Amy Winehouse may be gone, but the music keeps on, as Rolling Stonereports that an album of un-released material will be available just in time for the holidays. The 12-track Lioness: The Hidden Treasures will be compiled by producers Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi, and feature a slower version of "Valerie", her duet with Tony Bennett ("Body and Soul"), Winehouse's versions of Astrud Gilberto and Stan Getz's "The Girl From Impanea" and The Shirelles' "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?", plus a track called, "Between The Cheats" that was to be released on Amy's third album. To not feel like you're cash cowing in, proceeds from the album will be given to the Amy Winehouse Foundation, a charity opened by Amy's father after her passing.
Maybe I'm being a bit snobby, but 12 tracks is a bit um, skimpy. Especially when you're comparing it to fan-made compilations that cater to the same thing (see the sprawling Amy) and have remixes and rares out the wazoo. Pop Dust has the full tracklist and though it's not as big as I would want it to be, it's pretty darn solid. Still whatever Amy has put her stamp on, I'm gonna be listening.
A few favorite Amy rares and covers that I enjoy, such as "Fool's Gold", and her takes on "Teach Me Tonight", "Boulevard of Broken Dreams", and Donny Hathaway's "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know", are after the cut for funsies.
While you still keep your ears locked to J*Davey, New Look,and Quadron, make room for another twosome that go by 14th and who have all the right hooks to reel you in. I'd been hearing things about this UK group, composed of the vocalist + producer combo of Tracey Duodu and Tom Barber, and have been impressed by what I heard on their debut EP, Hide Yourself. Fans with eclectic tastes will rejoice at the sound that bubbles off this set, as everything just sort of shoots out you from first listen. A bit of electronic-soul here, ambient dub-step there, and then a nice jab of House on top of that---all condensed and refined on four tracks. Before the day is through you should dive into this whole project, especially to hear the perky "Chimes" and the title track that has got music bloggers in a tizzy about what's to come next from these two talents.
No trick but a real treat here, as producer/DJ Mark Ronson has had always had knack for mixing peanut butter n' pickles artists together to create some pretty memorable moments (uh, "Somebody To Love Me" rings a bell). Specifically made for the RE: GENERATION film project, which challenges five producers (Ronson, Crystal Method, DJ Premier, Pretty Lights, and Skrillex) to re-imagine five styles of traditional music styles with legendary artists. For the jazz portion, Ronson has got Erykah Badu, Mos Def (yes, he's still being called this for now), Trombone Shorty, and The Dap-Kings (who are Sharon Jones-less) together for a gumbo of a tune called, "A La Modeliste".
It's very New Orleans in spirit, so you'll get an urge to grab an umbrella and dance in the street once you push play. Badu really steals the show on this, but the snappy horns and overall structure of the tune are enough to put you on that 'good foot' for the week. The RE:GENERATION project will also include the talents of Nas, Leann Rimes, Martha Reeves, and members of the Doors---so the fun ain't over with yet!
Mark Ronson (ft. Erykah Badu, Mos Def, Trombone Shorty & The Dap Kings) - A La Modeliste
Halloween. Ah, the day where everyone gets an excuse to reveal their 'true' self. Which is why I choose to spend my Halloween nights completely away from people and mostly spend it with horror movies, while on a diet of candy corn and Swedish Fish. Yeah, I'm a party poop.
Usually every Halloween I have a particular line of movies that I have to watch and the wacky and wonderful The Rocky Horror Picture Show is one of them. So this past weekend I sat down with it and have had most of the material stuck in my head since. As always "The Time Warp" is my favorite, so zany, random, and campy---as is the whole movie. To note, RHPS isn't for everyone, and it takes a couple of viewings to where you go from WTF?!? to WOW!!! But once you have an open mind about it, it's a real fun ride. Apparently, you get the same response when you take in a live-action performance of the glam rock musical, as by accounts from friends who have done it, the experience is a extremely memorable one. So to celebrate the 'ghoulish' day---jump to the left, then step to the right, put your hands on your hips, bring knees in tight, and then do a pelvic thrust...and do the time warp (again)!!!
To think I was about to post their mugs on a milk carton---The Ting Tings have a semi-new song/video and it's called, "Hang It Up". Simple as that, right? Not quite. It was said a year ago that the Brit duo were to follow-up their fabulously energized 2008 debut, We Started Nothing, with the once-titled-but-it's-been-changed-to-something-else sophomore album, with "Hands" as the debut single. "Hands" didn't clap (the acoustic version is mucho better), so "Hang It Up" looks to be the track to pull up the project by it's bootstraps. It's perfect enough with all the funky guitar work and catchy as the cold I have due to the cheerleading chant lyrics, so pretty much you're getting a good listening deal.
I'm just hoping the Tings won't be flash in the pans because you just don't make songs like "Shut Up & Let Me Go" and just vanish like that.
I have been under the weather this past week (note my week-long absence from the blog), but one thing that's always good medicine is new music and especially new music from Goapele.
For four years Goapele has kept us at a cliff hanger this side of a prime-time drama with her last record, 2005's Change It All. Like a distant lover she egged on the possibly of a third effort with the first seduction "Milk & Honey" and then for two years she kept the anticipation afloat till she dropped "Play" in all of it's wonderfulness. Both tracks dropped big hints that Break Of Dawn was to be a real sexual and personal healing---and is it ever.
Openness is the spice to creativity, it's what brings an art form to life and without it falsity tends to worm it way through. Goapele has always been open and honest, yet this time she puts herself fully under a microscope and really lays it all out. Even with the assemblage of co-writers and producers (Kerry "Krucial" Brothers, Drumma Boy, Malay, Bedrock---to name a few) there is a more personal touch to this than previously heard on her past releases. Confessional she is on yearning stews like "Undertow" and the fluid classic soul recall on "Tears On My Pillow" which really put her rich vocal stylings on display. Even the lullaby of "Hush" is personal on the level that it's dedicated to her four-year-old daughter. Yet, Goapele really sparkles when the beat is taken up a notch, as on the spirited title track, and "Money" which is the most grooving bass happy song you'll hear about not putting a price on love.
Though condensed as Break Of Dawn may be (only nine tracks!) and a few sags here and there (attention on the clunky "Right Here"), it's brevity and small moments of uninspired errors doesn't mar the listening experience. As Goapele coos, that she just wants to 'play', you too will do the same, as you'll play this again and again without so much as a fuss. Check after the cut for more reasons to 'play' as Goapele puts her live thing on "Tears On My Pillow" and Rufus & Chaka Khan's "Sweet Thing".
Rochelle Jordan is a bold sister. On her debut (freebie) mixtape, ROJO, she took to doing mash-ups with recognizable tunes from Kelis, Radiohead, and surprisingly KP & Envyi's "Shorty Swing My Way" (wow, take me back!).
While the mixtape is a bit of a hit-n-miss for me, she really had something a-brewing with "Sleep" as it features a pretty slick interpolation of Radiohead's "Lotus Flower" to where it sounds like Thom Yorke is right there in attendance with Rochelle, their voices just effortlessly melding in the mix. Like I said---bold. Yet, all of what Rochelle is mashing and mixing fabulously works, and it's proving that she's not the only Canadian to be delving into the deep dungeons of R&B to create moody pieces that rival the Playskool kiddie bop of what is being dubbed R&B these days.
In addition to her mixtape, Rochelle's is still churning out the tunes as a loner single, "Shot" was released yesterday, and it's pretty decent and continues to build on Rochelle's growing intrigue. If you like what you're soaking in, then be sure to grab it for free here, and also snag ROJO if you already haven't done so.
New Look are the clean freaks of music. This I am convinced. It was first displayed to me on the hypnotizing, "Janet" (not included on here), and this concept is continued throughout their self-titled debut. Everything on their debut is taunt, suave, and sterile---nary a speck of dirt is to be found on it, as if the husband and wife team from Canada took a rag and cleaning solvent to it and scrubbed out all smudges. No way is this to their detriment. In fact, it's what makes their self-titled debut such an briskly intriguing listen.
The idea of being a minimalist has sort of been 2011's quiet mantra for the music. Maybe it's some Recession-era idea: the more isolated and simple, the much more composed and nurturing it all feels. I don't know. I'm just over-analyzing. What I do know is that New Look and their music is less brutal than their contemporaries (see James Blake and The Weeknd) to where they won't isolate listeners. New Look, as a whole,brings out the early cracklings of 80's Freestyle (Debbie Deb) with a lean into electronic smarts (Kraftwerk, Laid Back's "White Horse"). Yet added to this mix is an R&B tone softens the stark blows of the mechanical synthesizers. With tracks like the perky "Teen Need", "Everything" and the House-y, "Numbers", you don't feel exclusion from the groove---you're in it.
Vocalist, Sara Ruba is the anchor in all of this as she ping-pongs her soprano voice across the electronic landscapes that Adam Pavao has swathed over the record. Beautiful pieces like "The Ballad" and my favorite, "Nap On The Bow" don't rely on much to get the point across, but do offer lingering effects. This approach is a reminder of Sade in a way. As Sade Adu's voice isn't splashy in a 'diva' sense, but it is highly effective and gave a unique twist to the sophisticated jazz-pop the group is known for. Ruba does that same effect here as she adds intriguing depth to what is on New Look. Once you finish this concise set, it's like you woke up from a technical and pleasant dream, and it's one that you want to recount again, and again.
Kimbra is quite the little star over in her homestead of New Zealand, but I don't need a crystal ball or even be like Oda Mae Brown from Ghost to know that Kimbra is going to make some waves over in the red, white, and blue. Why do I possess such confidence about it? Like always, the music speaks for itself. "Settle Down", Kimbra's debut single, is a delectable and mighty attractive single as it's got a lot of twists n' turns in it and strays from being your run-of-the-mill song. It resides on her recently released debut, Vows, an album that is art-pop in it's derive but possesses soulful vocals and jazz influence to keep it quite accessible. So it's really no surprise that Kimbra has been described as a 'Amy Winehouse meets Bjork' hybrid as that's sort of what you hear here.
What makes Vows succeed is that it's a real pin-ball machine of genres. Nina Simone inspired vocal gymnastics seem to ooze out of "Plain Gold Ring" while old school R&B is given a vibrant spin on "Call Me". The gears shift when the space-y "Old Flame" pops on. My personal favorite so far is the escapade of "Cameo Lover". Not a dull moment is to be had once you listen to Vows. Kimbra is prepping to introduce herself to the American and Canadian masses with her Settle Down EPthis week,and it includes a great Sam Sparro remix of "Cameo Lover". Seriously, if all that I have described doesn't pique your interest then I don't know what will.
Take in the stream of Vows below (trust me, it'll perk your Monday up), and after the cut see the vids for "Settle Down" and "Cameo Lover". This is the good stuff.
Ever come across a cover and just thought---I don't know who does it better? This 'crossroads' happen with "Mean Sleep" awhile back (though Lenny Kravitz and Cree Summer's original won by a landslide in the comments), but I'm back at dividing line when I hear "You Are In My System".
It's kind of strange that The System's first single for their 1983 debut, Sweat, has been sort of forgotten. To me it's as big as a milestone for the marriage of R&B and dance music like Shannon's "Let The Music Play" and Madonna's "Everybody" was, and just as catchy. Packed to the wall with synths and a chorus you could really sink into, the track is one of my favorites from the duo and a favorite of those who clubbed in the 80's, as it was a top ten R&B smash.
Robert Palmer took his shot on it the same year for his Pride album, even recruiting the System's David Frank to play the synths on it. His spin is just as funky as the original, but just a tad glossier. Palmer's done many other covers before (I'm still learning to love his version of Cherrelle's "I Didn't Mean To Turn You On"---I'm just so precious about the original), but this is his best cover, in my opinion. As (hilarious) as one YouTube commented by saying that Palmer was "a Black man accidentally born White", it's not far from the truth and you'll hear it on this track.
Doesn't this video remind you of something? Ah, well, a lot of Beyonce videos remind me of a lot of things I've seen before---but the technical term to use in Bey related situations nowadays is called a homage. So there you go. I passed the 'Say Something Nice Challenge'.
Eh, I'll give it to Beyonce this time because:
I love the track (great jovial 80's R&B at your service)
The choreography is indeed snappy and a nice nod to New Edition
Top hats, canes, and alll thaaat jazzzz
The whole viewing experience doesn't give me whiplash and dizzy spells like a lot of Beyonce videos tend to do with me (i.e. "Countdown")
When she keeps it simple, she gets a gold star from me.
There was something about this weekend that I took in a lot of New Jack Swing listening. While I was immersed in it, I was sitting thinking that Babyface and L.A. Reid were just masters in the genre. Not to discount Teddy Riley, Jam and Lewis, and a whole mess of others, but really Babyface had the magic touch when it came to producing great tunes.
So it was quite nice to see his name attached to Anthony Hamilton's new track, "Woo". An instant, "Well, this is gonna be good" feeling washed over me---and well, "Woo" is good. Real good. I won't say it's the greatest thing Hamilton's ever done, but it's the right groove for the moment and I was humming it long after it stopped (good sign). Hamilton is one of the few modern soul men that I still give my undivided attention to, and I am aware to the fact that Mr. Hamilton is releasing a brand-new set this year. Thank goodness that "Woo" gets us on the good foot of what is to come.
Already on my radar, Lianne La Havas has released the video for her song, "No Room For Doubt" off of her debut EP, Lost & Found and it's a beaut. Blues singer, Willy Mason, joins her as they play out as departed lovers of a different kind, with Mason's 'spirit' haunting La Havas' present space---a plot that is just in time for the 'spooky season'. It sort of reminds me of a Brontë Sisters novel (I'm such a junkie for Jane Eyre), where the plot lines of distant lovers and eerie settings blend with the romance. The contrast of their voices is really wonderful on this and adds to the charm that plays out on screen. Well worth a watch or two.
There is a subliminal message embedded in this album when you play it.
It's: "Dance Your Ass Off!!!"
Yes, the sage statement derives from Footloose (the 1984 original---not that bull shiggity recession era remake), but it's pretty apt when discussing Sneaky Sound System and their third release, From Here To Anywhere. Your gluttus maximus will know exactly what to do just that when you play it---and you won't be able to stop it. Keeping in the neon spirit of the 80's (remember everything old is new again in the 21st century), the Aussie duo comprised of producer, Black Angus and mega vocalist, Connie Mitchell, make an album that doesn't screw around with taking you to the floor nor serving up the 'big' grooves.
What you'll hear isn't Disney Starlet-Teen Bop-Glee pop-dance traps. Oh, no what you'll hear will direct you away fromthe grade school playground antics of Top 40 to where you'll want to hang with the big kids behind the dumpster swapping smokes and complex inside jokes. Sneaky Sound System has always walked the same road as say, Goldfrapp, Scissor Sisters, or Robyn, to where their dance music was bold enough to be methodically pleasing, but possessed an edge that didn't make you feel like you were losing IQ points.
Usually what some musicians say in interviews or on Twitter---I take with a grain of salt. Especially Twitter, which is like a festering ground for disappointments (i.e. the realization your admired artist is a caps lock abuser/weak grammar user/small minded nit). Though I usually try to listen to just the music and judge by that, I perk up when their are artist who have something to say. Which is why I like the go-get attitude Santigold has and I thought she said some really poignant things about pop culture, art and the direction of her as-yet-to-be-seen album, from her '20 Questions' interview with Dazed & Confused magazine. Some of the best bits:
About her song, "Go (feat. Karen O.)" in which she discusses about the 'New American Dream':
Nowadays, if something isn’t accessible, it’s boring. We’ve become a society obsessed with instant gratification, and it’s created a warped mentality. The New American Dream is to become rich and famous by happenstance, and to get there with as little work or talent as possible. Everything is about the external – materialism, status, celebrity.
Oh me oh my do I love Rahsaan Patterson's Bluephoria---well,I might have mentioned that already. So it's thrilling to see this visual of Rahsaan laying down one of Bluephoria's many wonderful cuts, "6AM" live for a Los Angeles show to promote his brand new set. He's also brought along his bestie, Lalah Hathaway, for the ride, and well, this is nothing short of entertaining. Lalah herself is also releasing her newest album, Where It All Begins, this year (next week to be exact), so this might be a hint to the two music partners in crime to go on quite a vocally pleasing tour together. Or so as I cross fingers and wish upon a star.
If you know all about Patterson and Hathaway and how they do the 'do when they step up to the mic (they are like butter n' sweet cream without the guilt), you can already visualize and hear the magic---and you've probably ignored every single word on this post because you've already pressed play and are having a mini-concert in your room/office cubicle/bus ride/wherever-you-make-your-personal-dancefloor right now.
Think Seattle is all about rainy seasons, their infamous 90's grunge period, or the setting of Grey's Anatomy? Think again.
Pickwick, a sextet from the city, is yet another fab find from the music-bloggers-dream known as Bandcamp. Whenever I'm stumped on what new sounds to post on here (and let me tell you I do get stumped), Bandcamp comes through---like today. Taking the Councours d'Elegance track, "Turn The Light Out", Pickwick put their spin on it and it's mighty good.
I know I sort of doggedMayer Hawthorne about his 'overdose' on 60's/70's soul music knowledge to where the man and the admiration just kept competing with each other to where there wasn't a middle ground---just run-of-the-mill mush. "Turn The Light Out" shows Pickwick's love for the eras, but this is just better, vocal and production wise. You can cut the groove with a knife (crisp n' soulful), and lead vocalist, Galen Disston really let's his voice roam over the cut, straying aways from making this a soul-by-numbers type of deal. Haven't checked out the rest of the band's EP's, but from this, they sound to be worth checking out.
Stumbled upon this unofficial video for Quadron's "Jeans" and it's worth a watch or two. Lots of blue jean shirts and jeans for obvious reasons. Has a real 90's feel to this---you know the hanging with the girls, singing in the street, wearing a baseball cap a la Mary J. Blige in "Real Love". Just me? Okay.
I know that the duo of Coco and Robin Hannibal have been doing other projects and their debut is one the greatest things ever made on this planet---but I just want them to release a new album cause I'm greedy.
Trying to branch out her fanbase past her Denmark backyard, Nabiha has re-released her 2010 debut, Cracks and has re-tooled and re-titled it More Cracks, with the addition of four new cuts. Sweetness.
To refresh the brain cells, last year Nabiha's 2010 debut Cracks was a surprise find for me, and I gushed about how it was a solid and eclectic set, peppered with great cuts like "Red Letter Days", "Deep Sleep" and my personal favorite, "Computer Love". Guess a small circle of music nerds found about about Cracks to where it warranted a re-tooled and re-titled (it's now going by More Cracks) set. Plus four new cuts have been added taking the place of some of the weaker material, thus with More Cracks we actually get less 'cracks' and a stronger record. See that's how you do a re-release my fellow Americans.
With the updated set, one of the tracks, "Trouble" (according to Nabiha's site) is getting a US release, so it looks like Nabiha is branching out from her Denmark backyard, and well if you've heard her, you'll know she has a shot. Lots of fun to be heard here. To get you started, here the sultry Imani Coppola-esque, "Midnight Blues" and after the cut get introduced to "Trouble".
With a name that rolls off the tongue and reads like poetry,Lianne La Havas has got to be someone special. Which is why I had to post something about her.
I'd been hearing a few things about this UK import with all the comparisons of Corinne Bailey Rae, to Esperanza Spalding, and newest alt-soul darling, Andreya Triana thrown in for good convincing measure. On the level she is akin to what the soft spoken melancholia 'fro-ed set is doing these days, but like we always say in music blog land: 'she's doing it her own way'.
Well, La Havas is and you can be convinced further of her vocal talents by her live freebie EP of her stop in the City of Angels. La Havas has already released her first EP, Lost & Found, which you can find on iTunes. Usually live material on record isn't really my thing and it was strange for this to be my first introduction to a new artist, but I do make exceptions and La Havas is one I'll gladly make. So I implore you to take and listen and then hop after the cut to see live versions of "Don't Wake Me Up" and "Gone" to experience the woman in action.
My knowledge about the Danish music scene is limited, aside from the likes of Oh Land, Nabiha,and Alphabeat, which have one time or another gotten a spotlight on this blog. Now on my radar is Camille Jones, who is best known for 2004's electronica staple, "The Creeps",with this meaty and beaty single, "The Streets".
Though most of this year's Did I Say I Love You is to the jam-packed to the wall with pulse pounding electronica, "The Streets" takes a elegant deep House approach making it the lone highlight. I'm probably not properly experiencing DISILY--such asI need to be in a club and high out my mind for it---but "The Streets" has crept up on my already drafted Best of '11 list because it's just that excellent. Jones inserts a bit of soul in this with her vocal tone, so all you die-hard soul heads who thought Kelis was delirious for combining club with soul on Flesh Tone (she wasn't), "The Streets" balances things out to where it's not a complete genre state of shock---but still a whole lot of fun.
You may not know Adeline, but you will in due time as this French artiste has been quietly gabbed about on the blog circuit. She will soon be on the tip of everyone's tongue once folks get wind of her bass playing (!!) and her TKO vocal abilities. For my first introduction of her she's taking Betty Bibb's bluesy-gospel number, "Pounds Of Soul" and really ripping through it. We rarely see ladies playing guitars (much less instruments) these days, so this is mighty fine, mighty fine indeed.
Building on the intrigue and quirk that has made her such an acquired taste in music, Kate Bush is back and in fine form with "Wild Man". Sounding rejuvenated, but docile, "Wild Man" takes us into a blustery wilderness of that bizarre flavor fans love, but with a sophisticated edge that is 21st century hipster ready. To my ear, some David Bowie sneaks in (Scary Monsters period) along with the more decadent moments in Bush's 70's period (Lionheart comes instantly to mind), so a bore it is not.
"Wild Man" is another grower. While I was hoping for something a bit more 'wild', with tribal drums a-banging, some screeching and lots of spunk distributed around, I had to remember that Kate has put that 'banshee in the attic' trait behind her and is moving at a glacial pace with her sounds, evident in her last album, 2005's Ariel. She's still the lyrical Mother Goose and will rightfully be so when 50 Words For Snow is released next month, as no one but Kate could formulate compassionate love letter to a Yeti. No one.
Mayer Hawthorne's musicand I have 'strange arrangement' you see. He's doing the music I love, the soul smooth operator, the steamy windows distant lover thing. He's got the whole Robin Thicke-Bobby Caldwell-Daryl Hall thing going on. He's a more than capable artist as his ear is tuned into what makes the soul music market such a homegrown, vibrant and adventurous one, and he loves doing it, which you can tell due to the care he has taken in his creations.
Though he meets the criteria and checks off every box, slight skepticism emerges when it concerns How Do You Do, Mayer's second and first big label release. With all the praise that Hawthorne has received, not to mention the support circle that range from the talents of Kanye West to Mark Ronson and back to Justin Timberlake, Mayer Hawthorne is still a 'strange' case for me.
Rookie British songstress Szjerdene has gotten a couple of rotations from me by way of her 2-track EP which featured the lush, "Lead The Way" and "If 6 Was 8". Borrowing the sound backdrop from Dimlite's "Roo", Szjerdene has crafted a poetic and longing world around, "Lelia's Tale". Much more experimental in tone than than what she accomplished on Lead The Way, but it proves that this dame has a lot of tricks up her sleeve, ones that I'm dying to hear more of. While we sit in the waiting room, "Lelia's Tale" is up for grabs, as well as another great track, "Think It Through". So yay! for free tunes.
Peep after the cut for the quick vid of "Lelia's Tale" and let the atmosphere take you away, Calgon style.
Maybe it's me settling into 'quarter life crisis' with my wallet screaming, and little snow flurries of job ops (does anyone need a writer? I'll work for peanuts n' booze!), but in a funk is what I'm in. To ease it, lots of melancholy material has sort of drifted through my ear drums in the last couple of days (Mavis Staples, Janis Ian, and Nia Simone for starters). Just some real real raw down-in-the-dumps soul. For a more modern take, Lana Del Rey and Jessie Ware, two up-n-comers (don'tcha just love new voices?) are bringing the melancholia for a new set and in a different fashion.
It's sort of bizarre how NYC-London based artist, Lana Del Rey has a real 1950's sound and look with the immediacy to be heard as either a Nancy Sinatra or a Marianne Faithfull, but she's singing about "Video Games" and other 21st century first world problems of love. On first feel it's a quite feminine slant on what The Weeknd is accomplishing as it waltzes in it's sophisticated despair. "Video Games" really purrs. A fistful of Del Ray's other loose tracks have surfaced. I suggest the melodic "Diet Mntn Dew" and the violently cynical, "Kinda Outta Luck" which is a bit feistier, and teeters on the borderline of Adele territory. Del Rey has been an indie mystery (she's one of those You Tube sensations that made good blah dee blah blah) and is now emerging as a darling for. No word on an album at blog post, but she shouldn't have to worry about that as that's no doubt a definite.
Lots of music documentaries have been bubbling up recently that have caught my eye and ear. You've got TVOne's Unsung series and their immaculate attention to the big hits you know, but the people behind them that you know very little about (Post Bourgie has a marvelous write-up about it). Then there was the whole elementary playground spat concerning A Tribe Called Quest' and their doc, Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest. To add to the boil, Fishbone's doc, Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone will be getting a theatrical release after a nice run last year in indie theaters. The doc, which is directed by Chris Metzler and Lev Anderson, and with narration by Laurence Fishburne, details the LA based ska-rock n' funk band's journey in the 80's and the influence they left on today's pop music, as they broke boundaries and expectations, with all the speed bumps in-between (you know, the meat n' potatoes portion, such as band disputes over creativity, egos, arrests, etc.).
From the trailer, this seems like this is going to be a wild yet informative ride as little is ever said about the band, but it's being promised, (and to quote from the trailer): "this [doc] is no lame-ass Behind The Music."
Even though the autumn is knocking on the door with cooler temperatures, dancing leaves, and allergies blowing in my direction, there are a trickle of summer jams that are sitting in my "to-be-played" files that have yet to be heard.Elle Varner's "Only Wanna Give It To You" appeared in August and the rookie singer/songwriter is quickly gaining speed at being one to watch this year. The sugary 90's R&B throwback track plays like an introduction to the new wave of young talent, as hip-hop artist on the rise, J. Cole is assisting her in the flow department and the two make some serious magic.
The 90's has had a surge of a comeback in the last couple of years with some films from Disney's 'Renaissance' period being re-released in theaters and Nickelodeon bringing back even more of their classic block of shows. On the music front, artists have been taking cues from the era, and Varner's track just adds to the pot of singers who are reviving that sound and sort of re-building what R&B is really made of---rhythm and getting to the heart of the matter. As a 90's child myself seeing all these revivals is giving me some serious nostalgia trips, but as long as we don't bring back Furbies, hair mascara, and The Macarena, I'm cooler than cool.
To further go 'back to the future' dig if you will the technicolor dream of the Varner's debut single after the cut. Color fiends will rejoice at the vibrancy and the Fresh Prince neon bright outfits while shoe-a-holics will no doubt find themselves salivating at all the pretty steppers in the vid---I know I sure am. #girlymoment
Varner's debut, Perfectly Imperfect, will be hitting stores later this year, so if you dig what you hear, then keep Varner on your roster as she's got a voice---and knows how to use it.
Can't believe that I'm still plowing away at this blog for the third year now! Somehow I feel that by now I should be doing something else or even outgrowing this space, but it's growing with me and my love for music and writing never wavers, thus I continue on the adventure.
Once again I want to thank those who take the time to read, comment, reach out to me through e-mails, Tumblr, Twitter (which I'm never on now, lol), or who link me back and keep me in mind as an affiliate. You know who you are, and I truly appreciate each and every one of you who do those things---you guys are the ones that make me get off my lazy arse and pound away at the keyboard.
So without further ado, let me blown out the digital candles and savor the imaginary frosting (chocolate, duh), and get back to the adventures in the land of music! :)
Friends ask me why I waste my time with Lady GaGa. She's a this, she's a that, she's this-n-that. Whatever, the irking is there and the judging ensues. Sigh.
She can wear teapots on her head, dress like a dude, and scribble notes from her dog-eared copy of Madonna For Dummies all she wants to, but when you strip all that off, underneath, GaGa does in fact have some singing chops. So seeing her really croon away with Tony Bennett on "The Lady Is A Tramp" is quite a refresher and and an ear opener for those who judge GaGa by her cloven heels. Really, she should consider doing something like this more often, maybe even a full album as she looks like she's having a ball with Mr. Bennett. So don't just consume Bennett's Duets II for Amy Winehouse's final curtain call, check out the other roster of guests, as I've heard some great things about the project.
Back when I was discussingJanet Jackson's classic Control album for my 'Quarter Life Crisis' series (which you shouldcatch up on), I slightly mentioned in response to a comment that I was never that jazzed with the track "He Doesn't Know I'm Alive". Often it seemed out of place among the slicker material to where Janet was reverting back to what she did on her teenager 'bubblegum' earlier records. So of course it's strange that New Look, a Canadian husband and wife team by the names of former model, Sara Ruba producer/multi-instrumentalist and Adam Pavao would rework it in their track titled simply, "Janet". Strange in the good way, mind you. Taking cues from the by-gone 80's Freestyle a la Debbie Deb and melding stark deep House (think Beth Ditto's zesty EP), New Look have converted the song into a minimal soundscape, but still carries the warm pop n' soul touch of the original.
Like what you hear? The duo is on the verge as their debut album is soon to be a reality (like this week soon). They've already wowed a few indie heads and in-the-know-cool-kids with their tune, "The Ballad" which is dream pop that is equally as pleasing as "Janet" and further piques my interest of what other goodies the duo has in store. So whether you're a Janet stan, fan, or just don't give a damn, take a listen to a real song makeover.
Ooohweee! Robin Thicke is telling us to "put down the weapons" and to practice the art of love instead on his new single, "Love After War", and well, I can't be more happier that he's back to being his old self again. Yeah, yeah, Thicke has always been the sultry soul man for the millennials, though for a moment when Sex Therapy dropped back in '09 I was believing we were listening to Thicke's less sexier evil twin, Rubin, instead. Thicke has already dropped a hint of what's to come on the pending Love After War, with "I'm An Animal" back in August, but the title cut has much more appeal.
Channeling good old Mr. Marvin Gaye, the first official single off of Thicke's fifth album, is a sweet samba affair that is very Thicke circa Evolution, and will class the---uhm---pants right off of you. Love After War will be in my precious hands and yours, November 15th, but on this Monday take heed Thicke's message below, and bring on the love.
