"Open Your Eyes" to "The Light"
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I am a lover of a well used sample.
And I would argue that Common's use of Bobby Caldwell's "Open Your Eyes" chours is one of the all time best.
Bobby Caldwell, or better known as the "blue eye of soul", is beloved in the soul and r&b genre. You can hear his songs playing at the neighborhood cookouts and car shows. I grew up listening to Bobby Caldwell, and it wasn't until my teens that I discovered that he was a white man. I remember my jaw dropping just like when I found out the "The Bee Gees" were a group of white boys as well. Something about their silky voices and cool demeanor had me believing I was listening to black musicians. Furthermore R&b, especially in the 70s and 80s, when Bobby Caldwell emerged, was a genre dominated by black musicians. But, Bobby Caldwell broke into the genre and was not denied his rightful place as a voice in the scene. His lyrical poetry and jazzy melodies are well loved in the R&B genre, so much so that so many artists have sampled his work to pay him homage.
One of my favorite songs from Bobby Caldwell (as there are many) is "Open Your Eyes". It starts out with just a soft melody and Bobby's unique voice singing slowly yet passionately. You can hear the yearning in his voice as he says, "I can see you, in a lonely place/ How can you be so blind./ You're still regretting the love you left behind/". He tries to convince his lover to "open your eyes” and asks her, "Are you expecting to find a love that is mine?". He wants to show her "the light". He is screaming for her attention and love...trying to remind her that he is the place where her heart should land. It's an ache we all know. And the message is conveyed beautifully through a soft melody and Bobby's poetic wording. He then eases into a light-hearted rhythm that picks up in pace so as to mimic the racing of his heart. It’s a love song, but it is also a song of desperation and uncertainty as we never know his lover’s choice. We just know that he has asked.
This is one of Bobby's lesser known songs, but it has been forever immortalized by Common's now famous sample in his song "The Light". Common's rhythm lying on top of Bobby's smooth melody is a musical dream and is one of the best fusions of rap and r&b.
Both songs hold a special place in my heart and a definite place in my song rotation, but Bobby Caldwell's original will always be king. I'm a sucker for a sample, but I am a sucker for that blue-eyed boy of soul.
RIP Bobby Caldwell, you are well loved.
P.S. Other songs I love from Bobby Caldwell include:
1. "My Flame" - This is a song I deeply love. Means a lot to me. And, I can only play it when I'm prepared to cry.
2. "What You Wont Do For Love" - His most famous song
3. "Heart of Mine" - A heartbreak song with some 80s synthesizer and saxophone
And I would argue that Common's use of Bobby Caldwell's "Open Your Eyes" chours is one of the all time best.
Bobby Caldwell, or better known as the "blue eye of soul", is beloved in the soul and r&b genre. You can hear his songs playing at the neighborhood cookouts and car shows. I grew up listening to Bobby Caldwell, and it wasn't until my teens that I discovered that he was a white man. I remember my jaw dropping just like when I found out the "The Bee Gees" were a group of white boys as well. Something about their silky voices and cool demeanor had me believing I was listening to black musicians. Furthermore R&b, especially in the 70s and 80s, when Bobby Caldwell emerged, was a genre dominated by black musicians. But, Bobby Caldwell broke into the genre and was not denied his rightful place as a voice in the scene. His lyrical poetry and jazzy melodies are well loved in the R&B genre, so much so that so many artists have sampled his work to pay him homage.
One of my favorite songs from Bobby Caldwell (as there are many) is "Open Your Eyes". It starts out with just a soft melody and Bobby's unique voice singing slowly yet passionately. You can hear the yearning in his voice as he says, "I can see you, in a lonely place/ How can you be so blind./ You're still regretting the love you left behind/". He tries to convince his lover to "open your eyes” and asks her, "Are you expecting to find a love that is mine?". He wants to show her "the light". He is screaming for her attention and love...trying to remind her that he is the place where her heart should land. It's an ache we all know. And the message is conveyed beautifully through a soft melody and Bobby's poetic wording. He then eases into a light-hearted rhythm that picks up in pace so as to mimic the racing of his heart. It’s a love song, but it is also a song of desperation and uncertainty as we never know his lover’s choice. We just know that he has asked.
This is one of Bobby's lesser known songs, but it has been forever immortalized by Common's now famous sample in his song "The Light". Common's rhythm lying on top of Bobby's smooth melody is a musical dream and is one of the best fusions of rap and r&b.
Both songs hold a special place in my heart and a definite place in my song rotation, but Bobby Caldwell's original will always be king. I'm a sucker for a sample, but I am a sucker for that blue-eyed boy of soul.
RIP Bobby Caldwell, you are well loved.
P.S. Other songs I love from Bobby Caldwell include:
1. "My Flame" - This is a song I deeply love. Means a lot to me. And, I can only play it when I'm prepared to cry.
2. "What You Wont Do For Love" - His most famous song
3. "Heart of Mine" - A heartbreak song with some 80s synthesizer and saxophone
"Dreamland" by The Glass Animals
Date: October 20th, 2020
Release Date: August 7th, 2020 The concept album is a dying art. The single has become reigning king and it seems like artists and record labels have lost their love for the flow of an album. However, the Glass Animals' third album "Dreamland" has given music-lovers a concept album that can be appreciated from front to back. The overall feel for the album is one of psychedelic pop with convoluted yet intimate lyrics. It feels as if you've been dipped in acid and plunged into the brain of the lyricist. Here are my favorite songs and a brief synopsis of my interpretation. #1 "Dreamland": The lines, "Pulling down backstreets deep in your head/Slipping through dreamland like a tourist" summarize the message of this track and maybe the whole album. We are on a journey in life that is comprised of foundational and haunting memories. And, it is with these memories of when, "You were ten years old holding hands in the classroom" and "That perfect moment, that last tear you shed" that form and influence the "dreamland" that lies ahead of you. #2 "Tangerine": Our lyricist is "beggin', hands, knees, please" for his Tangerine to "come back to me". However, he questions, "Where are you? What happened? I want what we had, where you gone? Where you hidin'?". Tangerine is different. He wants her back. But not the Tangerine that she currently is...the one who watches "Friends on repeat". #4: "Hot Sugar": This is hands down my favorite song on the album. I was swayed firstly by the strong baseline that shakes 808s. Then Dave Bayley blesses us with his otherworldly falsetto that echos some of the most seemly random combination of words. The first two verses are as follows: "Long black tulips/ Born in your blue tints/ Lemongrass eyelids/ Smoke in your slick lips/ Chocolate chapstick/ Backbeat strat flips/ Swimming pool spaceships/Light through the wave tips". He goes on to mention, "hotels and alcohol", "watermelon juice kiss", and "skin so sun-licked". These lyrics serve as flashes of memories of our lyricist with his past lover. His memory is providing brief yet profound memories to his present reality....his current dreamland. #9 "Your Love": A song about "Your temporary touch/ It's a hit and run". That Deja Vu love that comes around and hits you in the ass like the revolving door you just left. #13 "Domestic Bliss": A dark and emotional song about the addiction that is a pat of domestic abuse. Heavy, but beautifully captured. Those are the highlights in my book, but the whole album deserves a full rotation. The production is not only psychedelic, but it's magical. It's transportive and exposing. "Dreamland" pushes us to recognize our own memories that form our current states and it also encourages us to acid drip into our desires. |
"Nothing Compares"
By: Marc E. Bassy
Date: September 28th, 2019
Reaction and Review: Marc E. Bassy doesn't get enough love. In my humble audiophile opinion, Marc E. Bassy should not only be on the radio, but his name should be one that is appreciated in both the Pop and R&B genres. His first album, "Gossip Columns", was the perfect combo of lyricism and R&B beats and Pop melodies. It was a complete concept album and it was the soundtrack to my 2018 summer. If I would have had it on vinyl, I would have worn it out. I loved every track and left me in love with Bassy.
Fast forward to the summer of 2019, I was left wanting for some more Bassy. He has kinda vanished off the scene for a hot minuet, but he did begin teasing fans with upcoming tracks off of his next independent album, "PMD". Anticipation was set and I was ready for the next drop on September twenty-seventh.
"PMD" dropped and failed to make major waves, but there are some notable tracks on the album...particularly "Nothing Compares". It's a summer song. It's a cruise down federal and merge onto Colfax song. It's a song you play while you curl your hair and prepare for a night-out. It has that 80s synthesizer flavor that I am sucker for and electric bass line that carries you seamlessly through the catchy chorus.
So throw it on. Give the rest of the album a listen, but if you're going to begin your love affair with Bassy, then you need to meet him in his first album, "Gossip Columns".
Reaction and Review: Marc E. Bassy doesn't get enough love. In my humble audiophile opinion, Marc E. Bassy should not only be on the radio, but his name should be one that is appreciated in both the Pop and R&B genres. His first album, "Gossip Columns", was the perfect combo of lyricism and R&B beats and Pop melodies. It was a complete concept album and it was the soundtrack to my 2018 summer. If I would have had it on vinyl, I would have worn it out. I loved every track and left me in love with Bassy.
Fast forward to the summer of 2019, I was left wanting for some more Bassy. He has kinda vanished off the scene for a hot minuet, but he did begin teasing fans with upcoming tracks off of his next independent album, "PMD". Anticipation was set and I was ready for the next drop on September twenty-seventh.
"PMD" dropped and failed to make major waves, but there are some notable tracks on the album...particularly "Nothing Compares". It's a summer song. It's a cruise down federal and merge onto Colfax song. It's a song you play while you curl your hair and prepare for a night-out. It has that 80s synthesizer flavor that I am sucker for and electric bass line that carries you seamlessly through the catchy chorus.
So throw it on. Give the rest of the album a listen, but if you're going to begin your love affair with Bassy, then you need to meet him in his first album, "Gossip Columns".
"Get You"
Cover by: Miguel
Through drought and famine, natural disasters
My baby has been around for me Kingdoms have fallen, angels be calling None of that could ever make me leave Every time I look into your eyes I see it You're all I need Every time I get a bit inside I feel it Ooh, who could've thought I'd get you Ooh, who would've thought I'd get you |
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Original Release: October 20, 2016
Cover Release: April 18th, 2018
Reaction and Review:
"Get You" is the stand out single from Daniel Cesar's first album, Freudian. The song was an instant R&B classic that shot straight to the top of Billboard's charts. The original is slow, sultry, and living fully in the Soul vein. Daniel's voice is smooth and buttery which swings seamlessly from low and cool to high and heavenly. The lyrics are romantic and they perfectly dance around the simple yet profound chorus: "Ooh, who could've thought I'd get you".
Caesar's original has that "kick-back" vibe you need on a Sunday night. It's dreamy and perfect.
Miguel, another member of R&B royalty, showed love for "Get You" by covering it in the Spotify Studio about two years after the original's release. His cover honored the original, but also resurrected it with new life by throwing in some Rock influences. The song starts with a groovy funk baseline, the chorus finger-snaps, the drum machine sneaks in, and a strong electric guitar holds the song together. This cover bleeds into the Rock genre, and I love it. Miguel maintains the R&B flavor with his own smooth falsetto, but the instrumentals remind me of Prince's love of collaborating Rock with R&B.
Miguel's cover has that "Start of the Weekend" vibe that you need on a Friday night. It's funky and perfect.
Cover Release: April 18th, 2018
Reaction and Review:
"Get You" is the stand out single from Daniel Cesar's first album, Freudian. The song was an instant R&B classic that shot straight to the top of Billboard's charts. The original is slow, sultry, and living fully in the Soul vein. Daniel's voice is smooth and buttery which swings seamlessly from low and cool to high and heavenly. The lyrics are romantic and they perfectly dance around the simple yet profound chorus: "Ooh, who could've thought I'd get you".
Caesar's original has that "kick-back" vibe you need on a Sunday night. It's dreamy and perfect.
Miguel, another member of R&B royalty, showed love for "Get You" by covering it in the Spotify Studio about two years after the original's release. His cover honored the original, but also resurrected it with new life by throwing in some Rock influences. The song starts with a groovy funk baseline, the chorus finger-snaps, the drum machine sneaks in, and a strong electric guitar holds the song together. This cover bleeds into the Rock genre, and I love it. Miguel maintains the R&B flavor with his own smooth falsetto, but the instrumentals remind me of Prince's love of collaborating Rock with R&B.
Miguel's cover has that "Start of the Weekend" vibe that you need on a Friday night. It's funky and perfect.
"Borders"
By: SAINt JHN ft. Lenny Kravitz
Date: August 23rd
Release Date: August 23rd
Reaction and Review:
"Boarders" is a late-night drive song. Reminiscent of a sad Drake song: a moody boy who is nursing the ache of heartbreak and desire....and who doesn't love that vibe?
The song opens with a one-two punch of melodies from SAINt JHN and Lenny Kravitz. They take turns with the chorus which states, "Baby, let's close up/ Baby, come close to me, don't create borders/ Take me in comfortably, don't be difficult/ Baby girl, who hurt you? Don't be miserable". The short chorus repeated by both artists states to the listener that the desire to heal their lover of past hurts and to break down her boards is one of persistence and repeated attempts.
From the chorus we transition in the quicken pace of SAINt JHN's rap verse, which is mediocre and less profound. However, fortunately for SAINt JHN, Kravitz resurrects the promise of the song by taking us back to the strong chorus and then to the following verse that is owned by Kravitz. It is in his verse that the strongest verses find their reign. Kravitz expresses his for an emotional intimacy, but finds himself stuck at her boarders. He wants the vulnerability of her; he wants the truth, but is willing to stick around while he waits for her to reveal herself from behind her illusion:
"I don't wanna just seem, I don't wanna be shootin' blind, true crime/
Even if it ain't right, right now, the illusion's fine, oh my/
You hear that I'm on the way, you know to just keep the lights on/
I know you want me to stay, 'cause I feel the same when the night's gone."
"Boarders" has been on repeat. It's a timid song with a strong message. The two vocalists are tender and wanting, especially Kravitz. That beautiful man with the iconic hoop nose ring needs to release an R&B album, because he's got the sauce.
Release Date: August 23rd
Reaction and Review:
"Boarders" is a late-night drive song. Reminiscent of a sad Drake song: a moody boy who is nursing the ache of heartbreak and desire....and who doesn't love that vibe?
The song opens with a one-two punch of melodies from SAINt JHN and Lenny Kravitz. They take turns with the chorus which states, "Baby, let's close up/ Baby, come close to me, don't create borders/ Take me in comfortably, don't be difficult/ Baby girl, who hurt you? Don't be miserable". The short chorus repeated by both artists states to the listener that the desire to heal their lover of past hurts and to break down her boards is one of persistence and repeated attempts.
From the chorus we transition in the quicken pace of SAINt JHN's rap verse, which is mediocre and less profound. However, fortunately for SAINt JHN, Kravitz resurrects the promise of the song by taking us back to the strong chorus and then to the following verse that is owned by Kravitz. It is in his verse that the strongest verses find their reign. Kravitz expresses his for an emotional intimacy, but finds himself stuck at her boarders. He wants the vulnerability of her; he wants the truth, but is willing to stick around while he waits for her to reveal herself from behind her illusion:
"I don't wanna just seem, I don't wanna be shootin' blind, true crime/
Even if it ain't right, right now, the illusion's fine, oh my/
You hear that I'm on the way, you know to just keep the lights on/
I know you want me to stay, 'cause I feel the same when the night's gone."
"Boarders" has been on repeat. It's a timid song with a strong message. The two vocalists are tender and wanting, especially Kravitz. That beautiful man with the iconic hoop nose ring needs to release an R&B album, because he's got the sauce.
"6s to 9s"
By: Big Wild & Rationale
Date: July 19th, 2019
Song Drop: February 1, 2019
Reaction and Review:
A funk base line hits me in my Prince-loving soul and electrifies the swing of my hips. Add some 80s synth and you got my shoulders alternatively bobbing. Integrate a soulful voice singing about new love and ancient desires...you've got my whole body rocking.
"6s to 9s" came into my life via Spotify's "Discover Weekly Playlist". And thank you, Spotify gods. This jam is something that I wish I would have produced and written myself. The song is unapologetically 80s with its synth-pop pulse and funky baseline life-blood. The chorus takes us to the heights of new love with the line, "You turn my sixes to nines". Our protagonist is flipped, twisted, turned upside down when he "looks in your eye". He can't deny that "We're in love" and the instrumental behind the chorus mimics the emotion of soaring on that cloud of new love. The lyrics in the remaining song are smooth and telling of our protagonist's heart. He wants his lover to "come and lay with me" and for her to "Set aside your problems with me, baby". His heart is laid bear and the funky baseline carries them in a soft yet sure way. The instrumental lay speaks just as much as the lyrics. It's gold.
Big Wild is my new love; and he has surely turned my "6s to 9s".
Song Drop: February 1, 2019
Reaction and Review:
A funk base line hits me in my Prince-loving soul and electrifies the swing of my hips. Add some 80s synth and you got my shoulders alternatively bobbing. Integrate a soulful voice singing about new love and ancient desires...you've got my whole body rocking.
"6s to 9s" came into my life via Spotify's "Discover Weekly Playlist". And thank you, Spotify gods. This jam is something that I wish I would have produced and written myself. The song is unapologetically 80s with its synth-pop pulse and funky baseline life-blood. The chorus takes us to the heights of new love with the line, "You turn my sixes to nines". Our protagonist is flipped, twisted, turned upside down when he "looks in your eye". He can't deny that "We're in love" and the instrumental behind the chorus mimics the emotion of soaring on that cloud of new love. The lyrics in the remaining song are smooth and telling of our protagonist's heart. He wants his lover to "come and lay with me" and for her to "Set aside your problems with me, baby". His heart is laid bear and the funky baseline carries them in a soft yet sure way. The instrumental lay speaks just as much as the lyrics. It's gold.
Big Wild is my new love; and he has surely turned my "6s to 9s".
"Waiting in Vain"
By: Bob Marley and The Wailers
Date: July 11th 2019
Song Drop: June 3, 1977
Reaction and Review:
Bob Marley is one of those iconic artists whose image is quickly recognized and under-appreciated. The man with the strong jaw, striking cheek bones, knotted dreads, and melodious voice is synonymously linked to those blacklight marijuana posters you find in a teenage bedroom...when this man was so much more than a promoter of the "ganj".
Bob Marley used his haunting and deep-gutted voice to not only soothe the listener, but to cry out for the poor. He carried the revelatory ambition of an Old Testament prophet while grooving over pounding and scratching rhythms. The songs that best capture his prophetic-voice are "Simmer Down" (1962), "Concrete Jungle" (1973), "Get Up, Stand Up" (1973), and "I Shot the Sheriff" (1973). These songs portray Marley's passion for social justice, his love for the poor, and his hope for equality, freedom, and peace.
Bob Marley was crowned "King of Jamaica" during the 70s and 80s and he helped bring Reggae to the mainstream musical diet. His most popular songs still play on the "soft rock" stations and are honored by the commoner and the stoner alike. Those songs include: "Three Little Birds" (1977), "Could You Be Loved" (1980), "Is This Love" (1978), "Jamming" (1978). When you play any of these songs, whether it be on over a streaming service or on a record player, they are timeless and sound like they were freshly produced and written for today.
One song that lacks in popularity and remains hidden from the commercial stations and surface Rastafarians is the song, "Waiting in Vain" (1977). Its a song thats more R&B than Reggae, and that is probably why I adore it.
Song Drop: June 3, 1977
Reaction and Review:
Bob Marley is one of those iconic artists whose image is quickly recognized and under-appreciated. The man with the strong jaw, striking cheek bones, knotted dreads, and melodious voice is synonymously linked to those blacklight marijuana posters you find in a teenage bedroom...when this man was so much more than a promoter of the "ganj".
Bob Marley used his haunting and deep-gutted voice to not only soothe the listener, but to cry out for the poor. He carried the revelatory ambition of an Old Testament prophet while grooving over pounding and scratching rhythms. The songs that best capture his prophetic-voice are "Simmer Down" (1962), "Concrete Jungle" (1973), "Get Up, Stand Up" (1973), and "I Shot the Sheriff" (1973). These songs portray Marley's passion for social justice, his love for the poor, and his hope for equality, freedom, and peace.
Bob Marley was crowned "King of Jamaica" during the 70s and 80s and he helped bring Reggae to the mainstream musical diet. His most popular songs still play on the "soft rock" stations and are honored by the commoner and the stoner alike. Those songs include: "Three Little Birds" (1977), "Could You Be Loved" (1980), "Is This Love" (1978), "Jamming" (1978). When you play any of these songs, whether it be on over a streaming service or on a record player, they are timeless and sound like they were freshly produced and written for today.
One song that lacks in popularity and remains hidden from the commercial stations and surface Rastafarians is the song, "Waiting in Vain" (1977). Its a song thats more R&B than Reggae, and that is probably why I adore it.
"Blow"
By Ed Sheeran, Chris Stapleton, & Bruno Mars
Date: July 6th 2019
Song Drop: July 5th 2019
Reaction and Review:
Ed Sheeran: pop icon and singer-songwriter. Chris Stapleton; soulful man of the blues. Bruno Mars is our current funk-daddy. All three are reigning kings of their own genre and to have them all on one track is a blessing to the current musical desert that we've been experiencing.
The song rips through the void with a killer blues riff a battle cry from Chris Stapleton. From the jump we know we are embarking on a rock song with interest in where Sheeran and Mars will land. The bass line kicks in and Sheeran croons that "he's feeling like a bullet/ jumping out a gun" and that this girl is "doing something to me / doing something strange / make me wana make a baby". The dance of riff, bass-line, and drums rock while Stapleton enters back in with his own set of sexy lyrics where he tells his woman to "pop it like a pistol mama / you got me down on my knees".
The chrous continues with the gun metaphor as Stapleton battlecries:
"I'm comin', baby
I'm gunnin' for you, yeah
Locked, loaded, shoot my shot tonight
I'm comin', baby
I'm gunnin' for you
Pull my trigger, let me blow your mind"
At the height of the song, funk-daddy Bruno slides in calling his girl a "red leather rocket" , and a "little foxy queen". He begs her to "come closer" and promises "white lines in a limousine / Whipped cream, and everything in between". His voice remains smooth, but possesses that rock edge that the song lays down.
The three kings "blow our mind" with this new track. Its feels like a dive bar, tastes like the remnant of a cigarette, and make me wana rock my leather jacket even in this ninety degree heat.
Song Drop: July 5th 2019
Reaction and Review:
Ed Sheeran: pop icon and singer-songwriter. Chris Stapleton; soulful man of the blues. Bruno Mars is our current funk-daddy. All three are reigning kings of their own genre and to have them all on one track is a blessing to the current musical desert that we've been experiencing.
The song rips through the void with a killer blues riff a battle cry from Chris Stapleton. From the jump we know we are embarking on a rock song with interest in where Sheeran and Mars will land. The bass line kicks in and Sheeran croons that "he's feeling like a bullet/ jumping out a gun" and that this girl is "doing something to me / doing something strange / make me wana make a baby". The dance of riff, bass-line, and drums rock while Stapleton enters back in with his own set of sexy lyrics where he tells his woman to "pop it like a pistol mama / you got me down on my knees".
The chrous continues with the gun metaphor as Stapleton battlecries:
"I'm comin', baby
I'm gunnin' for you, yeah
Locked, loaded, shoot my shot tonight
I'm comin', baby
I'm gunnin' for you
Pull my trigger, let me blow your mind"
At the height of the song, funk-daddy Bruno slides in calling his girl a "red leather rocket" , and a "little foxy queen". He begs her to "come closer" and promises "white lines in a limousine / Whipped cream, and everything in between". His voice remains smooth, but possesses that rock edge that the song lays down.
The three kings "blow our mind" with this new track. Its feels like a dive bar, tastes like the remnant of a cigarette, and make me wana rock my leather jacket even in this ninety degree heat.
"Feathered Indians"
By: Tyler Childers
Date: June 21st
Song Drop: August 4, 2017
A raw voice that tells a real story; that's Tyler Childers on "Indian Feathers".
The song begins with a capo-ed and twangy guitar rift that Bluegrass Americana was built on. Now, I'm not the usual fan of twang (Sorry Miranda Lambert), but that twangy guitar is something that I can cruise to on a summer's day because of his storied lyrics. It wasn't the twang that hooked me, but instead it was the first line of the song: "Well my buckle makes impressions / On the inside of her thigh". My ear snapped and a smile crossed my face as the man captured a Kentucky boy's passion in the summer heat. That line is witty and sexy. That line captures a summertime reality. That line is story-telling.
Tyler Childers's lyricism doesn't stop at line one, but it grows in complexity and wit as it is carried by the bluegrass rhythm and beat. The song has you grooving, but the lyrics have you smiling as you meet the woman that Tyler Childers has fallen in love with and the woman who will ultimately save him. She's an "angel" and she is the woman that he'd "run across a river just to hold, tonight".
"Feathered Indians" is a gem. I'm a little sad I didn't appreciate it sooner (sorry, Dianna); however, it'll be heavy on my summer rotation because its a story of summer love. And, who doesn't love that?
Song Drop: August 4, 2017
A raw voice that tells a real story; that's Tyler Childers on "Indian Feathers".
The song begins with a capo-ed and twangy guitar rift that Bluegrass Americana was built on. Now, I'm not the usual fan of twang (Sorry Miranda Lambert), but that twangy guitar is something that I can cruise to on a summer's day because of his storied lyrics. It wasn't the twang that hooked me, but instead it was the first line of the song: "Well my buckle makes impressions / On the inside of her thigh". My ear snapped and a smile crossed my face as the man captured a Kentucky boy's passion in the summer heat. That line is witty and sexy. That line captures a summertime reality. That line is story-telling.
Tyler Childers's lyricism doesn't stop at line one, but it grows in complexity and wit as it is carried by the bluegrass rhythm and beat. The song has you grooving, but the lyrics have you smiling as you meet the woman that Tyler Childers has fallen in love with and the woman who will ultimately save him. She's an "angel" and she is the woman that he'd "run across a river just to hold, tonight".
"Feathered Indians" is a gem. I'm a little sad I didn't appreciate it sooner (sorry, Dianna); however, it'll be heavy on my summer rotation because its a story of summer love. And, who doesn't love that?
"Heaven on Earth"
By: Swayyvo, Johnny Balik, & Summer Dregs
Date: June 15
Song Drop: September 2018
Review: This is a song that I would title a "Miracle Find". My love of music is indulged via my Spotify Premium subscription. I am listening to music for at least eight hours a day. I am alway creating playlists, trying to find the next hit song, and digging for the hidden treasures that will never bless the radio waves. "Heaven and Earth" is a "miracle find" because of its randomized appearance on my "Discover Weekly" playlist on Spotify.
I was cruising in my car when the initial falsetto filled the acoustic area of my car. His high range literally stopped me in my tracks. As an R&B lover and Prince super-fan, I am a sucker for a man who can hit those unattainable notes. Then the click of the drum machine swings in and the reverb swallows the smooth melody. The producer, Summer Dregs, made electric love to this song. The mix is a child of buttery R&B vocals and 80s synth-pop; its literally my dream child of a song. Electric beats and manipulated sounds are my jam, but when the saxophone breaks through the electric with that hauntingly sexy sound we are reminded of the jazzy cascades that have built the foundation of R&B.
The mix reigns in my musical heart, but the simplistic lyrics seal the deal. Our lyricist has become lost; lost in the body and experience of his lover. The lover has become his "heaven on earth" and "it feels like love". The repetition of the phrase, "I love it, babe" carries the song like a chorus and haunts the subconscious.
The marrying of the synth-pop mix and poetic love lyrics are what has kept this song on my heavy rotation.
Song Drop: September 2018
Review: This is a song that I would title a "Miracle Find". My love of music is indulged via my Spotify Premium subscription. I am listening to music for at least eight hours a day. I am alway creating playlists, trying to find the next hit song, and digging for the hidden treasures that will never bless the radio waves. "Heaven and Earth" is a "miracle find" because of its randomized appearance on my "Discover Weekly" playlist on Spotify.
I was cruising in my car when the initial falsetto filled the acoustic area of my car. His high range literally stopped me in my tracks. As an R&B lover and Prince super-fan, I am a sucker for a man who can hit those unattainable notes. Then the click of the drum machine swings in and the reverb swallows the smooth melody. The producer, Summer Dregs, made electric love to this song. The mix is a child of buttery R&B vocals and 80s synth-pop; its literally my dream child of a song. Electric beats and manipulated sounds are my jam, but when the saxophone breaks through the electric with that hauntingly sexy sound we are reminded of the jazzy cascades that have built the foundation of R&B.
The mix reigns in my musical heart, but the simplistic lyrics seal the deal. Our lyricist has become lost; lost in the body and experience of his lover. The lover has become his "heaven on earth" and "it feels like love". The repetition of the phrase, "I love it, babe" carries the song like a chorus and haunts the subconscious.
The marrying of the synth-pop mix and poetic love lyrics are what has kept this song on my heavy rotation.
"Love Thru the Computer" By: Gucci Mane ft. Justin Bieber
Date: June 12th
Song Drop: May 31st Review: This was a surprise drop from an unlikely combo. Gucci Mane has been on the come up for the past two years and I've been vibing with his new chilled flow (it low-key reminds me of 2Chainz...and I love me some 2Chainz). Justin Bieber features on the track and in my humble opinion, JB always adds a great pop element to whatever he hops on. Together, these two work together to give us our first summer time bop. This song came across my path via Spotify's "New Music Friday". As soon as it started playing the old school sample had me in love with rendition. The sample in the background is from R&B royalty's Zapp and Roger. Their song "Computer Love" can be heard at every auntie's birthday party and summer time cookout. It's an old school jam that is both funky and romantic; everyone loves that song; therefore, it's the best choice for a sample because it will have the all generations bopping. Gucci Mane's flow is so easy and so catchy as he samples over the classic. His lyrics are the best combo of catchy and funny; here are a few that had me smiling: "High, yellow thick chick with an accent/I told her, I ain't ever seen another cuter / Good brain, she don't even need a tutor" and later when he shouts out his girl when he says, "Baby give me all that she got / Share it with me, we gon' throw it all in the pot / This the type of love more than physical / When a king get a queen, he invisible". Justin Bieber embraces the old school autotune and blesses this track from his first "Ohhh". The autotunes does not pull from the smoothness of his voice. He really is the best feature for any type of track. The song is a bop. Its the perfect mix of old school and new school. It has me grooving and bopping my head. "Love Thru the Computer" has found a place on my summertime playlist and will for sure be invited to the cookout. |
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"No Guidance"
Chris Brown & Drake
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Date: June 8th
Song Drop: June 7th Review: Chris Brown and Drake; two of my R&B loves who hardly ever let me down (except for the Royalty album; I am still salty about that one...sorry CB). Drake leads the R&B groove by laying down one of his classic smooth talking melodies with the repetitious phrase, "You Got It Girl". The muse is an independent woman who achieved with "no guidance". She's a woman whose "DMs looking violent" and is "sweet like candy land, sweet like peach tree". She's the woman who could "lock it down" and tame the boys who live to "move freely". In "No Guidance", Chris Breezy and the Six God have fallen victim to love again; and again they have me in love with deep bass and smooth lyrics. Favorite Verse: "Ain't got you nowhere being modest / Poppin' shit but only 'cause you know you're poppin'" |