Old School Fridays - Whitney's "I Have Nothing"

Remembering Whitney - "Lover For Life"

I was never a big Whitney Houston fan; for some reason, her songs never resonated with me. That being said... the woman could sing, and some of her cuts (especially the ones not released as singles) were pretty good. 

Here's one of my favorites: "Lover For Life" (from 1990's I'm Your Baby Tonight).

Old School Friday: Here Come The Drums

For some reason, I love listening to P.E. during Black History Month... because I HATE B.H.M.... seriously, how can you separate black history from American History? Black History IS American History.

New Black Star - "You Already Knew"

It's been 13 years since Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star dropped... and the duo can still bring it! This track has been on repeat since I downloaded it last week. I can't wait until the full mixtape drops.

My Favorite Albums: Al Green's Call Me

I’ve never used this phase before (and I hope to never use it again), but nothing else describes Al Green’s Call Me as well as the oft-used term Grown Folks Music.

I was first introduced to a few cuts from Call Me in 1995, on a double date just after graduating from high school. My buddy (RIP Leon) supplied the wheels and the music – a 1991 Saab and Al Green’s Best Of. While I knew most of the tracks, two in particular stood out. “Call Me (Come Back Home)” and “You Ought To Be With Me” had grit to them. There was a heft in Al Green’s voice that I hadn’t heard since discovering Billie Holiday.

I'm back... kinda

It’s been 5 months since my last blog post… I actually thought about shutting my site down… then I came across a comment by bartdogggy while listening to Janelle Monae’s “Suite II” on YouTube:

Best album easily of 2010. Everything about it makes me wonder if this is how Stevie's fans felt in the 70s.

His comment hit home for me; I love this album and I can’t wait for her next album to drop. More importantly, I love good music, and I love sharing my likes with others.

So I’m back… at least for a while

Old School Fridays - "Funny, he said I can call him up anytime"

Last week Soulbounce posted a new track from one of my faves - Meshell Ndegeocello. That got me thinking of this video... which was one of her biggest hits. The video is... interesting. Not sure how I feel about the "interviews"... regardless, it's a good song.... nice and funky.

"Why'd She Have To Go" - Top Five Depressing Songs

I travel for work; I hate being gone for 3-4 days at a time. I miss my beautiful wife, my kids… and my music collection. In fact, when I get home, I usually spend a few hours in my office, with the lights off, listening to good music and drinking a cold beer.

That sounds kind of depressing, but it’s actually not… but that being said, there are some songs that I avoid. Here are my top five most depressing songs in my iTunes library:

1. "A House I Not a Home" – Luther Vandross
   
   This song doesn't rate higher on the list, because he’s actually singing to her… so at least he has a chance to winning her back.


2. "By The Way" – Barbara Streisand


This is a relatively new add to my library (thanks to my brother). I hope she’s not singing about Elliott Gould… whoever the guys is; he’s cold. He even took the towels.

New Music: Thundercat's The Golden Age of Apocalypse

I am loving some of these tracks from Thundercat's latest release,  The Golden Age of Apocalypse - especially "Is It Love", "For Love I Come" [a cover of George Dukes "For Love (I Come Your Friend)"] and "Boat Cruise". Just released last week (Aug 30th, 2011). Check it.

And yes... I even like the funky 20 second "Hooooo" intro (because I have a soft spot for the 80s cartoon and because it uses a sped-up sample of "For Love I Come").


[H/T - Steady Bloggin']

My Favorite Albums: Incognito's Positivity

Spring 1995: I was a senior in high school, preparing for graduation, submitting college applications… and getting ready for my senior prom. My senior year had turned out to be pretty good, and I was aiming for Senior Prom to be my magnum opus. I wanted to be the best dressed, smoothest, most sophisticated cat in the building. 

By April, I had just about everything in order: my date locked down, the ride on lock (my mom’s brand new Buick LeSabre), my tuxedo selected (playerific… for 1995 at least)... all I needed was my mixtape. 

As I’ve written about before, the perfect mixtape has to have six key elements:

1. The Intro Song
2. Transitions
3. Mid-Tempo Jams
4. Instrumental/Acoustics
5. Message Songs
6. Closers 

I was set on most elements… all I needed was a signature song (aka “the message song’). I remember struggling for weeks to find the perfect song. Then one day, while I was sitting in my father’s flower shop, “Deep Waters” came across the radio. Maysa Leak’s vocals had me from the jump: “Is it a crime, for me to be feeling this way/I’m going out of my mind, and there’s no change from a runaway love”. 

Jean-Paul 'Bluey' Maunick’s masterpiece hit me square in the gut; at that moment, I knew my mixtape was complete. 

Over fifteen years later, “Deep Waters” remains as one of my all-time favorite jams (it has one of the few 5 star ratings in my iTunes library). That song, by itself, is why Incognito’s Positivity is on my list of favorite albums (though don’t sleep on other cuts from the album; it’s chock full of great songs: the Maysa Leak-led “Still a Friend of Mine” and “Smiling Faces”, as well as the instrumental “Inversions”).

Enjoy.