Sex Cymbal

Sex Cymbal is the fourth solo album by American singer and drummer Sheila E., released in April 1991 by Warner Bros. Records, four years after her previous album. It is the first Sheila E. album that does not feature any input from her mentor Prince.

This article is about the album. For the song, see Sex Cymbal (song).
Sex Cymbal
Studio album by
Sheila E.
ReleasedApril 1991
Recorded1990–1991
Genre
Length59:49
LabelWarner Bros.
Producer
Sheila E. chronology
Sheila E.
(1987)		 Sex Cymbal
(1991)		 Writes of Passage
(1998)
Singles from Sex Cymbal
  1. "Sex Cymbal"
    Released: April 1, 1991
  2. "Droppin' Like Flies"
    Released: May 17, 1991
  3. "Cry Baby"
    Released: August 22, 1991
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Ebonyfavorable[2]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[3]
Peoplemixed[4]
Robert Christgau(dud)[5]

History

In 1990 Sheila went into the studio to record the album with her brother Peter Michael. She and Michael produced the whole album together and a few songs feature co-production from David Gamson and J.P. Charles.

Sex Cymbal produced three singles, "Sex Cymbal", "Droppin' Like Flies", and "Cry Baby". The title track, which includes an intro with a brief sample of Sheila's 1984 single "The Glamorous Life", was released as the lead single, and it reached the top 40 of the US R&B and Dance charts. The second single, "Droppin' Like Flies", was a top 40 Dance hit but stalled at number 77 on the R&B charts. The third and final single from the album, "Cry Baby", failed to chart.

The album is a departure from her previous album Sheila E., which was notable for its Latin influence and mixing many styles of music such as jazz, rock, funk, R&B, and salsa. It has a very prominent house- and dance-focused sound that was popular in the late 1980s and the early 1990s.

Track listing

Produced and arranged by Sheila E. and Peter Michael except where noted.

  1. "Sex Cymbal" – 4:26
  2. "Funky Attitude" – 5:11
  3. "Leader of the Band" – 4:04
  4. "Cry Baby" (Sheila E., J.P. Charles) – 5:44
  5. "Lady Marmalade" (Bob Crewe, Kenny Nolan) – 5:04
  6. "808 Kate (Drum Solo)" – 1:00
  7. "Loverboy" – 4:03
  8. "Mother Mary" – 5:23
  9. "Droppin' Like Flies" (Peter Michael, David Gamson) – 5:26
  10. "What'cha Gonna Do" – 4:40
  11. "Private Party (Tu Para Mi)" – 4:39
  12. "Family Affair (Percussion Jam)" – 1:00
  13. "Promise Me Love" – 5:37
  14. "Heaven" – 4:36

Personnel
  • Sheila E. – lead vocals, production
  • Michael Peter – production
  • J.P. Charles – co-production on "Cry Baby"
  • David Gamson – co-production on "Droppin' Like Flies"

Charts
Chart performance for Sex Cymbal
Chart (1991) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[6] 117
US Billboard 200[7] 146
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[8] 56

References
  1. AllMusic review
  2. Ebony review
  3. Entertainment Weekly review
  4. "Picks and Pans Review: Sex Cymbal". People. Vol. 35, no. 17. May 6, 1991. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  5. Christgau, Robert. "Sheila E." Robert Christgau.
  6. "Bubbling Down Under Week Commencing June 17, 1991". Retrieved June 21, 2022.
  7. "Sheila E Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
  8. "Sheila E Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
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