by Jon Brion, Cee-lo and Eva Mendes (2010)It used to be I didn’t know this Jon Brion, then I saw him perform and I loved him, now I am ready to take it to what ever the next step is, because his Pimps Don’t Cry, performed by Cee-lo and Eva Mendes is fabulous.
Is it weird that some of my favorite songs are “parody songs” (see One Track Lover and other Matt Berry, see Reggae Man, see the Nashville soundtrack, see Higher and Higher)?
by Darondo (1973)Darondo led an unusual life: according to wikipedia “Later he traveled the world collecting interesting artifacts, became the king of Bay Area cable with three shows per day, and worked as a physical therapist coaxing patients to walk again” this was after a brief but brilliant stint as a soul singer which left us Let My People Go, a solid, hip swaying album.
You’ll hear hints of James Brown, Prince and Al Green among these nine songs and some will surely become new favorites for any other lovers of the genre out there. Didn’t I, which brought Darondo back into the spot light thanks to radio play, is one of those favorites and the whole album starts off with a great bass line bang with the title track.
It took years for this virtually forgotten artist to get a rerelease – but I can’t claim I found the album having any knowledge of the history. I was just browsing emusic (a site I am sure to tell you about soon) and was struck by the album cover, that featured, to my mind, possibly one of the coolest men on earth. Lucky for me, judging a book by its cover worked out (I actually find it often does) because I found some excellent new music that I can’t wait to share with friends.
by Next (1998)I love that the late ninties dance hit Too Close by Next is an ode to getting a boner while grinding a girl. It brings me back to my Jr. High years where my class had the dubious distinction to be the first to cause a scene with the lude dance craze. Like the girls singing in this undeniably catchy tune, “Step back, your dancing kind of close, feel a little poke come through, on you” we weren’t ever more than slightly giggly, grossed out and pitiful of the constant occurrence. I was about to write that the R&B trio had no other hits, but wikipedia informed me of the inferior “Wifey” which has nothing to do with the Judy Blume novel.
Click here for the rest of Too Close
by Tyrese (1998)Sweet Lady, won’t you be my sweet love for a life time? I have no idea why I know this song so well, but when it popped up on the radio while I was dining the other night, I was instantly singing along.
I’m more familiar with Tyrese from his modeling, VJ-ing talents, but if this late nineties single is any indication, he should quit his day job.
by Ginuwine (1996)In the entire genre of juvenile, sexual innuendo-packed, raw R&bBgrinding music, there is simply none better than Ginuwine‘s mid-nineties cleverly uninventive (lyrically) ode to really, really wanting to have sex: Pony. If what I have just written is untrue, I beg you to show me the song that bests it. And, word of advice, if you have yet to get married, you will want to remember to put this on the dance play list when you do.
By the way, the images below/after the jump are what comes up on a google search for this song.
Click here for the rest of Pony
At the Williamsburg Hall of MusicA concert is never more enjoyable than when the performers seem to be having just as much fun as the audience, and I’ve never seen and more mutual enthusiasm than at The Eccentric Soul Review at the Williamsburg Hall of Music. Several one-time soul artists who peaked in decades past were there to share the stage with each other and today’s voice of soul from Chicago, JC Brooks and The Uptown Sound.
Both Brooks and Eccentric Soul will be familiar to regular readers of this blog, so of course I was quick to get a ticket. Also, as I may have mentioned before, a great friend of mine (since my long ago elementary school days) plays guitar and masterminds the Uptown Sound; it’s always a delight to see him strutting around the stage.
The show, which was quite crowded with eager, hip faces, began with my favorite act of the night, Renaldo Domino, who’s signature pleading song Not Too Cool to Cry is still playing in my head. Next out was Harlem rapper Miss Missy Dee who slammed through a brief performance with her MC and was once a rare female voice during the birth of hip hop.
The Notations, a white suited four man band who had a pretty big hit with the song I’m Still Here, came next and wowed the audience with their charisma and me especially with some impressive a capella.
JC Brooks, who really has a dynamite presence on stage, along with the band, which backed all the acts, delivered some particularly electric performances.
Syl Johnson was the headliner of the night, though, and he was one wild cat. Seemingly drunk, though I’ve since been assured that his rambling exuberance is simply his signature performance style, he sang many of his oft sampled hits, occasionally repeating just who sampled him (the words Wu Tang clan came up again and again).
The finale was a rousing rendition of You Can’t Always Get What You Want featuring everyone back on stage. It got the crowd so psyched that the artists had to return for one last song: The Tighten Up, originally by Archie Bell.
Click here for the rest of Eccentric Soul Review
Here's what I had to say on the 21st of September:
At Numero Group, “The mission was simple: to dig deep into the recesses of our record collections with the goal of finding the dustiest gems begging to be released from their exile on geek street.”
For all their endeavors to bring forgotten soul to my ears, I am eternally grateful.
Eccentric Soul Vol 7: The Deep City Label compilation has brought me so much joy in the last few days. I found it after my old friend Billy said he was touring with the Eccentric Soul Review (which comes to New York in November). I downloaded this volume because it features one of my personal favorite obscure soul singers, Betty Wright, whose two songs Paralyzed and Good Lovin' are particular stand outs in the amazing collection.
Other exceptional tracks are “Am I A Good Man” by Them Two, Paul Kelly's “The Upset”, and “I am Controlled by Your Love” by Helene Smith. Also love the lyrics from “Stay Away from My Johnny”: “There's only two kind of girls that he loves and I'm both of them”.
Numero describes the label as “Possibly the most influential of all the 60s Miami soul label's, the Deep City sound not only changed the Metro-Dade area, but set the tone for disco powerhouse TK's impressive run in the 70s.”
That none of the singers featured ever gained substantial fame is a shame. That Numero has several more compilations to dig through is a blessing.
RUNNERS UP:
Blackout
Crime and Dissonance
Fleetwood Mac Live
Amadeus
L'Homme a Tete de Chou
The Way I See It
We are seeing R Kelly live!! We are seeing R Kelly live!! We are seeing R Kelly live!! We are seeing R Kelly live!! We are seeing R Kelly live!! We are seeing R Kelly live!! We are seeing R Kelly live!! We are seeing R Kelly live!! We are seeing R Kelly live!! We are seeing R Kelly live!! We are seeing R Kelly live!! We are seeing R Kelly live!! We are seeing R Kelly live!! We are seeing R Kelly live!! We are seeing R Kelly live!! We are seeing R Kelly live!! We are seeing R Kelly live!! We are seeing R Kelly live!! We are seeing R Kelly live!! We are seeing R Kelly live!!
God help me but I do love him.
At Numero Group, “The mission was simple: to dig deep into the recesses of our record collections with the goal of finding the dustiest gems begging to be released from their exile on geek street.”
For all their endeavors to bring forgotten soul to my ears, I am eternally grateful.
Eccentric Soul Vol 7: The Deep City Label compilation has brought me so much joy in the last few days. I found it after my old friend Billy said he was touring with the Eccentric Soul Review (which comes to New York in November). I downloaded this volume because it features one of my personal favorite obscure soul singers, Betty Wright, whose two songs Paralyzed and Good Lovin' are particular stand outs in the amazing collection.
Other exceptional tracks are “Am I A Good Man” by Them Two, Paul Kelly's “The Upset”, and “I am Controlled by Your Love” by Helene Smith. Also love the lyrics from “Stay Away from My Johnny”: “There's only two kind of girls that he loves and I'm both of them”.
Numero describes the label as “Possibly the most influential of all the 60s Miami soul label's, the Deep City sound not only changed the Metro-Dade area, but set the tone for disco powerhouse TK's impressive run in the 70s.”
That none of the singers featured ever gained substantial fame is a shame. That Numero has several more compilations to dig through is a blessing.
While the vintage quality of the vocal stylings of Raphael Saadiq's solo career were a new discovery (and a wonderful one), this feel-good song by Tony Toni Tone (the band which Saadiq fronted) has been a favorite of mine for years and years.
I was a fifteen year old sophomore when it came out and was probably watching Dazed and Confused, eating cake batter, and hanging out with my girlfriends in one of their basements while listening to it.