If
Prince
and
Shalamar
-- two artists who made their recording debuts in the late '70s -- could be relevant to the urban contemporary scene of 1983 and even cross over to pop-rock/new wave audiences, why not
Chic
?
Nile Rodgers
Bernard Edwards
hoped that
could, which is why 1983's
Believer
finds the group updating its sound with generally appealing, if uneven, results. Using a lot more keyboards and drum machines and favoring a more high-tech production style,
Rogers
Edwards
sound like they're trying hard to live down their reputation as a late '70s disco act. Urban contemporary considerations are strong, and some of the songs might have reached pop-rock and new wave audiences with the right promotion. The infectious
"Party Everybody"
contains more rapping than singing, and acknowledges hip-hop's popularity, which is appropriate considering how often hip-hoppers have sampled
over the years. And even though
falls short of being a gem, you have to admire
's ability to update its approach while continuing to sound incredibly distinctive. But the LP didn't contain any hit singles, and
would be
's last album for
Atlantic
.
broke up in 1985, although they reunited for 1992's uneven
Chic-ism
and 1996's superb
Live at the Budokhan
(neither of which were big sellers). The ironic thing is that while
Rodgers
were very much in demand as producers during the '80s (when
produced such superstars as
Duran Duran
,
Madonna
David Bowie
, and
the B-52s
worked with
the Power Station
Rod Stewart
Robert Palmer
Jody Watley
, among others),
itself never returned to the top of the charts. ~ Alex Henderson