Throwin' Down 1982 Album

Rick James

There really isn't a huge leap from Street Songs or earlier Rick James albums to 1982's Throwin' Down, but from the ridiculously costumed look on the cover to the contents within, it's clear there's been a sea change. Up until now, his records had been a moderately fascinating contrast between serious musicianship and outrageous shock behavior, but now it's clear the latter behavior was coming to the forefront. That's not to say Throwin' Down is not worth hearing. It has many characteristics which drew people to his work in the first place, but the increase in opulence combined with an increasing lack of self-awareness becomes hard not to notice. Nearly all of the same structural moves were carried over from the previous record (you even get a Teena Marie duet, "Happy", which is one of the better tracks from the record) but there is none of its' social relevance and authentic energy. Another notable track is the hyper-sexualized "She Blew My Mind (69 Times)". A few months later, Prince and the Revolution released "1999", and the world didn't really need Rick James after that. Still, despite the trappings, this is a decent Rick James record.