Grace Jones spent the middle part of the 1980’s starring in several movies, with varying degrees of success. She played the villainous mad-insane May Day in Roger Moore’s last outing as Bond in a View To A Kill. She also made the art house, cult-classic Vamp, which continues to grow in stature as one of the forgotten gems of ‘80s art house cinema. Jones’ music career didn’t suffer because of her film work, however; her sonic gem Slave To The Rhythm didn’t fare that well on the charts, but it thrilled her loyal fans and kept them interested.

Grace returned to the studio in late 1986 after having signed with the Manhattan label to begin work on her eighth studio album, Inside Story. Jones was now confident enough in her writing to co-write the entire disc with Bruce Woolley, ditching any planned covers that were briefly entertained during the early days of work. 

Grace had also demanded to co-produce the album with a producer of her choosing, and that job went to Nile Rodgers. The pair had a rocky relationship from the start – which, rumor has it, led to several colossal arguments throughout the making of this disc. The situation grew so intolerable that it remains the only album they made together during Jones’ brief tenure at Manhattan. That, in fact, is a shame because Inside Story remains one of Jones’ better albums and her most commercially successful to date. 

The reggae influence is still there, but this was a definite shift to the mainstream pop sounds of the day and Jones handled some of her trickiest vocal performances well. The album kicks off with the dance/pop of “I’m Not Perfect (But I’m Perfect For You),” which singlehandedly updates Jones’ sound and perfectly sets the tone for what is to come. 

Other dance/pop gems like “Hollywood Liar” and “Party Girl” offer depth and introspection, wrapped in a pop sound that works a treat. Another standout is the sublime ballad “Victor Should Have Been A Jazz Singer,” with which Jones delivers a jazz-inspired performance to match the ambient track superbly. “Barefoot In Beverly Hills” and “White Collar Crime” show that Jones was developing as a lyricist, weaving some social commentary around slick grooves and punchy rhythm tracks. 

The most original moment comes with the divine pop gem “Chan Hitchhikes To Shanghai,” which is one of the record’s most up-tempo and fun moments. The release closes with the satisfying title track that offers some great backing vocals and soul-searching lyrics by Jones.  Inside Story is not a groundbreaking album in any way, but it’s fun and slick and still sounds fresh and contemporary. 

Grace Jones would take an elongated break from recording following the disappointing mess that was 1989’s Bulletproof Heart. When Jones did return, however, it was with the sublime funk-fueled Hurricane in 2008 that thankfully reminded her fans that she still had plenty left of what was on offer here.

Rating: B+

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