Song of the Day – Mickey Oliver – In-Ten-Si-T album

Let’s face it. Most albums are a hit single or two if they are lucky and the rest is just filler. It’s rare to find one that is good from start to finish. The house artists who released albums in the 80s were no different. But there is always an exception or two. A prime example is Mickey Oliver’s first (and I believe only) album – In-Ten-Si-T. Damn good music from start to finish. Although, at 30-something minutes, we might have to call it half an album, but let’s not nitpick.
You have the single In-Ten-Si-T which was a huge hit (if it doesn’t immediately ring any bells, it’s vocals are a Speak And Spell saying – You make me want, you make me cry, you’re the one for me, I like your intensity), and Pump Up The Beat is an interesting Pump Up The Volume tribute?/parody?/ripoff? , but when I would be driving around with my buddies, I think we grooved the most to You Make Me with it’s catchy latin keyboards and percussion.

The vocals on most songs are by Shanna Jae which I just learned from Google is actually Paris Grey – most famous for her work in Inner City. Although I wonder if this is some internet-propagated misinformation since there is a picture of a woman on the back of the album (presumably Shanna Jae) and I’m not sure that it looks like Paris Grey.

(Update – November, 2011) I got curious so I emailed the man himself – Mickey Oliver. Shanna Jae and Paris Grey are the same person. Her real name is Shanna Jackson, she started her career as Shanna Jae and then changed it to Paris Grey. Thanks Mickey!

Shanna Jae

Shanna Jae


Paris Grey

Paris Grey


And one last babble – I don’t think Youtube appreciates Shanna Jae since it suggested the tag ‘instrumental’ for the song Heart On Hold.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESX8ucFJg2s

The rest of the album:
Track 1 – Never Let Go
Track 2 – You Make Me
Track 4 – Pump Up The Beat
Track 5 – Heart On Hold
Track 6 – I Like It
Track 7 – Mega Mix In