In 1984, the breakup of
the Time came as a major disappointment to funk lovers -- after all,
Morris Day and company had provided some of the most exciting funk of the early '80s. Like
Day,
Jesse Johnson wasted no time launching a solo career; he signed with A&M as a solo artist in 1984, and his first solo effort,
Jesse Johnson's Revue, came out the following year. Anyone who was expecting the singer/guitarist to get away from the Minneapolis sound and try something different was in for a letdown; all of the material is quite derivative of
Prince and
the Time. A pop/rock classic, "I Want My Girl" is easily the best thing on the album. But most of the material, although decent, isn't earth-shattering --
Johnson spends much of his time recycling the keyboard funk of
Prince and
the Time. That isn't to imply that
Jesse Johnson's Revue isn't enjoyable; rock-influenced rock tracks like "She Won't Let Go" and "Can You Help Me" are infectious, if formulaic and less imaginative than
Johnson's work with
the Time.
Johnson was, in 1985, capable of a lot more -- and you were in for a letdown if you expected this album to be as ambitious as
Prince's
1999. But while
Jesse Johnson's Revue isn't a masterpiece, it's a record that's easily to like if you're a die-hard fan of Minneapolis funk-rock. ~ Alex Henderson