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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
"Minx-Mid '80's Mediocrity", 28 May 2006
1985 saw me visiting John Menzies to snap up my copy of Minx.Yes! Here it was,the latest in a long line of Toyah classics complete with dreamy pic. of Ms.Wilcox on the cover looking simply stunning!
I remember enjoying this album at the time,but then again,Toyah could do no wrong in my eyes whatsoever.
Listening now,some 21 years later,I would say that this is probably her weakest effort,but at the bargain price of a fiver,it's still essential listening ,if only for Sympathy,(big fabulous ballad),America For Beginners(Spine-tingling and so true),and School's Out(Rebellious angst personnified).
All In A Rage isn't half bad either,but the thing about Minx is that it doesn't have the same spark of originality as Toyah's earlier albums,(probably due to the fact that she didn't write the bulk of the material)
Don't listen to me though;buy a copy for yourself and see what I mean! (You can always spend quality time listening to America For Beginners whilst gazing deliriously at the fantastic cover)
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Toyah does Pop...sort of, 19 Aug 2006
Having left Safari records, Toyah signed to Portrait and recorded a pop album. Well, at least she tried to. It's possibly because of the musical climate of the time or maybe the instigation of the people at Portrait but it has to be said, Minx is unlike anything Toyah had recorded before (and arguably, since). You've got to remember (well, you don't have to, but it's advisable) that music in 1985 was very shallow and synth-orientated. This is one of the first things you notice when listening to the album. It starts off fine with the tinkly crash of 'Soldier Of Fortune, Terrorist Of Love', but already the music sounds hollow in comparison to her previous albums. This has nothing to do with the songs - in fact, I'd say that some of Toyah's best songs feature on this album (a statement I can make with this new extended CD issue) 'All In A Rage', Space Between The Sounds' and 'I'll Serve You Well' all have that distinctive Toyah-ness about them mixing spacey ambience, spoken verses and raw aggression mixed with a slight oriental feel at times, but I think what is to blame here is the production. Especially on the vinyl and previous CD editions of Minx, the sound has been hollow and not as vibrant as on, say, Anthem or Sheep Farming. This re-issue has to some extent made the recording sound fuller, but much of the album still fails to ignite. 'Don't Fall In Love (I Said)', the album's first single, should have been a classic, but comes across lacking and follow up 'Soul Passing Through Soul' with it's parping synths is possibly one of Toyah's worst ever singles. The album also features two cover versions - the rather exquisite gem 'Sympathy', all strings and a strong performance from Toyah here, and the less favourable 'School's Out'. Done in this pop style the song just doesn't work, but on the plus side is still tons better than the two covers she was forced to do for the subsequent 'Desire' album. This extended release also features the 12" mixes of the 3 singles plus an unreleased extended version of third single 'World In Action' which was understandably dropped in favour of the superior 9 minute remix. Also here are the b-sides 'Kiss The Devil' and 'Snow Covers The Kiss'. Never understood why the latter was only a b-side and not an album track or single as it's by far the best song Toyah recorded in this period. To be honest, if this hadn't been included I would have rated the album only 3 stars.
All in all, then, a mixed bag. For every 'World In Action' you've got a 'Vigilante' or a 'School's Out'. Worth buying for the tracks I've mentioned, but definitely not her best by a long shot. Let's face it, Toyah has her own style and works best when she sticks to it. A mainstream pop album was never going to work. Thank god she went back to being herself!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A NEW TOYAH, 20 Sep 2005
By A Customer
The release of Minx saw a more mature Toyah emerge as the musical tastes of 1980s continued to change. Here an 'adult' Toyah sported a sleek look, a new way of writing her name, and a fresh sound that some die-hard fans hated. Gone was the raw energy, now Toyah had become refined and more melodic with a better trained voice as Sympathy and America For Beginners showcased. This album included covers and these too were a no-no for some. The three singles from the album barely graced the charts, Don't Fall In Love (I Said) only reached number 22, and Toyah's follow-up, the better, Soul Passing Through Soul shared the same fate; perhaps partly down to a lack of promotion. There was no tour to support the release of minx and although it hit the album charts quite high it too quickly slipped from people's memories which is a pity as there are some real gems on it: The story of "O" inspired I'll Serve You Well and Over Twenty One are documented highlights; and yet another is Space Between The Sounds with its late-teen lyrics. All these songs had an 80's gloss but the old, non-image driven, Toyah does appear on All In A Rage and there is a playfulness to a cover of Alice Copper's School's Out. But ultimately this is a Toyah album for quieter days. Why not buy Warrior Rock (released earlier this year) to Rock to; and then play this CD afterwards to wind-down to. You'll fizz along nicely especially to the 3 versions of Toyah's World In Action single. (Album, extended and Action mixes.)This CD is well worth the entrance fee and was sadly the last great album to come from Toyah from some time.
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