Music Is... Cameo - Candy (video)

It's a pretty simple story as to why I chose Cameo, this song in particular. My mom and I were on our way home from running errands, and 'Candy' came on the radio. We were in the car jamming on our way back home. I had known of Cameo for a while. It's funky how things slip your mind for a bit. Besides 'Candy' just about everyone knows 'Word Up' and others. They've been sampled plenty of times. Many of you know of Mariah Carey's 2001 album "Glitter". The track 'Loverboy' was derived from this 1987 original. The band members have changed over the years. Currently Aaron Mills, Charlie Singleton, Tomi Jenkins, Nathan Leftenant, Larry Blackmon and Jonathan Moffett are kicking. The name of one former member is John Kellogg. I just think it's cool that his last name is one of my favorite cereal brands.

So as I mentioned earlier, I'd known of this song for some time but recently saw the video on YouTube. This is definitely something else, an 80's joint to the fullest. From the haircuts to the getup. Whether you've seen it or not, it's worth another look for sure.

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The Best Of Cameo

Music Is... BOX BOX BOX BOX. (BONKsplosion!)

This video is curtisey of Vanawesome. It's a channel on YouTube that I've been watching every since mid 2010. They had the most adorable Scottish Fold kitten that I've ever seen. They'd been posting videos from it's younger stages all the way to a full grown cat. His name was Bonk. I'm not to sure what happened exactly but Bonky passed sometime last year. Broke my heart. Ya know it doesn't take long for some to grow attached to things and I am NO exception to the rule. Since then they've been posting archival recordings of Bonk and this is one among many. He has an incurable fascination with this cardboard box which is featured on other videos as well. It funny that cats trip like this sometimes. Hey enjoy it.

YouTube Links: Vanawesome

                         Bonkx4

Artist: Driftless Pony Club, "American Princes"

Music Is... Jamiroquai - Seven Days In Sunny June (video)

I find this to be a fun video. Anything with bubbles has to be good. Gorilla suit, dolphin suit, motor bikes. Hey, its all good.

Music Is... Calvin Harris: I Created Disco

The core reason I wanted to review this album was because of the commercial for Wii's current release "de Blob 2". The song used as part of the promotion is Calvin Harris's 'Colours' from his 2007 debut album "I Created Disco". Digging into Calvin’s history a bit lets us know that he produces, writes, DJ’s, and sings. That’s a nice combination. He began to engage in techno music in his teens and by 1999 he was making bedroom demos. Down the road 2006 saw his contract signing with EMI and Sony Records. He was born January 17, 1984 in Dumfries, Scotland. I’m not sure what the music scene was like in Scotland during the 80’s but I believe it made for some interesting inspiration.

Let’s just put this out there: “I Created Disco” is a triple solid mesh between that 1980’s techno, synthesized, pounding bass, disco sound and now. His accent makes itself very much at home on each song he sings and that’s especially noted on ‘Colours’ and ‘Neon Rocks’. The verses are not long at all but they’re exceedingly quirky and fun. The pace at witch the lyrics are set alongside the beat give way to a smooth tempo. ‘Love Souvenir’ is an instrumental with a simple structure that’s an easy head nodding, laid back type deal; truly nice.

The album as a whole creates an effortless transition from second to second, song to song. There’s a good balance between up-tempo and slower tracks that lends itself to more than one mask. Various “colours”.

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Music Is...The Times

 

You may be wondering why I have this notorious logo placed above this post. Reason being that just as Time Magazine reflects whatever important or popular topics are being discussed at that point in time in the form of print, so does music address certain subject matter, veiws and whatever issues going on in the life or lives of people in the structure of sound. In this post, I want to address songs from different time periods that reflect the times and always, the sound. I won't get into extreme detail because I feel the music speaks for itself better than I could ever explain. 

I might skip around on my time periods so bare with me a bit.

• 1970 - Edwin Star: 'War' - With the Vietnam War already waged, beginning in the 1940's, this "anthem" in a way, reflected the views of many regarding an event that lasted almost 20 years.

• 1983 - Grandmaster Melle Mel: 'White Lines (Don't Do It)' - The name speaks loud and clear, a song encouraging the strength to step away from its influence. White lines being the usage of cocaine among many during this time. That substance was both a profit and downfall for most individuals. 

• 1960's - Not speaking on a single event, but during this time there was an emergence of music that contained melodies that we'll never forget. The progression of rock music was branching out into many different forms like psychedelic rock and blues rock. Performers like The Jackson 5, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes and countless other greats were really further proving themselves.

• 1971 - In my opinion this year was the rise of one of the most recognizable syndicated music variety shows in history: Soul Train. Primarily suited to a African audience, it became a platform for many other genres and became enjoyed by many ethnicities.

• 1990's - This saw the growth and expansion of many music genres; pop, country, alternative rock, punk, hip hop, electronic music, Rn'B and so on. Examples include Savage Garden, Nirvana, Mariah Carey, Kenny Chesney, Nine Inch Nails, Marylin Manson, Bel  Biv Devoe, Tony! Toni! Toné!, Toni Braxton, Baby Face, Spice Girls, Shakira and so many more. 

• 2000's - Many would consider the early 2000's a somewhat dead period in music. I for one am not one way or the other. I hear what I hear and either it attracts me or it doesn't. On the other hand I think a hoard of talented artists emerged; Adele, Jenniffer Hudson, Estele, Trey Songz etc.

As the times continue to change so will our opinions, outlook, and of course the music. You never know what the next day holds, so keep on jammin. 

TIME Magazine

Music Is... Plan B - Love Goes Down (Live Jo Whiley, Live Lounge)

As I usually do, I was looking around YouTube for a live version (any to be honest) of Plan B's 'Love Goes Down'. I found this right here and I really like it. Those ladies in the background have their harmonies on point. Ben Drew, his name, has a fantastic voice something I stressed when I reviewed "The Defamation Of Strickland Banks". From observing the video he appears to be singing at a BBC radio station.

Nice sound. Again this was a random find, I hope you enjoy it though.

YouTubers channel: FagundesMolko

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Samples

*prices may vary*

Music Is... Dawen - Jamie Foxx - Fall For Your Type ft. Drake (cover)

Once again, Dawen has created another solid cover of a good hit. Every instrument is played by him; acoustic guitar, keyboard. It's  solely him singing. I gotta say that I love the harmony. He is very in tune, timing is on point and he sounds very comfortable with the set up he has. Nothing feels strained or forced, just very smooth and fluid.

Job well done

His official site: http://www.dawen.us/, check him out.

Music Is... Emma Gillespie - Emma's Imagination: Stand Still

Born in 1983, a 27 year old native of Edinburgh, Scotland, Emma Gillespie has her head on straight for herself, in regards to her career and what she wants to project to others. Although she's been accustomed to the guitar and singing for a while, performing in front of a crowd of thousands can still feel like a daunting task as I'm sure it did as she recently performed live at Wembley Stadium located in London, England. She seemed to come out of the middle of nowhere as she is new to me. Not too long ago she was making her way by busking in Glasgow, Scotland. Not knowing what would come out of it, curiosity took over as she made her way into a local audition spot held by Sky One talent show 'Must Be The Music' and from then on her popularity soared.

From what I've learned, she is no stranger to working an array of jobs. Once teaching circus skills, plastering for a friend, labored on a pearl fishing boat and herded cattle with a motorbike to name a few. During this time she always kept her guitar with her as a means of relaxation and to remind her that music was always apart of her. She first picked up the guitar in her teen years, writing poetry and putting it to music. Backing up a bit when her dad was in the army, her family was always on the move, relocating all over Europe and the UK. Her parents weren't all into music a great deal but she was much to the contrary. As a child she picked up a ragedy keyboard and began playing tunes she heard on the radio. Continuing forward, throughout her various occupations and moving, she continued to write,sing and perform.

“I’m very much self-taught, and there wasn’t much outside influence on what I was writing and playing. It was always just me, on my own, playing what sounded good to me.”

I'm not sure if this is a random performance, a gig or at Wembley

At one point at the end of 04' she was in Adaman's, a barely known set of islands were once in the Indian Ocean. During Boxing Day ( known mainly as a shopping day in most Commonwealth Nations), the major tsunami hit the Neil Islands where she was staying just a little while after she left. Needless to say what may have happened had she stayed. For her, that was a wakeup call, letting her know that music was at the forefront and she did something about it. With the help of a friend, Lachlan, living in Brooklyn, NY, she began performing at underground jam sessions. Later returning to the UK, she  focused more intently on her music, playing gigs, still busking and built up a larger fan base. While going over names with her producers, one asked her where her inspiration comes from. She replied her imagination and from there gave birth to her performance name: Emma's Imagination.

Her debut album "Stand Still" consists of songs she'd been writing for the past 10 years of her life. At 10 songs, I'd say that's a solid start. In listening to the samples, its more than obvious that the guitar is her main thing; she plays it on just about all the tracks. None of the songs are overdone whatsoever, they're clean and crisp. I think they are simplified but maintain something to hold onto. If I'm right, all the songs are live recordings, not much artificial stuff clouding it up. Making a comparison I would say she reminds me of singer Jewel. Emma has a folk/pop sound to her music, but really that's up to your interpretation. Songs I've already gravitated towards are 'This Day', 'Focus' and 'Falling Slowly', not to say I dislike the others, just that these catch my attention more so.

Yup, yet another UK artists reviewed. I enjoy it. It's cool hearing new things and I hope you like this one.

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Music Is... Elbow: Build A Rocket Boys! - Neat Little Rows (single)

Ahh, yet another new band and sound to listen to. Elbow, consisting of band members Guy Garvey, Mark Potter, Cragi Potter, Pete Turner and Richard Jupp are a Brittish based alternative rock band. Interesting, from what I could find the band derived their name from a BBC drama titled The Singing Detective. A character in the seies (Phillip Marlowe) says the word "elbow" is the most sensuous word in the English language. Not for its definition, but how it feels to say it. Hmm, I don't know about you but I've never thought about that. Their history also includes four studio albums: "Asleep In The Back"(2001), "Cast Of Thousands"(2003), "Leaders Of The Free World"(2005), and "The Seldom Seen Kid"(2008), all charting within the top 20 UK charts for their year. Forming in England they initially called themselves "Mr. Soft", changing it later to "Soft" and by 1997 they changed the name to its current title. Elbow have been associated with various labels over years, from independent label Ugly Man, to highly documented labels such as V2, and Fiction Records all of which are based or were created in the United Kingdom. I'm not sure if their were anymore labels but these days they continue on with V2 and Fiction Records. Quite a bit of awards have been bestowed upon them throughout their continuous span, among them the Brit Award and the Ivo Novello award. The later of the awards is named after Cardiff, Wales born entertainer Ivo Novello, presented yearly in London by BASCA (British Academy of Songwriters Composers and Authors).

This group has opened up for various acts and covered a good bit of songs. Regarding this album, I haven't seen but one video and heard the same song 'Neat Little Rows'. What attracts me towards this song primarily is the offset feel of the beat. The drums and guitar don't sound in sync initially but you quickly realize they are. It's a nice pattern and in a way reminds me of Cold Play's 'Viva La Vida', as far as drum pattern. Another nice ingredient to this track is the spacey, far-out effect the keyboard gives to the background. Makes the song feel as though it has literal depth and mass. I like tracks like that. Gives you the feeling that they're playing right in your face, much appreciated. I haven't grasped the meaning of this one yet. I'm sure it's something pretty symbolic, if not to others, at least to them, but I'd still like to figure it out. I haven't found a lyrics sheet either so I'll have to listen closely.

Congrats on a new find if this is the first time you've heard of these guys like it is for me. Check their single out, you're sure to dig it.

    "Asleep In The Back"

"Cast Of Thousands"

"Leaders Of The Free World"

"The Seldom Seen Kid"

Music Is... Instrumentals

It's my opinion that instrumentals play just as much a key role in the music world as the the song as a whole. It's pretty much a fact that the lyrics and the tune go hand in hand. But, when you can strip down the track to the beat alone, it leads to a whole other venture for me. Personally on any given day I can come up with tons of different beats, in my head at least. I have the software to put it down, but that's pretty hard to do when you're listening to music at the same time. I guess my problem has an easy solution: don't listen to other things. I can't help it though. As soon as I get a tune in my head, I try and get it down, but then the silence bugs me a bit and I have to play some music to get the vibe right. I suppose I try to have my cake and eat it too, I don't know. I just love a nice instrumental to help me mellow out to, get some house work done, or freestyle to (I'm not all that good, but it's a good laugh). Getting back to the subject, I think that instrumentals give the listener a chance to interpret the tone the way they want to. The lyrics already solidified by the artists give the beat a singular definition. However like I mentioned earlier, when you can create your own vision, it automatically creates a personal portrayal.

These are some of my favorite beats:

Average White Band - "Overture"

Jay Z - "Allure"

Ice Cube - "It Was A Good Day"

Letoya Luckett - "She Don't"

Mc Lyte "10% Dis"

Superstar - "Lupe Fiasco"

OK Go - "Get Over It"

New Birth - "Been Such A Long Time"

Aaliyah - "4 Page Letter"

En Vogue - "Free Your Mind"

Queen Latifah - "U.N.I.T.Y"

Seals and Crofts - "Summer Breeze"

One for the choosing

Music Is... James Blake - Limit To Your Love

 

There isn't much I know about this 22 year old guy except I like what I've heard thus far. His self titled album is due to drop February 7th if I'm correct, and I haven't been able to find any samples from his track listing. That lists includes:

Unluck

The Wilhelm Scream

I Never Learnt To Share  

Lindisfarne I
Lindisfarne II
Limit To Your Love
Give Me My Month
To Care (Like You)
Why Don't You Call Me?
I Mind
Measurements

However, the single 'Limit To Your Love' gives me a strong outlook towards his career. He is taking a huge step in the British based musical movement of dubstep, which consists of staggering bass and opaque vocals. This track starts off with a soulful piano intro. Then at roughly 1 minute, it dives into a vibrating bass you can feel in your feet, back to piano momentarily then back to that super low, pulsating pitch. What I believe to be a key contributor to this rich sound is the lack of "colorful" instrumentation or sounds. The contrast between his voice and the depth of the beat creates for me a unique asymmetric sound that truly works. Not only that, but the man can sing and that's probably what I'm pulled toward more than anything. "Here's looking at you, kid"

James Blake

Music Is... Dreamgirls Soundtrack

In speaking about this soundtrack its inevitable that I'll venture into describing the film itself, I can't help it. It's just who I is. Anytime a musical comes along I can't help but in the back of my mind compare it to the Roger and Hammerstein classic: The Sound Of Music. I compare them in terms of quality, production, sound and other elements as well. Though I've never seen the original stage-play, I have to say that if this is any indication of what was, it must have been excellent. 

The movie centers around an up and coming female group based in Detroit during the 1960's. When car salesman Curtis Jr. breaks into the music business, he gets them the job of backing singer James Early. Soon after, he has Deena Jones replace Effie as lead singer and renames the group from the Dreamettes to the Dreams. He then fires Effie, forcing her into hardship, taking the Dreams higher. Curtis soon gets whats coming to him in the end however. I know that by now I've seen this movie at least 5 times, and each time it grows on me more and more. I'll admit that when I initially heard about it, I wasn't too interested. I got wind of some of the cast members (Jamie Foxx, Beyonce, Jennifer Hudson, Anika Noni Rose) which I thought was a good group, it's just that the plot didn't grab me. It turned out to be contrary to what I thought yet what I expected at the same time. What I'm saying is, I expect there to singing throughout most of the dialog, but I thought it would sound kind of cheesy ya know. Nothing like that. In my opinion the singing weaved its way in at the right times. One particular song that I like is 'When I First Saw You' performed by Jamie Foxx. This track is derived from the scene where he takes Deena aside and tells her that she was his "dream" so to speak. One aspect I feel kept the movie in line was that the singing didn't detract anything. Every song was parallel to the plot and allowed each charter to display their emotions instead of just speaking to one another. Another thing I have to mention is Ms. Hudson. That woman can blow. If you didn't know it way back on American Idol, you surely had to know then. She pummeled every track she sang. Seriously. She didn't sound as though she was screaming either, I'm talking real singing. My favorite piece is probably her version of 'One Night Only'. It's a slower track but very sultry.

Their appeared to be no animosity on the set. The cast seemed to have a genuine respect for one another and I didn't see any harsh competition going on. The entire soundtrack to the film is definantly worth it from start to finish. Go on, give it a 'Listen'. 

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Cast:

Jamie Foxx - Curtis Taylor, Jr.

Beyonce Knowles - Deena Jones

Eddie Murphy - James "Thunder" Early (Jimmy)

Jennifer Hudson - Effie White

Anika Noni Rose - Lorrell Robinson

Danny Glover - Marty Madison

Kieth Robinson - C.C. White

Sharon Leal - Michelle Morris

Hinton Battle - Wayne

Mariah I. Wilson - Magic (Effie's daughter)

Yvette Cason - May Jones (Deena's mother)

Ken Page - Max Washington

Alexander Folk - Ronald White

Cameos

John Lithgow, John Krasinski - film producer and writer/director

Jaleel White - talent booker at Detroit Theater

Dawn Lewis - Melba Early (Jimmy's wife)

Loretta Devine - Jazz singer

Laura Bell Bundy - sweetheart in Cadillac Car reprise

Music Is...Toni Braxton - Self titled

 

If memory serves me correctly, "Toni Braxton" is her first release back in 1993. Fast-forward 7 or 8 years, and my ears are very pleased. I didn't know who she was (at first), what she looked like, I didn't even know her name. What I did know, is that I loved what I heard and I didn't mind listening to it another 100 times.  Fast-forward and play at 20 years old and I fully understand to a greater degree why I gravitated towards this album in the first place. Toni Braxton has a beautiful, vibrant, full tone to her voice that I rarely hear nowadays. She can get deep without sounding out of tune. I mean she has a very nice range that can't be duplicated. I don't know what particular order to go in here so I'll start with the first song just to kick this off.  

Yes, track 1, 'Another Sad Love Song'. FYI, the first time I heard this song that first kick wasn't something I expected right off the bat. My shoulders are the first thing to start bouncing, then I'm bobbing my head from side to side like I have no sense. I can't help it. The song talks about that one love song that comes on the radio that gets you thinking about the one you had and how it stirs those feelings up again, yet here I am dancing to it. Go figure. The second track 'Breath Again' also speaks on the subject of love in a similar perspective. The tempo is slowed a bit so the vibe isn't offset too much. 'Breath' discusses feelings so intense, passion and the way things used to be, that if the two should somehow part from each other she'll cease to exist. Like the lyrics say, "...Please understand if love ends Then I promise you, I promise you That, that I shall never breathe again". A very self explanatory song. Skipping to number 4 on the track list, we have the song 'Love Affair'. This one has a fairly heavier bass than the rest but I feel it complements her voice as opposed to taking over. Again, it continues to talk about relationships, however expressing the need to remain loyal to a man she's already with instead of taking part in a 'Love Affair' with what seems to be a good looking guy as you can gather from the song. Sends a good message, she "...aint down with O.P.P". Continuing the theme of love and connection, I had to save my favorite for last: 'Seven Whole Days'. Although the entire album showcases that natural bass in her singing voice, I feel this to be a prime example of that facet. Considering the subject matter she's singing about, I think that allows her to dig deeper into various ranges. Out of the entire song, one word repeated once drives me crazy: baby (in the second verse). I have no idea  why. I suppose its because of the way it seems to bounce and echo. 


Something I've come to notice about Toni B, is that she has this signature style of putting a "whooo" somewhere in the song. Hope she doesn't change that. I know I stared and flipped through the booklet for almost 20 minutes one day, just sitting there looking through it. Wondering what I would look like if  my hair was that cut, if I had a black leather jacket, a white tank-top, tight light blue denim jeans and a chain belt. Boy, you couldn't tell me nothin'. Seriously, I do like the cover just the same. The cover is one aspect I've always favored and look forward to. To me, it can say a lot without being to busy. Then again it depends on what you want to say. It's all like a domino effect in a way. In this case, all the dominoes fell in the right place pushing one after the other at just the right pace.

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Music Is...Bruno Mars: Doo - Wops & Hooligans

For starters, I can't quite make out what the shadow is because it looks nothing like him. Secondly, I like the album cover. I'm an artsy type of person and very prone to interpret anything. It looks like he's strolling on the rockets trail of smoke, a trail to outer-space or "Mars", where he's hopefully headed.

My first glimpse of his talent was at my cousins house roughly two years ago. He found the song 'Nothin On You' somewhere on the internet and wouldn't settle down until I heard it. Well I did and I liked it very much. I don't like to compare artists very often but his vocal style reminds me of Jason Mraz, laid back in a way. Hey, that's just me. Onto the record. I listened to all the samples and essentially, I like them all. I'm the type that doesn't necessarily dislike a song, it just may not suit me. I like this however. One thing I appreciate is that it doesn't sound like a stock studio recording. You know what I mean. Everything, all the sound being generated solely from computer, something I don't like depending on how it's done. On the contrary, Mr. Mars plays the majority of the instruments himself. In relation to that, I was watching MTV one day and they featured a short background on him. His whole family from what I recall is into music full on, I like that. Back to the beats, most of them are live instrumentation something I've doted on before. The content is nothing I haven't heard before although I like his approach. A particular track that's already become my favorite is 'Talking To The Moon', mainly a piano number. Another I've taken a liking to is 'Liquor Store Blues', a reggae sound featuring Damian Marley.  

I decided to stray from mentioning the singles because I try not to base my opinion of someones work on the few things that I've heard, though I may like those snippets. All in all, the I can't place the genre of the album into a particular bracket. I can mention that Bruno Mars is a talented man, a statement I have no hesitance in making. 

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Music Is...Nat King Cole

He's got to be one of the best jazz crooners ever. This man had a voice smooth as butta. Not buttER, buttA. But seriously, all jokes aside, he was a phenomenal singer in his own right, has been and is an influence for musicians/singers in general. Regardless if he was performing solo or not, what you hear and see is the talent. He is an artists with a musical resume that makes it difficult for anyone to describe his career justly and completely. We'll have to see where this one goes.

To say the least, when you speak about a musician such as himself, you begin to venture into an era before the internet, before cell phones. An era with artists such as Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and so many other singers. When music was stripped down to its purist form. A time before networks like MTV, BET, VH1, FUSE, CENTRIC, TV ONE and others  became apart of mainstream television the way they are. Unlike the major sponsorship that nearly all television programs receive nowadays, "The Nat King Cole Show", created in 1956, aired on NBC-TV in New York and all national sponsorship was dismissed completely, although the local company Regional Beer sponsored the show. Though it lasted only a year, Cole became the first African American to host a musical variety show. An interesting statement he maid regarding that situation shortly after, "Madison Avenue is afraid of the dark." Going further back in time, "King" was born Nathaniel Adams Coles to three brothers Eddie, Ike and Freddie, also a half sister Joyce Cole in Montgomery, Alabama in 1919. His performance career began in his teens, his brother Eddie joining soon thereafter giving rise to their first recording. As a pianist in the national tour of Eubie Blake's revue "Shuffle Along", the show unexpectedly failed in Long Beach California. He stayed and later formed a trio called the King Cole Swingers, or I've also read it as The King Cole Trio. In the 1950's double bass player Wesley Prince left the group and was ultimately replaced by Charlie Harris, also a talented double bassist. The group signed to the fresh Capitol Records in the early 1940's and the record sales are said to have been a major source of revenue for the company. 

 

When I think about it, I've heard "King" so much to the extent that I just put two and two together, and figured that it was truly his middle name. I'm not sure how many people out there knew, but "King" was a nickname given to him while performing at one of the clubs he was known to attend. Nat King Cole, alone and with the Trio, recorded numerous songs, many of which I am very unfamiliar with. I can gladly say I know a few however:

I'm In The Mood For Love (cover)

(Get Your Kicks On) Rout 66

Mona Lisa

When I Fall In Love

Unforgettable

Nature Boy

Dear Lonely Hearts

Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer

A Woman Understands (just heard that one today, but I liked it)

I know this is a very short post as oppose to all that can be said for this talented individual. As I mentioned earlier, "King" was within an unrivaled era of great music, big band, swing, all that good stuff. Knowing the times in which he arose, there is no doubt of the many racial challenges he encountered. One instance in Los Angeles, after purchasing a home in the Hancock Park neighborhood where segregation was still very strong, a burning cross was placed on his front lawn. Property-owners association members told him they didn't want any undesirables moving in that area. He then replied, "Neither do I. And if I see anybody undesirable coming in here, I'll be the first to complain." Despite the opposition, Nat continued to do what he did, seemingly with ease. I tell you, it makes no sense for anyone to sound as good as he did. He had such a smooth baritone layer to his voice that he could have sang the phone-book and made a hit.

He is truly Unforgettable.

The Very Best Of Nat King Cole

Unforgettable as a solo digital remaster

The World Of Nat King Cole  

Unforgettable as a duet digital remaster w/ Natalie Cole

 

The Complete Capital Recordings of The Nat King Cole Trio

For the road...

Music Is... Aaliyah - One In A Million

"One In A Million" is a 1996 release by Aaliyah, a young lady who truly had style and a beautiful voice. This is a very memorable album for me because I can distinctly remember hearing  the track 'One I Gave My Heart To' numerous times on the radio and trying my best to remember the lyrics. This CD, though produced in the 90's, symbolizes for me what musical excellence can happen when hip hop and RnB mesh properly, or better yet when you have all the right elements on the same page. It's hard for me to specifically pinpoint a favorite single or song of mine, considering I love them all, so I'll kind of just go with the flow here.

For starters all 17 songs, one after the next, proceed smoothly and don't overshadow each other. Take for example the intro 'Beats 4 Da Streets'. At the very beginning a bell is tolling, Missy Elliot is calling her to wake up, along with a sound that gives the effect of her time warping into a whole other dimension. I love that. It creates a perfect transition into the second track 'Hot Like Fire', a very bass filled number that causes an instant head nod. Furthermore it alludes to Timberland's production style and Missy's unique approach. Onto 'One In A Million'. I love the way the beat drops on this one. The bass stretches for a second or so on each bar then the snare slaps down creating a nice contrast. All in all there is a similarity between every track that I've come to notice more and more every time I listen to this CD. Each song is allowed to come to a low just as she starts the first verse, which then causes the song to rebuild itself. I think '4 Page Letter' is probably the best use of that rise and fall. She says, "Yo, Turn my music up. Up some more, up some more. Up a little bit more..." and proceeds to KILL IT. 

There are few albums of the 90's and 2000's that fall in line for me the way this one dose. It seems that as time has progressed, less and less effort has been placed on real thought and production on some albums. Just about every beat sounds the same for the most part. It's as though nowadays, one could just slap together a random, common beat and it become a major hit. That irks me, but I still hold onto the possibility of someone accomplishing well done work. That's not to say there's no consummate talent out there, just appears to be a lot of digging left to do.

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TRACK LISTING 

Beat 4 Da' Streets (Intro)

Hot Like Fire

One In A Million

Girl Like You

If Your Girl Only Knew 

Choosey Lover (Old School/New School)

Got To Give It Up

4 Page Letter

Everything's Gonna Be Alright

Giving You More

 I Gotcha' Back

Never Givin' Up

Heartbroken
Never Comin' Back
Lady's In Da House
One I Gave My Heart To
Came To Give Love (Outro)

  

Guess I do have a favorite.

Music Is...RJD2 - The Colossus

January 19, 201

It's pretty funky how I came across this album. Back in early or mid 2010 In a pack of Bic razors I purchased was a code to download a free song. Of course I forgot what that site was but that's beside the point anyway. The song I decided to download was "Games You Can Win ft. Keena" from the album "The Colossus". At the time I was simply interested in hearing something new. Something I hadn't heard before because musically things started to feel a little mundane. Anyway, I downloaded the song and I immediately jived to it. Throughout the intro and the body of the song is this (I guess) xylophone, music box, lullaby/space melody going on. But it adds to the tone so I like it very much.

RJD2 (Ramble John Krohn) has been doing his thing since 1993. Born in Eugene, Oregon, he got his start DJing in Columbus for the rap group MHz.Switching between many labels based in Oregon if I'm right, he released the mix CD "Your Face Or Your Kneecaps" and other various albums such as his solo debut "Deadringer" and "Things Go Better With Rj An Al" under his then alias Soul Position. In 2006 he also covered the Radiohead track "Airbag" for his album "Exit Music". His 2007 solo album "The Third Hand"on XL Recordings rendered him an extensive tour lasting from 07' to 08'. Very notable in skateboarding, the skate film subculture and often used in montages. 2009 was the year he established his own label RJ’s Electrical Connections and reissued The Horror, Your Face Or Your Kneecaps, and "Since We Last Spoke" as well as a box set entitled “2002-2010”, something I definitely need to check out. Which brings us to the release of The Colossus January of last year on his new label RJ's Electrical Connections distributed by The Orchard.

Colossus has what is to me a jazzy, somewhat electrical, hip-hop vibe going on within it. The Title of each track grabs my attention as well. For example the song "A Spaceship For Now", cause there won't be on later, "Crumbs Off The Table", and "Giant Squid" just to name a few. Now I've heard a few underground things before, and just like the others I appreciate the individualism happening with this record. Take the track "The Stranger". It gets kinda drastic, up and down in areas, and then mellows out. All the tracks are mellow but not so much in a way that they become lazy, they're still upbeat. I like this one, its worth listening to.

Music Is...Cab Calloway, Nicholas Brothers and Big Band

I'm positive that nearly the whole world is familiar with the Nicholas Brothers and Cab Calloway.

I remember seeing clips of these men when I was little. I'm sure I saw them on some infomercial from TIME or some other company that dug them up from their archives, advertising them as part of some special musical videotape package or something of that nature. Looking at that footage then, I didn't even believe it was real. I thought surely this is some very realistic cartoon because human beings can't do this. Nope, it's all real. The sheer acrobatic skill and physical ability these brothers imparted to their craft is absolutely unbeleivable. Who in the world, leapfrogs and lands in a split over one another, down a big curved set of stairs at that? The Nicholas Brothers. Incredible. What they accomplished then, in the 30's-40's is highly regarded among some including me as some of the most raw finesse there is. Doing a bit of searching, I read that these guys didn't even have any kind of formal training, they just learned from watching African American Vaudeville acts.  Then you've got Calloway, with that full robust voice setting things off. He was a very accomplished scat/jazz style singer."Minnie The Moocher" for the Betty Boop animated shorts, is among his most popular recordings and became one reason he was dubbed "The Hi De Ho Man". Just for kicks, in a 1944 Warner Brothers cartoon with Porky Pig titled Swooner Crooner, Porky's hens are on hiatus laying their eggs because of a crooner rooster who is a caricature of Frank Sinatra. In order to perk things up Porky auditions many roosters, a caricature of Calloway being one of them.

Cab Calloway, short bio.
Nicholas Brothers, short bio.

Music Is...Skateboarding

I couldn't wait to get around to this one. While I cannot skate a lick, well I can't do any tricks, (ya know ollie, no flip tricks, I can ride though, switch my stance, go down hills long as they're not too steep), I have personally loved skateboarding for as long as I could comprehend what it was.
 

Let me put this is perspective. When I was about 8 or so my mom subscribed me to PlayStation Magazine. I know I played it on demo initially, and so Tony Hawk's Pro Skater became among one of the very first full version games my mom purchased for me. It only took me a matter of around a week and some change to get the controls down. I do believe my favorite skaters on the game were Chad Muska and Bob Burnquist, I guess something gelled right when I used those two guys, but essentially I wound up using all the skaters. Probably one of my favorite features was the extra videos you could unlock when you fully completed each challenge on each level. They were tapes. My favorite skate spot was the Skate Park in Chicago that was half street and half mainly vert. What drew me the most was this huge screen it had on a far wall, and on it was some skate clips, BLEW MY MIND. I know that seems kind of insignificant, but at the time I was stunned. What made this game increasingly special is that it showcased both a pro African American skater(Kareem Campbell), and a pro female skater(Elissa Steamer). I can't speak for everyone but I was generally exposed to only male, Caucasian skaters prior to this game, so it really changed my outlook towards skateboarding as a whole.

Then there was Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2, which pushed me closer to the edge. The game was mine on N64. My granddad mailed it to me, man o' man. Aside from some different locations, the surroundings where pretty much the same. The game-play changed in some aspects though, as you can manual, really link tricks and there's a few more modes of play. For me it all centered around the music. When I played the demo, the only area you could skate was Marseille, France. It was a competition location featuring mini-bowls, ramps,a quarter-pipe, some rails, and other small features depending on how you look at them. When this second installment was released is when I really began paying attention to the soundtrack provided. It had and additional 3 songs from the previous. If I'm right, there were two songs played on the demo level, Dub Pistols-"Cyclone" and I want to say Alley Life ft. Black Planet - "Out With the Old", I could be wrong. I found myself repeating that level just so I could listen to the music and get better at the controls.

While I went on to play Tony Hawk's Project 8 for a very short while on XBOX, the last inductee I really dove into was Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 on Game Cube. Regarding the game-play, the first thing that comes to mind is the much extended freedom and tricks given to you as a skater. Linking tricks became much more accessible and incorporated, tricks were increased, creating a skater was more detailed, more extras, just overall much better. I spent probably 45% of my time just watching the videos. Rodney Mullen's was my absolute favorite. Upon the first time watching it, I had to give him much respect. His technical prowess on a skateboard is unbelievable and what amped up the footage was RUN DMC's "My Adidas" playing. If I'm right, the soundtrack was the longest of them all at 34 songs, I haven't played any others yet so I'm not 100% on that.

Now, from Pro Skater 1 forward, there were other skate games I played along the way, such as Thrasher: Skate and Destroy. The graphics were sort of cube-ish, and the characters were a little bulky but the tricks were on point and ranged. I don't know if it was Dave Mira's BMX that introduced the rag-doll effect but Thrasher incorporated it as well which I felt aided in setting it apart from other games of the genre. The way the skater landed after performing a trick was much more realistic. There was no immediate time constraint. As Lupe said you really had to "Kick Push" in order to gain speed. I just think certain aspects were nailed with Thrasher that other skate games missed a bit. This was the very first game I can remember that really showcased the rustic street environment and what street skaters go through just trying to do there thing. The soundtrack to this one was memorable as well. It had Grandmaster Flash - "White Lines (Don't Do it)", The Sugarhill Gang - "Rapper's Delight", Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force - "Planet Rock [Elektric Mix]" and more hip-hop artists. Thrasher was for me the introductory statement to EA SKATE series.

...Then it came. EA SKATE to this very point in time is the epitome of what I look for in a skateboarding game. The developers at EA took every positive, crucial, dynamic, realistic element and made a game that I couldn't get bored with. What I love is that everything is true to size. You nor the objects are multiple times smaller or larger than they should be. Just about everything can be used to your advantage. Because the graphics were so clear and nothing was too choppy, the parallel between gamer and skater was clearly set. The controls took after "Fight Night", were you had to "flick" the analog stick in order to perform the wide variety of tricks. As usual, there were tasks to be completed but they didn't make you feel constrained or limited as far as how you could complete them. The create a character wasn't too detailed but there were far more clothing choices as far as design and sponsors. Your skater felt like your own. When I played SKATE at my cousins house, not only was he playing music, but there was music in the game, so I had a double dose which made my gaming experience even better. 

Though I could go into further detail with each of the games I have here, the main idea I'm getting at is the relationship between the game and the music. For the longest time I've always felt there to be a direct correlation between skateboarding and music. I can remember watching whatever skate program I could find. When I was younger I had no recollection of sponsors, different organizations or events. All I saw was the skating and all I heard was the music. So many tricks going across the screen and the sound seemed to mesh perfectly. I didn't recognize the names of these guys though I could always remember a face. I simply saw the tricks and I still do, I just have more understanding of the industry. One is constantly fueling the other. It's like a never ending cycle.

I realize I skipped THPS3, I wanted to cover specific ones

THE SOUNDTRACKS 

THPS

The Ernies - Here and Now
Dead Kennedys - Police Truck
Goldfinger - Superman
Primus - Jerry Was a Race Car Driver
The Suicide Machines - New Girl
Unsane - Committed
The Vandals - Euro-Barge
Even Rude - Villified
Speedealer - Screamer/Nothing to Me
Suicidal Tendencies - Cyco Vision
Untitled

THPS2

Dub Pistols - Cyclone
Alley Life ft. Black Planet - Out With the Old
Bad Religion - You
Papa Roach - Blood Brothers
Anthrax Ft. Chuck D.of Public Enemy - Bring The Noise
Rage Against the Machine - Guerrilla Radio
Naughty by Nature - Pin the Tail on the Donkey
Powerman 5000 - When Worlds Collide
Millencolin - No Cigar
The High and Mighty feat. Mos Def & Mad Skillz - B-Boy Document 99
Lagwagon - May 16
Styles of Beyond - Subculture
Consumed - Heavy Metal Winner
Swingin' Utters - Five Lessons Learned
Fu Manchu - Evil Eye

THPS4

System of a Down - Shimmy
The Offspring - Blackball
AC/DC - TNT
Sex Pistols - Anarchy in the UK      
Run-DMC - My Adidas
The Cult - Bad Fun
N.W.A. - Express Yourself
De La Soul - Oodles of O's
Public Enemy - By the Time I Get to Arizona
Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast
The Distillers - Seneca Falls
Gangstarr - Mass Appeal
Goldfinger - Spokesman
Agent Orange - Bloodstains  
Less Than Jake - All My Best Friends Are Metalhead
Flogging Molly - Drunken Lullabies
Rocket from the Crypt - Savoir Faire    
Aesop Rock - Labor
Avail - Simple Song
Bouncing Souls - Manthem
Delinquent Habits - House of the Rising Drum
Eyedea & Abilities - Big Shots
The Faction - Skate and Destroy
Haiku D'Etat - Non Compos Mentis  
Hot Water Music - Freightliner
JFA - Beach Blanket Bongout
Lootpack - Whenimondamic
Nebula - Giant
Toy Dolls - Dig That Groove Baby
US Bombs - Yer Country
Zeke - Death Alley
Muskabeatz - I'm a Star (featuring Grandmaster Melle Mel)
Muskabeatz - Bodyrock (featuring Biz Markie)
Jai Plus - Bad Dreams

Thrasher: Skate And Destroy

     A Tribe Called Quest - Award Tour
    Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force - Planet Rock [Elektric Mix]
    Deejay Punk-Roc - My Beatbox
    EPMD - I'm Housin'
    Eric B & Rakim - I Know You Got Soul
    Gang Starr - Just to Get a Rep
    Grandmaster Flash - White Lines (Don't Do it)
    Public Enemy - Rebel Without a Pause
    Run DMC - King of Rock
    Sniper - Crossfader Dominator
    Stetsasonic - Talkin' All That Jazz
    The Freestylers - Freestyle Noize
    The Sugarhill Gang - Rapper's Delight
    Ultramagnetic MCs - Kool Keith Housing Things

EA SKATE

(I couldn't specific names of the songs

but here are some of the exclusive artists for the game) 

The Falcon
XXXChange
Z-Trip
Tommy Guerrero

Music Is... Robin Thicke: Something Else

Yes, music is truly that indeed. "Something Else" is the third studio album from Robin Thicke. Now, just for background purposes, and for anyone who's not up to speed, Mr.Thicke has produced for some big names in the music biz such as Jennifer Hudson, Usher, and Whitney Houston, putting his footprint on some nice hits. Robin also has two prior releases, "A Beautiful World"(2003, originally titled Cherry Blue Skies) and "The Evolution of Robin Thicke"(2006). I've mentioned before that I don't care too much for chart positions, or album sales. Not that those aren't notable accomplishments, it's just that I feel a number can't fully detail the feel and impact of an album. I have also made mention that it's a rarity when I come across material that I like in it's entirety. I love every song on this CD. Some of the tracks are more uptempo, then others are very melodic and dialed down, just something to help you relax, alter your mood. Often I've wondered if the track-listing was placed in a specific order or if it was a random pick but regardless of the order, every one of these songs has something to offer to the musical pallet. Since I could harp on this forever I'll only choose a few to speak on. 

"Cry No More", a gorgeous song. Lately I've been trying not to look at the lyrics of songs and putting more effort into listening and figuring out things for myself. As with any song, this one can be interpreted a few different ways. However, listening numerous times I've come to my own conclusion. I feel it's about a man who has seen and been through many highs and lows in his life. Probably my favorite part of the lyrics are:

"And I am a hero, but I'm not made of steel And I'm not the smartest man, but I know the deal And I'll bleed for your lips, if you bleed for mine And I can't escape it, cause I do love you"

 So nonetheless, he realizes that despite his faults, his imperfections and his being made a fool of, he loves her and he'll no longer cry over the past because she accepts him and wants all of him. To me, the mesh between what is being said and the melody pair really well. The sound doesn't overshadow his voice nor is he too subtle in his delivery. Overall, this is definitely one to listen to.

Next I pick "Dreamworld". I chose this because it just sounds good and it projects a message that hopefully anyone would accept and respect. It reminds me of Aretha Franklin's "Ain't No Way" not so much regarding subject matter, but in terms of the "color" and instrumentation. The sound of this track really gives the impression that he was inspired by some old-school, the sound of the 60's to be more exact. What the songs speaks on is not necessarily a "perfect" world, but just being able to do certain things and live his life without racial criticism or being looked down upon. I say racial criticism because if you didn't know his wife is known actress Paula Patton and as the words go:  

"...There would be no black or white the world would jut treat my wife rightWe could walk down Mississippi no one would look at us twice..."

I think anyone would want to live and go about day to day without being talked down to or messed with. It only makes since to me.

Something Else doesn't offer new subject matter, which I don't mind because those sort of things go in rotation, I mean eventually they will repeat in some form or another. The album as a whole relinquished itself from what I feel was an ongoing monotony and uniformity of sound in 08'. Don't take that literally, not everything sounded the same. There were a few highlights, but the majority of other mainstream music coincided with each other. However this one continues to offer a sound and vibe past 2008 that I hadn't heard too often prior to its release and that's what gravitated me and still does. Typically so many songs are synthesized and computerized that it will begin to sound robotic in opposition to being human. Musically this record consist mainly of live instrumentation. It's got piano, violin, guitar, bass, different percussion, maracas, congas, bongos, cow bell, tom-tom, different drum kits and many other instruments. Makes it feel present instead of sounding so boxy. On every track Robin gives you a very smooth progression with his voice and the beat, synchronization and a job well done.

Get it