Favorites of 2008....Number 9
"Lay It Down..."
So it didn't take long for me to realize that I had waaay more than 10 favorite albums that I was attempting to write about.
So unless I use some new fangled math....something has got to give.
Some may or may not know that Al Green is my favorite male sainger (yes...sainger) of all time. No need to go into his list of hits. His credentials are undeniable. As is seen here by this year BET Awards where he was given the 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award.
A few years back Al, after a long absence from secular/mainstream music (minus a few comebacks here and there), signed on to the legendary label Blue Note Records and in 2003 Al Green was back. He released I Can't Stop and in 2005 Everything's OK
While both were met with excitement and appreciation, most concluded that "something" was missing. One of these individuals was Questlove, famed drummer of The Roots. He was worked on projects by everyone from D'Angelo, Common, Erykah Badu. Blue Note gave him the green light and Quest rounded up the team, included fellow Soulquarian James Poyser, Mighty Clouds of Joy guitarist Chalmers "Spanky" Alford (who passed shortly before the album was released, the Dap-Kings Horns and famed Larry Gold on strings
Questlove's mission...to create an album with the classic Al Green 70's sound, that works in a modern music setting. And the results were impressive, to say the least. The musical arrangements are lush. Al glides effortlessly over the tracks and doesn't sound like a 62 year old man or anything close to it. A few of the lyrics are lacking at time, but rumor has it that Al basically freestyled most of the album. They started playing and he started singing. Which I find amazing.
Appearances from Anthony Hamilton, John Legend, and Corrine Bailey Rae don't seem forced or out of place like can often be the case when musical legends team up with new schoolers (*ahem* Charlie Wilson and R. Kelly).
Anthony Hamiltion's appearance on "You Got The Love I Need" provides the high point of the album as Al and Anthony, both masters at the gritty southern sound...do some Grade-A romancing with some nasty bass guitar work as the driving force.
"Lay It Down....Let It Go...Fall In Love"
Al Green - "You Got The Love I Need" feat Anthony Hamilton
Al Green - "Stay With Me" feat John Legend
Labels: Al Green, Anthony Hamilton, BET, Corinne Bailey Rae, John Legend, Lay It Down, Questlove, rine Bailey Rae
Geezie Radio Episode One: 12.29.08
"Feel Good Music "
My first try at thisFeaturing Erykah Badu, Jamiroquai, Atlantic Starr, Fiest, Maxwell and more...Labels: Atlantic Starr, Erykah Badu, Fiest, Jamiroquai, Maxwell
Favorites of 2008...Number 10
As 2008 comes to a close, I will attempt to highlight 10 of my favorite releases of the year. No this is not a Top Ten or Years Best, because I simply have not heard every notable release this year (T.I. – Paper Trail, Kanye West – 808’s & Heartbreaks) and some that I simply have no wish to hear (whassup Piles)
Solange – Sol-Angel and the Hadley Street Dreams
Solange, the younger sister of Pop Superstar Beyonce Knowles, quietly put out a better album than her sister this year. Minus the hoopla and nonstop radio spins, Solange delivers and an album that veers totally to the left of her previous effort.
Solange is determined to separate herself from her sisters shadow and the pressures and expectations that come with it. Her first single “I Decided” is a nearly flawless summertime jam, yet it was largely ignored by mainstream radio.
The album begins with "God Given Name" Solange's 2 minute and 52 second long Declaration of Independence
The rest of the album is a soul inspired trip into the cosmos, with the apex being the trippy “Cosmic Journey” feat Bilal.
Hopefully in the future, the younger Miss Knowles can continue to break free of her sisters shadow and exercise her freedom to experiment as her does here with surprisingly good results. While not as strong vocally as her sister, she definetly has her beat where passion, conviction and concept as concerned...
Solange - "God Given Name"
Solange - "Cosmic Journey" feat Bilal
Labels: 2008, Bilal, Hadley Street Dreams, Knowles, Sol-Angel, Solange
Top Albums Of The Year
I think i've tried this before and failed...
But I'mma try to highlight some of my favorite albums of this year...
Yup..
After Christmas kiddies...
Labels: 2008, albums, favorite
So Far From Home...
Jazzanova....a group that my older brother introduced me to back when I was in college.
Jazzanova is a collection of 6 Berlin based DJ's (Alexander Barck, Claas Brieler, J rgen von Knoblauch, Roskow Kretschmann, Stefan Leisering, and Axel Reinemer) who made their name remixing songs for other artists throughout Europe
I didn't even know they had a new album out this year until I ran across it and picked it up.
And it is quite excellent.
Featuring appearances from Phonte Coleman of Little Brother, Dwele, and Leon Ware.
So far from home brings to mind my homie who is currently living in London (because of their job)
But my favorite song on the album by far has to be "Lie" featuring the artist Thief (you can't make that up...lol).
Jazzanova-"So Far From Home" (feat Phonte)
Jazzanova - "Lie" (feat Thief)
