Arts & Entertainment
Mixed Messages from
Rogue Amazons
Mixed Messages
from
Rogue Amazons
Reviewed by Max Stroud
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CD Single Rogue Amazon Rogue AMazon Productions |
The first impression of the CD Rogue Amazon comes from the cover art – strong beautiful black women. The muscular images of Juliet and Pamela Jones are images of women to be respected and reckoned with. In the liner notes, Pamela Jones describes how the idea for “rogue amazon” started with the dream of a ten-year-old Juliet who wanted to create an a capella jazz ensemble titled “Rogue Amazons Zealously Zinging.” This seed thought grew through collaboration and began to include the idea of combining formidable roles for people of color through art, raising social awareness and money for at-risk youth – culminating in their theme song “Rogue Amazon.” Rogue Amazon seems like it could become a perfect club hit for places where the Gay and Lesbian crowds mingle. The words are empowering women, while the dance beat is strong and exciting.
Unfortunately, a decision was made to put a second song on the CD single release. The second song is apt to turn off both of the crowds that might be attracted to the first. The song is titled “I Need a Man” and has such empowering lines, such as “I need a man…all of my cooking is going to waste.” The dance beats are monotonous and there are long stretches of this monotonous beat standing alone. The only redeeming quality of the second song is that Pamela Jones and Juliet did not write it. In the future, these women should work on creating their own music and sing songs that “rogue amazons” would be proud to sing.
