Released: November, 1972 Label: United Artists Records Genre: Soul, funk Producer: Jerry Goldstein with Lonnie Jordan and Howard Scott
A soul and funk album from the 70’s…? Look this was never going to work. The World is a Ghetto topped the Billboard charts and was the best selling album of 1973 – certainly impressive, but totally missed on me. Somehow music like this all sounds like it’s from Sesame Street, and it all sounds strangely similar. The harmonica playing is impressive I guess, though honestly I’m not sure harmonicas need any more prevalence than they enjoy already (i.e. not much).
Released: 27 October, 2006 Label: Island Genre: Soul, R&B Producer: Mark Ronson, Salaam Remi
Back to Black was one of the first CD’s Andrew ever bought me, and it’s been on high rotation at our place ever since, so this was a familiar one. A record that was so original at the time, Winehouse inspired a soul-sister renaissance which is still being felt, 7 years after this record’s release, and a couple of years following her too-soon death. Stylistically it’s 50’s and 60’s but lyrically this is oh-so modern: these are noughties estate problems with drink and drugs, mixed with the timeless, ever-present heartache and heartbreak. Winehouse’s passing is so much sadder with this album delivering so much. Imagine what else she could have done.
Top tracks: “Rehab”is surely everyone’s favourite, tragic, though it seems like it was never going to be any other way.. “Tears Dry On Their Own” is the most upbeat and it’s a killer tune with some fantastic piano. But the album’s title track is the best – a thumping, grand, fuck-it surrender.
Hmm. Soul. Funk. Disco. Not my favourite genres, and Here, My Dear won’t be making my list of favourite albums. I’m not sure exactly why I don’t like this style of music (it worked for me when it was modernised in the funkier songs on Aquemini), but honestly this was a real struggle for me to listen to. Hilarious though, is the concept of the album, and the lyrics are so clever, and this is enough for me to at least like this album.. even if I won’t ever listen to it again. Do yourself a favour and Google why this album is called what it is.
I didn’t like this much at all. I can see how critics would appreciate D’Angelo’s vocals, and the music is well produced, but man this is boring. It would be decent background music if it wasn’t quite SO same-y.
These aren’t songs for me; this just blends into an indecipherable funk-beat. I want verses and lyrics.
Top track: Not this week.
This week: Not a huge amount is happening at the moment. Work has settled a bit, and so I’m still looking for opportunities internally, and I’ll start my graphic design course in a week or 2.
Released: March 15, 1975 Label: Columbia Genre: Soul, funk Producer: Maurice White, Charles Stepney
This was good music, great instrumentals and smooth-as-silk vocal; a few standout tracks that I really enjoyed, but nothing that really shook me. But it’s really well produced and well rounded – a classic R&B world-music kind of album, and it’s uplifting which I appreciate right now.
Top track: The title track, “That’s The Way of The World”.
This week: Still effectively in a holding pattern re: work. I managed to not totally crack it and resign this week, and I’m glad I didn’t, but I have spoken to my manager and explained that I can’t continue to do the work that I currently do, and it’s a matter of weeks rather than months before I need to move into a different type of role internally, or another role externally.
A change is as good as a holiday? No, but there’s gotta be some truth in there. And on the holiday front, we’ve booked flights to the US for my 30th in September (a reason to try my very best to stay at the Company I’m at, at least until then – hello bonus!).
Live in Cook County Jail (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Released: 1971 Label: MCA Genre: Blues, soul Producer: Bill Szymczyk
I’ve never really taken the opportunity to listen to any proper blues or soul music, aside from the pseudo-soul resurgence of the last few years with the likes of Amy Winehouse and so many others, so this was nice to do and was another welcome surprise.
The musical genius on the guitar of this man is impossible to fault. Every song on this album is like liquid silk to listen to – so easy and simple and fluid and smooth. I barely noticed me having started the album that it was over, though that said, it is pretty short.
In case it’s not obvious from the title, this was recorded in a prison in Chicago and you can hear the various cheers and jeers that erupt when B.B. speaks to the ladies or the gents. It’s also pretty funny hearing B.B. in “Worry Worry”, referring to smacking the woman in your life “upside her face” and various other dated and less than PC things. It’s a lot of fun to listen to. But this is blues, and it’s sad and mournful at times (even the joyous tracks), and it grabs you in the guts somewhere, and the guitar playing is just fantastic.
I feel like I’ve been fortunate with this album too. Not that I expect to hate a lot of the albums in this list (they are the “greatest” of all time), but again this was an awesome introduction to soul and blues, and now I’m just looking forward to the next album…
Top track: “Worry, Worry” is terrific. It’s a semi-spoken word, long song where B.B. speaks to the crowd and elicits their responses. Brilliant. The other little diamond is the introductions where the County Sheriff and prison Director are introduced. You can imagine the prisoners response….
This week: Nothing much to report. I’ve finally started the photography course that I’ve been intending to start since I moved to Melbourne over 4 years ago, so that’s something. Really it’s all pre-Christmas drinks and catch-ups, and looking forward to the Nullabor trip Andy and I will take over New Years. Work is fine. I need to get to the gym more.
thehifielective 