Music worth hearing
Having perfected my surly, disenchanted musician thing, I went for a number of years listening only to Steely Dan and the Sons of Champlin. Steely Dan engaged me musically and impressed me with compositional mastery, the Sons helped me to lighten up and reminded me that good music is supposed to make you want to dance.
Well, it was bound to happen. Music that ISN’T from one of the aforementioned bands has fulfilled me in ways that I thought I couldn’t (or forgot tthat I could) be fulfilled. I am listening to three albums, over and over, and I am smiling. Each of these albums makes me feel like the players were having fun when they recorded the album, not taking themselves too seriously, but taking their craft seriously enough to make the best product they could. Maybe I ‘m crazy, but that’s what I like.
Check ‘em out.
Percy Hill - After All
Muscially involving, emotionally fulfilling, and the soundtrack to good times. Can you beat that? Possibly the most mature band I have heard in a long time. They bring the grovve to a simmer, and never let it boil over. Just push it right to the edge, every time. Inspiring.
Jamiroquai - Return of the Space Cowboy
Jay Kay is so bad, he can’t possibly be any badder. And Stuart Zender on bass is like a fingerstyle funk textbook. How can you NOT smile when this is playing?
Young MC - Stone Cold Rhymin’
Before suburban kids were introduced to the chronic, hos, and AKs, we were dancing to this. And 17 years later, I remember why. Super fun grooves, actual musical changes, and my man Marvin isn’t content to just rhyme single syllable words. “Just Say No” is a horrible let down, but I can overlook it when I listen to “Know How” and hear rhymes like, “You think that it’s your destiny to get the best of me but I suggest you be: quiet, bro don’t even try it, from the East and West of me.” Plus, Red Hot Chili peppers bassist Flea is in rare form guesting on a number of tracks. Skip over “Bust a Move” if it has left a bad taste in your mouth. The album has a lot more to offer if you can seperate it from the memory of that awkward bra incident after the 8th grade dance.
June 28th, 2006 19:53
We’ve got RotSC, sweet stuff.
June 29th, 2006 10:25
At first I thought that you were unable to like any music made after 1980 (I was going to say 1975, but remembered that Aja was released in 1977.); then I realized as long as it sounds like it’s old, it’s OK.
Yes, I realize that Young MC doesn’t fit into this analysis. I don’t care.
June 30th, 2006 12:23
Your analysis may be flawed, but your ability to ignore that fact, even while admitting it, is above reproach.
August 7th, 2006 15:19
Also, you misspelled “Stone” as “Stong”. Just noticed.
August 7th, 2006 18:44
Thanks. I guess I need to hong my typing skills. I spend so much time on the telephong that I can’t seem to get much typing practice in anymore.
Plus, my fingers were likely all sticky from eating an ice cream cong while I wrote that post.