sean Moore, and Nicky Wire, starts writing unaided, and completely changes musical direction. Enter Kylie Minogue's Impossible Princess (the title was changed to Kylie Minogue after the death of Princess Diana). From the trippy cover art to the abundance of guitars and experimental vocal tracks, this was her "great leap forward." The move got her in the papers, but, unfortunately, critical acclaim was lacking (and so were sales). Critics called it a mistake, and the public was less than impressed. Which is sad, because this is a pretty damn good record. Unlike her early work, this album sounds stronger and has a more natural feel. Her songwriting abilities have come a long way, and Impossible Princess actually flows together as an album. Worth another look. ~ Chris True, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Meant as a statement of her new direction, Kylie Minogue's fifth album no longer featured the Stock-Aitken-Waterman production gloss and found the diminutive singer working with hip dance producers like David Seaman. From the first notes of the opener "Confide in Me," you know this is not the teen pop queen of old. Kylie Minogue (also note the use of her last name on the cover) wanted to sound grown up, and she pulls it off with ease. While it is still dance-pop, there's atmosphere and style in the songs that wasn't there on Let's Get to It. Definitely the start of the second phase of her career. ~ Chris True, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
While it's certainly as danceable as Rhythm of Love, Let's Get to It seems to try too hard. By this point in her career, Kylie had transformed from her innocent dance-pop image to what the press dubbed "SexKylie." Obviously, this wasn't accidental on her part. From the title to the heavy breathing effects to the kind of creepy cover pic, this is Kylie as a self-made sex kitten. What makes this album interesting musically is that she has taken creative control of her career as well as image control. She co-wrote much of the record, and while there are some noticeable missteps (the stadium keyboard part that lays the foundation of "I Guess I Like It Like That," for example), she shows potential. Not her most solid release, but fans of her early work will enjoy it. ~ Chris True, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Yes, it's still simple Stock-Aitken-Waterman dance-pop, but Rhythm of Love is leaps and bounds more mature than Kylie's first two releases. The songwriting is stronger, the production dynamic, and Kylie seems more confident vocally. And while Kylie and Enjoy Yourself were collections of songs to back up singles, this is a more complete album, with many of the tracks -- "Things Can Only Get Better" a prime example -- single worthy. Definitely her best work from the Stock-Aitken-Waterman era. ~ Chris True, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Given that it's the same team that put together her first LP, it's no surprise that Enjoy Yourself sounds very similar to her debut. Which is fine if you take into consideration that at the time this formula was pure gold. Europe went mad for the diminutive Australian, and this simple dance-pop is catchy stuff. Stock-Aitken-Waterman knew what they had and they crafted songs that kept Kylie in the public eye. All in all, a good companion to her debut. ~ Chris True, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
While the production values on Kylie's debut are dated at best and the tunes are nothing but standard late-'80s Stock-Aitken-Waterman bubblegum, there are some rather endearing qualities to it. Firstly, she shows a lot more personality than the other Stock, et al. frontperson, Rick Astley. Secondly, her cuteness makes these rather vapid tracks bearable. Her cover of "The Loco-Motion" made only small waves in the U.S., but this was the album that launched her career as both pop star and icon in Europe. ~ Chris True, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
By the time of 2004's Body Language, Kylie Minogue was seemingly unassailable, with three hit albums (both critically and commercially), a number of hit singles, and a recharged career that only a few years before had seemed precarious at best. She backed up the new material with a collection (Ultimate Kylie) that boasted excellent new material as well. All things seemed to be destined for further glory. And then, unfortunately, cancer hit. While she did recover fully from her illness and ordeal, there was some speculation on how she would deal with this event, and how her music and choice of collaborators would be affected. Many artists have come back from a potentially life-threatening disease with work that is a flat-out declaration of victory, songs and images that are thinly shrouded metaphors for rebirth or newfound strength. Therefore, it must have surprised many that the leadoff from Kylie's new record would be "2 Hearts," a '70s-style Roxy Music-esque glam jam that clocks in at under three minutes, and is -- seemingly -- devoid of any sort of "I'm back from the brink" anthemizing. Couple this pop gem with the gaudy early-'80s artwork, and the buzz was that Kylie was not only back, but back with a Me Decade swagger and ready to take back the momentum she'd been building since 2000. But to call X an '80s record is really only getting halfway there. Sure, the cover art is vintage 1982, and the majority of the record calls on production tricks and techniques that are of the same time, but much of the record calls on different eras -- not generalized decades as such, but eras in Kylie's own career. Most of the tracks could have fit in on earlier work, answering the question: what does a pop artist do when she's come full circle? She's been influenced as of late by '70s disco and '80s electro, but with X, it feels like Kylie has decided to take inspiration from Kylie herself. But there's more here than just that. From a musical standpoint, X is all over the map. If that's due in part or in whole to reassessing one's career, that's all well and good, but after the last three albums, it is not what her fans have really come to expect. To break it all down: after the nod to the days of Roxy and Bowie and Bolan in the aforementioned lead single (and fantastic album opener) -- which has a very warm, organic feel to it, almost conjuring up the heart musically -- the electronics kick in and an icy chill fills the room. From then on the album bounces back and forth from cold, calculated dance-pop that is more indicative of her recent work ("Like a Drug," "In My Arms," "Heart Beat Rock," "The One") and more personal, expansive work à la 1997'sImpossible Princess and 1994's Kylie Minogue ("Sensitized," "Stars," "Cosmic"). While some of it is very very good (Guy Chambers' "Sensitized" is arguably the best track on the album, so much so that it's disappointing that she didn't work with him more on X), most of it lacks -- when all presented as a whole -- what the last few collections really had: consistency. X isn't a "piece" as, say, Light Years was. It feels more like an artist trying to make sure she has all her bases covered. She even touches -- for the most part -- on her recent illness with the admittedly strong "No More Rain." But while tracks like "Nu-di-ty" and "Speakerphone" would have sounded better on the last Robbie Williams record and working with Bloodshy & Avant is questionable from time to time, the majority of X is exactly what it's meant to be: a collection of songs by a pop artist who is aware of her past achievements and doubly aware of her need to stay relevant in the face of unwanted diversion. ~ Christopher M. True, All Music Guide
