~ CREE SUMMER ~

In 1999, Summer released her solo album Street Faërie produced by and featuring guest artist (and friend) Lenny Kravitz, but the album was not hugely successful. Although Summer toured as Kravitz's opening act, her label dropped her and a planned spot with Lilith Fair was canceled. The label continued to promote the album, however, sending out a four-track sampler to radio and issuing remix singles of the track "Revelation Sunshine" in Europe, with a special single specifically for Austria. Summer recorded a song titled "Savior Self" for which she directed a music video co-starring Zoe Kravitz, daughter of actress Lisa Bonet and rocker Lenny Kravitz. The video was screened online, but the track was never made available commercially, nor was it distributed to radio.

- savior self - 

Street Faërie was the first full-length album recorded by Cree Summer. It was released in 1999 on the Work Group, a now-defunct imprint of Sony music Summer, who is Neo-Pagan and a political and human rights activist, wove themes of racism, romantic liaisons, and spirituality into the lyrics of guitar-heavy pop and folk songs. "Miss Moon" is an ode to lovemaking while a woman is menstruating. "Fall," a fully orchestral jazz ballad, reads like the breakup of a relationship but is in fact the literal interpretation of the wilting and decay of a leaf: "Black stemmed, orange trimmed/with the slighest wind I'm fallen from you." "Naheo" is a tribute to Summer's Native American roots, while "Curious White Boy" is a Black woman's response to her white lover after she realizes he has become involved with her out of some sense of racial guilt: "Another housekeeper fantasy?/Coffee-colored remedy for your hangover from history."

"Revelation Sunshine" starts things off with the mirror image of yourself when falling in love, the track "Deliciously Down" will hook you. The beautiful thing about this album is the way the music (produced by Lenny Kravitz) complements both the voice and colorful lyrics of Summer.  Even the musically sparse "Still Heart" works with the raw emotion she tries to convey.   For the most part, this album will probably be classified as alternative rock (especially with the guitars on "Curious White Boy" ending the album). However, Summer and Kravitz remind us that there's soul in most music today. Tracks like "Deliciously Down" and "Sweet Pain" remind us that Summer is a fruit from the soul tree first. 

- revelation sunshine - 

 

   Tracklisting

1. "Revelation Sunshine"
2. "Miss Moon"
3. "Still Heart"
4. "Deliciously Down"
5. "Mean Sleep"
6. "Life Goes On"
7. "Fall"
8. "Angry Boy"
9. "Sweet Pain"
10. "Smooth My Heart"
11. "Naheo"
12. "Soul Sister"
13. "Curious White Boy"

album link: cree summer - street faerie