| Chain | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1990 | |||
| Genre | R&B, rock [1] | |||
| Label | Atlantic | |||
| Producer | Jeffrey Smith, Peter Lord | |||
| The Family Stand chronology | ||||
| ||||
Chain is an album by the American band the Family Stand, released in the United States in 1990. [2] [3] The first single, "Ghetto Heaven", was a hit in dance clubs; "Chain" was also released as a single. [4] [5] The band supported the album with a North American tour. [6] Chain peaked at No. 52 on the UK Albums Chart. [7]
The Family Stand hoped to craft a nonmainstream album that would still be played on Black radio; according to the band, Atlantic Records delayed Chain due to doubts about radio success. [8] [2] Their chief influence was Sly and the Family Stone. [2] Sandra St. Victor sang lead on "In Summer I Fall". [9] "Little White, Little Black Lies" examines racism in Christianity. [10] The rap in "Twisted" implores the Jackson family to avoid additional plastic surgery; the track includes a snippet of a Malcolm X speech. [11] [12] The title track urges listeners to avert the bad habits of their parents. [13] "Ovasaxed" is a saxophone-led instrumental. [14]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [15] |
| The Kansas City Star | [12] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [3] |
The Toronto Star called the album "a virtually seamless blend of vintage soul, hip-hop, modern rhythm 'n' blues and rock, decorated around the edges with jazzy frills." [9] USA Today deemed it "in-depth music that moves the mind as well as the butt." [10] The Los Angeles Times opined that St. Victor "displays a dynamic and impressive range." [16] The Star Tribune concluded that "the quirky 'Twisted' is the gem here... It's a 1990 answer to Prince's socially conscious 'Sign o' the Times'." [17] The Chicago Tribune considered Chain to be "one of the great lost albums of 1990." [18]
AllMusic determined that "the title track ... is melodic in a muddy way, the muffled sound gives the shuffling rhythm an eerie effect." [15]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Ghetto Heaven (Remix)" | |
| 2. | "Twisted" | |
| 3. | "Only" | |
| 4. | "In Summer I Fall" | |
| 5. | "Ovasaxed" | |
| 6. | "Sweet Liberation" | |
| 7. | "The Last Temptation" | |
| 8. | "Chain" | |
| 9. | "Avenue Lust" | |
| 10. | "Little White, Little Black Lies" | |
| 11. | "Ghetto Heaven" |
Gish is the debut studio album by American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins, released on May 28, 1991 through Caroline Records. The album was produced by Butch Vig and frontman Billy Corgan, with the latter describing Gish as a "very spiritual album" and "an album about spiritual ascension".
Meantime is the second studio album and major label debut by American alternative metal band Helmet. It was released on June 23, 1992, through Interscope Records.
She Hangs Brightly is the debut studio album by American alternative rock band Mazzy Star. It was released on May 21, 1990, by Rough Trade Records and re-released by Capitol Records later in the year.
Gratitude is a double live album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, issued in November 1975 by Columbia Records. The album spent six weeks atop the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart and three weeks atop the Billboard 200 chart. Gratitude has also been certified Triple Platinum in the US by the RIAA.
And the Horse They Rode In On is an album by the Minneapolis band Soul Asylum, released in 1990. The vinyl, cassette, and CD versions of the album have different, but related, cover art. The band supported the album with a North American tour. The first single was "Spinnin'".
Goodbye Jumbo is the second studio album by Welsh-British alternative rock band World Party, released on 24 April 1990 on Ensign Records.
Black Love is the fifth album by the band the Afghan Whigs, released in March 1996. It was released by Elektra Records/Sub Pop in the US and by Mute in Europe, and was produced by Greg Dulli. Black Love was preceded by the single "Honky's Ladder" and followed by the single "Going to Town".
Eat Your Paisley! is the second studio album by The Dead Milkmen, released on Restless Records in 1986.
The Revival is the second studio album by American R&B band Tony! Toni! Toné!, released on May 8, 1990, by Wing Records. It was produced and arranged primarily by the band, although they were assisted on a few songs by the production duo Foster & McElroy, who had produced their first album, Who? (1988). The band recorded at several studios in California with the assistance of the Synclavier, an early music workstation.
Time for a Witness is the fourth studio album by the American rock band the Feelies, released in 1991 on A&M/Coyote. The band supported the album with a North American tour.
The Spin is an album by the American jazz band Yellowjackets, released in 1989. The album title refers to the Earth's rotation. The band supported the album with a North American tour.
American Grafishy is the third studio album by the San Francisco-based punk rock band Flipper. It was released in 1992 by Def American; label president Rick Rubin had once been in a Flipper tribute band. The album title is a pun on the coming-of-age film American Graffiti. The band promoted the album with a North American tour.
"Another Sleepless Night" is a song written and produced by Mike "Hitman" Wilson, and recorded by American dance music singer Shawn Christopher. The single, released in November 1990 by Arista as the lead off track from the album of the same name (1992), was the first of two number ones on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart for the Chicago-born artist, reaching the top spot in February 1991. It also charted at number 67 on the Billboard Hot 100. In the UK, the song was released in 1991, and again in 1999, peaking at number 50 on the UK Singles Chart and number eight on the UK Dance Singles Chart.
"Ghetto Heaven" is a song by American soul and R&B group the Family Stand, released in 1990 by Atlantic Records as the group's debut single, from their second album, Chain (1989). The song features vocals by lead-singer Sandra St. Victor, who also co-wrote it, and was an international hit, peaking at number ten in the UK in April 1990. Eight years later, in January 1998, the song again charted on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number 30. Additionally, it was a top 10 hit in Luxembourg and a top 20 hit in New Zealand. Its music video features the group performing in an urban city setting. American band Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam sampled "Ghetto Heaven" on their 1991 hit, "Let the Beat Hit 'Em".
"Stand by My Woman" is a song recorded by American singer Lenny Kravitz and released on September 2, 1991, as the fourth single from his second studio album Mama Said. The song was later included as a track on his 2000 album Greatest Hits.
Rooms in My Fatha's House is the debut album by the American musician Vinx, released in 1991. Vinx referred to his music as "prehistoric pop" or "cross-under," claiming that it was neither rock nor world nor jazz.
Corruption is an album by the Zimbabwean musician Thomas Mapfumo, released in 1989. The album criticized the government of Robert Mugabe. Mugabe's displeasure with the criticism eventually forced Mapfumo into exile, and Mapfumo's music was barred from Zimbabwean radio. The title track was discussed in the Zimbabwean parliament, around the same time as several government officials were indicted as part of a smuggling ring.
Wild Weekend is an album by the American band NRBQ, released in 1989. It was the band's first studio album in more than five years, due to disputes with their former label, Bearsville Records.
Hot Heads is an album by the Cameroonian band Les Têtes Brulées, released in 1990. The band supported the album with a North American tour.
All My Life is an album by the American musician Charles Brown, released in 1990. It was Brown's first album for Bullseye Blues, and part of a comeback effort that began with his previous release, One More for the Road. Brown supported the album with a North American tour.