Author: zachary.hoskins@gmail.com

  • Jheri Curl June: Club Nouveau’s “It’s a Cold Cold World”

    Appropriately titled Listen to the Message, Club Nouveau’s second album is an overt political statement that you can dance to.

  • Jheri Curl June: Curtis Hairston’s “The Morning After”

    “The Morning After” wasn’t a hit in the U.S., but it did chart in the U.K., where Hairston remains better known; and the combination of the singer’s soaring tenor with those slick keyboards makes it the perfect song to slide into the weekend with.

  • Jheri Curl June: Angela Winbush’s “Angel”

    This year’s Jheri Curl June has leaned heavily into harder go-go beats and electro grooves. Sure, we had Atlantic Starr’s grown and sexy “Love Me Down” at the beginning of the month, but after that it’s been back to back Jheri Jams. So, I felt it was again time to relax into something as silky…

  • Jheri Curl June: Midnight Star’s “Headlines”

    The title track of Headlines shows that, if nothing else, Midnight Star’s signature sound was still good for a decent groove.

  • Jheri Curl June: Whodini’s “The Freaks Come Out at Night”

    Whodini now lives in the hallowed halls of the proverbial Jheri Curl Hall of Fame, in the same wing as the Egyptian Lover and the Jonzun Crew, with Ecstasy’s signature Zorro hat and tiny shorts on display right next to the Egyptian Lover’s leather suit and everyone’s fingerless gloves.

  • Jheri Curl June: Nile Rodgers’ “Let’s Go Out Tonight”

    Even if it isn’t quite orthodox Jheri Curl, how could I refuse myself the opportunity to share this absolutely bonkers video, which features Rodgers (wearing some kind of futuristic Cosby sweater) bringing a Japanese Bunraku marionette to life, taking her out on a date, and then seemingly turning into a marionette himself?

  • Jheri Curl June: Pebbles’ “Mercedes Boy”

    We’ve spoken briefly about Perri “Pebbles” Reid before, in the context of our 2016 profile of her ex-husband and producer, L.A. Reid, as well as our 2018 profile on André Cymone, who co-wrote her contribution to the Beverly Hills Cop II soundtrack, “Love/Hate.” But part of the point of Jheri Curl June Ladies’ Week is…

  • Jheri Curl June: Vanity’s “Under the Influence”

    I’ve been sitting on this song for the last seven years holding out to see if maybe, just maybe, Vanity’s music would appear on streaming services and we could add it to the Spotify playlist. Unsurprisingly–and, like Eddy Grant‘s absolute fuckin banger “Electric Avenue,” with which we kicked off the festivities this year–that doesn’t seem…

  • Jheri Curl June: Bonnie Pointer’s “If the Price Is Right”

    Earlier this week, we mentioned that Bonnie Pointer had departed the Pointer Sisters for a solo career in the late ’70s. Her third album, 1984’s If the Price Is Right, still has remnants of the disco sound of her former musical output, but soaked with Jheri Curl juice. Even the album cover features a glossy…

  • Jheri Curl June Fredi Grace & Rhinestone’s “Tight”

    Fredi Grace & Rhinestone was a trio from Atlanta, Georgia consisting of Fredi Grace, Rosalind Sweeper, and Keith Rawls. “Tight,” the titular track off their second (and last) album, is a sparse, funky opener with soaring vocals by lead singer Grace. On a side note, Grace’s tensile strength must be incredible, because after nearly six…