February 18th, 2010 | No Comments »
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17th Street
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Must Be Something
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The Bottle
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Album: It’s Your World (1976)
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The year was 1976. America was reveling in its bicentennial celebration. I was five, and don’t remember a thing. But my pop culture-filtered nostalgia imagines 1976 as the precipice between free love optimism and cocaine-fueled excess.
It’s Your World — a (mostly) live double-LP credit to Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson — was recorded just a couple of days before the July 4th holiday. While America at large was patting itself on the back, Gil was giving voice to those Americans who felt the country wasn’t living up to the Declaration of Independence’s key phrase, “All men are created equal.”
Gil Scott-Heron is so closely associated with his politics that it’s easy to forget the musicality apparent in his songs. Though Gil penned many of his own tunes, Brian Jackson contributed many of the duo’s finest compositions, and was the primary keys player.
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Published in Music, Sorta Live |
February 8th, 2010 | 1 Comment »
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Beyond Belief
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Shabby Doll
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Man Out Of Time
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Almost Blue
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Released in 1982
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Elvis Costello is a great all-around songwriter. His work features creative and catchy melodies, deftly honors a range of musical genres, and delivers lyrics that can be both narrative and poetic.
Imperial Bedroom is among his better LPs. Elvis’s artistic restlessness often results in his albums lacking in cohesion. But Imperial Bedroom succeeds due to its diversity and craft; no wonder it is regarded as one of Elvis’s best.
Released in 1982 — his seventh album in five years — Elvis teamed up with a new producer, Geoff Emerick. Emerick was an engineer on many of The Beatles’ later records (the first track he engineered was “Tomorrow Never Knows”), and his influence on Elvis Costello & The Attractions’ sound is clear.
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Published in Crate Diggin', Music |
January 19th, 2010 | No Comments »
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Only You
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Close The Door
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It Don’t Hurt Now
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When Somebody Loves You Back
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Album: Life Is A Song Worth Singing (1978)
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This is part two of a two-part tribute to Teddy Pendergrass. part one
Teddy Pendergrass’s Life Is A Song Worth Singing is a fine example of how Philly soul adapted to the disco/funk movement while remaining true to the diverse vocal personalities, complex orchestral arrangements, and accessible melodies that defined this popular regional subgenre. Teddy was (arguably) the biggest star of the storied Philadelphia International label, with a voice that can blow you away or woo you to bed — sometimes within the same song.
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Published in LP Classics, Music |
January 17th, 2010 | No Comments »
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Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes
Don’t Leave Me This Way (Dim’s Re-Edit)
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Album: After The Playboy Mansion (Compilation, 2002)
Teddy Pendergrass
You Can’t Hide From Yourself
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Album: Teddy Pendergrass (1977)
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This is part one of a two-part tribute to Teddy Pendergrass. part two
This week’s passing of soul legend Teddy Pendergrass hurts a little bit. Few can claim as much authority on the mic as Teddy. During his prime, even his ballads were turned up to 11.
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Published in Music, R.I.P. |
January 8th, 2010 | No Comments »
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Can’t Fake The Feeling
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Released in 1980
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"Can’t Fake The Feeling" has been very good to me. As you can see from the photo of the label above, I paid a pretty penny for it but It was worth it. It’s one of those records that kills on the dancefloor, and few of my generation have ever heard it before — qualities that make DJs very happy.
When it was released 30 (!) years ago, it was — justifiably — a massive #1 club hit. It’s easy to see why: the beat is steady, the production is tight, and the melody is catchy. And then there’s Geraldine’s raw, expressive singing that hearkens back to a time when dance track vocals were recorded with limited to no filters, pitch correction, or digitized harmonies.
It was released on the Prism label (Prism would later morph into seminal hip hop label Cold Chillin’ Records) and was written by Geraldine and Kat Dyson, who is primarily known for playing guitar with Prince’s New Power Generation. I’m sad to say that my limited online research into Geraldine didn’t reveal much about her; "Can’t Fake The Feeling" was her biggest hit.
Published in 12" Gems, Music |
