She's So Unusual
One of the great new wave/early MTV records, She's So Unusual is a giddy mix of self-confidence, effervescent popcraft, unabashed sentimentality, subversiveness, and clever humor. In short, it's a multifaceted portrait of a multifaceted talent, an artist that's far more clever than her thin, deliberately girly voice would indicate. Then again, Lauper s voice suits her musical persona, since its chirpiness adds depth, or reconfigures the songs, whether it's the call to arms of "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" or the tearjerking "Time After Time." Lauper is at her very best on the first side, all of which were singles or received airplay, and this collection of songs -- "Money Changes Everything," "Girls," "When You Were Mine," "Time," "She Bop," "All Through the Night" -- is astonishing in its consistency, so strong that it makes the remaining tracks -- all enjoyable, but rather pedestrian -- charming by their association with songs so brilliantly alive. If Lauper couldn't maintain this level of consistency, it's because this captured her persona better than anyone could imagine -- when a debut captures a personality so well, let alone a personality so tied to its time, the successive work can't help but pale in comparison. Still, when it's captured as brightly and brilliantly as it is here, it does result in a debut that retains its potency, long after its production seems a little dated. [The 2000 reissue contains three live bonus tracks, all enjoyable, all not really necessary.] ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
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Credits »
Steven Berkowitz - A&R
George Marino - Mastering
George Marino - Reissue Mastering
Janet Perr - Art Direction
Janet Perr - Design
Janet Perr - Concept
Janet Perr - Cover Art Concept
Howard Fritzson - Art Direction
Howard Fritzson - Reissue Art Director
Annie Liebovitz - Photography
Annie Liebovitz - Reissue Photography
Amy Linden - Liner Notes
Patti Matheny - Artist Coordination
John Christiana - Packaging Manager
John Christiana - Reissue Package Coordinator
Darren Salmieri - Artist Coordination
Dan Beck - Product Manager
William Wittman - Associate Producer
William Wittman - Engineer
William Wittman - Producer
William Wittman - Arranger
John Jansen - Engineer
Rob Hyman - Main Performer
Rob Hyman - Arranger
Rick Chertoff - Producer
Rick Chertoff - Arranger
John Agnello - Assistant Engineer
John Agnello - Engineer
Jules Shear - Guest Appearance
Cyndi Lauper - Cover Art Concept
Cyndi Lauper - Concept
Cyndi Lauper - Reissue Producer
Cyndi Lauper - Main Performer
Cyndi Lauper - Producer
Cyndi Lauper - Arranger
Justin Ware - Hair Stylist
Lennie Petze - Reissue Producer
Lennie Petze - Executive Producer
Lennie Petze - Producer
Rod O'Brien - Engineer
Anton Fig - Guest Appearance
Erie Brazilian - Arranger
Eric Bazilian - Main Performer
Eric Bazilian - Arranger
John Jackson - Reissue Director
John Henry Jackson - Project Director
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