Alexa De Paris

This is a song that I played until the grooves wore out of the record. It was the B-side of Prince's rocker Mountains off his Parade album which was the soundtrack to his Under The Cherry Moon movie. The song is amazing as far as I'm concerned, and unless you were me and you bought the Mountains 12" single, you never heard Alexa De Paris.

It's an instrumental beauty that grooves in ways you wouldn't expect. It's gentle and melodic and yet still has a certain undeniable groove to it. I played this song more than I did Mountains, and I love that song. Alexa though, just grabbed me by the neck and to this day has yet to let me go. With the band playing along with Claire Fischer's string arrangements, this song is unlike anything I have ever heard before or since.

The wailing guitar is all Prince and it's the perfect way for this luscious, groovy beast of a song to come to an end. Enjoy!

Bad

How does one follow up a masterpiece? What were the expectations of the next painting of da Vinci's after his Mona Lisa? There was a reason J. D. Salinger became a recluse after Catcher In The Rye, and why Prince went in a complete opposite direction sonically after Purple Rain. Following up a masterpiece is one of the most formidable tasks any artist has to deal with. The expectations can be overwhelming and some artists run and hide from the spotlight, some try to destroy what they've created, and some embrace the expectations and aim even higher. That's what Michael Jackson did with Bad.

Releasing a 16+ minute mini movie introducing the first single off of his follow up to his all time best selling album Thriller was a huge move. It showed though that Michael wasn't shying away from Thriller's success and that made me an even bigger fan of his. He went from John Landis' Thriller mini movie to Martin Scorsese's Bad, and he stayed with Quincy Jones instead of heading off for another producer, looking for a different sound. He went bigger, he wanted better and for the hardcore fan, they were rewarded.

Bad was a groovy jam, the bass line was gripping, and the horn section was on fire. His lyrics seemed like they could have been left over from Beat It because the song was pure attitude. While the album Bad wasn't the commercial success that Thriller was, Michael gave that project everything he had, and this video is evidence of that. It still gives me chills to this day. Today would have been his 55th birthday and despite his troubles off the stage and away from music, he was and will forever be an icon.

To the Baddest motherfucker on the planet, Happy Birthday Michael!

Bitter

I was a fan of Me'Shell NdegeOcello's after hearing her first album, Plantation Lullabies. After her second release, Peace Beyond Passion failed to grab me like her first, I stayed loyal and I am really glad I did. The magnificent genius of her third release entitled Bitter, in my humble opinion placed her in the pantheon of artists. Since being released in 1999, Bitter has always stayed in heavy rotation with me, and it always will. Especially the title track of that album, Bitter.

This song starts off with Me'Shell strumming an acoustic guitar and then joins in, her sultry vocals riding along that beautiful melody. Lyrically the song is heartbreaking, musically it's addictive. So mournful, so full of yearning, and the cello breaks me all the time.

Today is her birthday and I want to wish this amazing artist a very happy birthday. I also want to thank her for sharing this amazing body of work entitled Bitter with the world. No matter what you do or where you go artistically Me'Shell, I will forever be a fan. Happy Birthday!

Evaporation

I was watching a movie the other day, one I am a big fan of and this song came on. I had forgotten all about it. The second it hit my ears again though, it was like running into an old friend, and this old friend reminded me that it was the reason I bought the soundtrack to the movie in the first place. The name of the movie is Manhunter, directed by Michael Mann and the song is Evaporation by the group Shriekback.

The vocals are so washed out they are really hard to make out. Yes, there are vocals in this song and it's those vocals that add that melody which rounds out the track. I love the bottom heavy ethereal groove this song contains, it will thump in your big boy speakers. The lyrics can be found online if you're curious about them, but I think not knowing them makes the song better. They come across as just another instrument.

The song was ahead of it's time in many regards. It paved the way for electronic music and it bridged the gap between electronic music and pop. It's a haunting song and it haunted me right up to the second where I finally bought the soundtrack. It's a favorite tune of mine and I won't lose touch with this old friend again.

Erotic City

This song is a nasty banger in every conceivable way, and it's one of my all time favorite songs by Prince. The cut is Erotic City, a sexual concoction that was cooked up by his purple badness back when he was really feeling himself creatively and sexually. A song inspired by Parliament Funkadelic, Erotic City was the B side of the single Let's Go Crazy back in 1984, and it quickly overshadowed Crazy.

The groove is completely infectious, the bass line and melody play around with each other as the drums drive the tempo. Then Prince comes in with his verse, but it's not the verse that's eye and ear opening, it's that juicy chorus of If we cannot make babies / Maybe we can make some time / Fuck so pretty you and me / Erotic city come alive / We can fuck until the dawn / Making love til cherries gone / Erotic city can't you see / Fuck so pretty you and me. He set the world on fire with that. Just when people thought he had the world in the palm of his hand with Purple Rain the movie and soundtrack, they then realized there was no stopping him once they heard this track.

Everybody has their favorite Prince song, and I do mean EVERYBODY. My all time favorite is Adore from his Sign O' The Times album, but for pure funk and shock value, it's damn hard not to count Erotic City as a favorite as well. 

4 Moms

Just a cool, breezy jam by A Tribe Called Quest entitled 4 Moms off their 1998 album The Love Movement. It's got a definite Isley Brothers feel to it and I just felt like sharing this on an easy Sunday morning, enjoy!

Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now

This is a really cool song from a really cool artist. Hailing from England, she came before Adele and Amy. She laid the ground work for those ladies and her name is Joss Stone. I love this song by her and think it's just so flipping groovy, it's crazy. The song is Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now and the groove is courtesy of Gladys Knight and The Pips' Midnight Train to Georgia. Written by Joss, her team, Common, and produced by Raphael Saddiq from Tony! Toni! Toné! fame, this song was off her third studio album entitled Introducing Joss Stone.

It was released back in 2007 and while Tell Me didn't chart very high, after you heard it, it was hard to forget it. The drums are what make this song pop. The groovy bass line and organ also fit in perfectly with Joss' soulful and sultry voice. When she sings It feels so safe when you hold me / It's already like you know me and when Common raps his line I find calm in you / I see my mom in you, those make this song a classic in my opinion.

Check it out and see if you agree with me, and definitely enjoy the video. It's a great video to a great song. Enjoy!

Vide Cor Meum

First off, this is not an aria. I know it sounds like one and feels like one, but it isn't one. It is instead, a piece created for the movie Hannibal which starred Sir Anthony Hopkins. Produced and created by Patrick Cassidy and Han Zimmer, this lovely piece is entitled Vide Core Meum (See My Heart). The piece is based on the third chapter in the sonnet "A ciascun alma presa" and it's stirring in its beauty.

I marvel at the fact this was done just for a movie. What Patrick and Hans did creatively goes above and beyond the soundtrack parameters in my opinion. It was Vide Cor Meum in particular that pushed me to by the score to the film and I can listen to it and never tire of it. Listen and read along with the libretto and maybe you'll feel the same.

Claire de Lune

This is one of my all time favorite classical music pieces. It has been used in many a movie and TV show and it's beauty is hard to ignore. The song is Claire de Lune and it's composer is Claude Debussy. It is the third movement of his Suite bergamasque and the first two movements and the fourth movement are beautiful in their own right, but it's Claire de Lune that stands out so vividly from the others.

Today is Claude Debussy's birthday and as a tribute I thought I would place his most famous (and one of my most favorite) piece in my blog. Claire de Lune means moonlight in French, so tonight I will gaze upon the full moon as this plays in honor of the man. I have some great and lasting memories associated to this song, for that I thank you Mr. Debussy, and Happy Birthday!

Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic

The title of this seriously funky groovy song aside, this song was ahead of it's time. It was one of those "outer space" grooves by the maestro Isaac Hayes and it took the world by storm. It showed everyone that he was indeed a musical force to be reckoned with, and the more you listen to this almost ten minute track you see why. This track came off his game changing 1969 album Hot Buttered Soul and Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic has been one of the most heavily sampled songs by hip hop producers all over the world.

The lyrics are almost of no consequence, but when Isaac sings I can't sleep at night/But that's alright/The MD tells me/My hearts on strike, you can't help but laugh. Don't even try to figure out the title or the chorus of the song and what it all means, I think that secret went to the grave with the Black Moses. What he mainly wanted to leave behind was that incendiary groove. The drums are ferocious and the piano does its best to keep up.

Happy Belated Birthday Mr. Hayes. I tried to get this blogged yesterday, 8/20 for your birthday, but you know how life can be. I want to thank you for your contributions that helped make life just a little better, a little more tolerable. For that, we will be eternally grateful. May you continue to rest in peace.  

Human Legacy

The second I heard this track, actually it was a segment of the track since I hadn't heard the entire thing at the time, I knew I was sharing it. You ever hear a song and one part catches you and you call in love with it? Human Legacy by Ivan Torrent did that for me but instead of one part, it was many. Sadly I don't have what album this amazing song is off of, nor do I have any other information except that this song is a single, though after this song plays in the video there are a number of other selections you can take a listen to. Hopefully there will be an album soon.

What catches me is the structure, the vocals, and the arrangement of the song. There are moments this song comes across mournful and other times heroically epic. Ivan even takes a page out of the Two Steps From Hell playbook towards the end of his song. If you know the song All Is Hell That Ends Well then you have a pretty good idea what I'm talking about.

If you like this track then I suggest taking a listen to Ivan's Power of Will. It's damn good, almost as good as Human Legacy, but not quite. Put this on your big boy speakers and give it a good listen. You never know, you just may find something about it that makes you love it as much as I do. Enjoy.

Could It Be I'm Falling In Love

I grew up with this song, literally. It was one of my parents favorite songs and it was routinely played every single weekend, almost without fail. The song is by The Spinners and the song is the classic Could It Be I'm Falling In Love. Whenever I heard this song I knew it was chores time. We cleaned the house to this song until the grooves were worn out on the vinyl. I used to hate this song and I never appreciated it until I got older and realized how beautiful it is.

Recorded in 1972 and off their album Spinners, the groups first release after leaving Motown Records, Could It Be reached as high as number one on Billboards top Soul chart and number four on the Billboards Pop charts. The song starts off with that sweet melody and it's joined by that one element that I have always loved about the songs of that day, strings. Then Bobby Smith hits you with that smooth voice over that mellow groove, singing smart lyrics about meeting the love of his life. Timeless.

This song, this blast from my past had to be added to my blog, it was only right. It's a great song and it always puts a smile on my face...now. Enjoy!

Dust to Dust

I'm not a big fan of their sound, I am however a big fan of this song. The Civil Wars have unleashed this song upon my soul and I cannot stop listening to it. I can't seem to pull away no matter how much I try. Dust to Dust is off their latest release entitled The Civil Wars, and it's an amazing song.  

I get wrapped up in this song and I don't know why. It might be the subtle production, or it could be the perfect harmonious blending of Joy Williams and John Paul White's voices that do it. I think the biggest reason I love this song so much is because of its chorus and sentiment. Afgter Joy sings the most poignant verses I have heard in a very long time, where she sees this other person playing the part of pretending to be happy, together they sing Let me in the wall/You built around/We can light a match/And burn them down/Let me hold your hand/And dance round and round the flame/In front of us/Dust to dust...

I don't think I'll ever be a huge fan of this group, but for this moment, right here, right now, I am a huge fan of their song, and I will always be. Give it a listen, a hard listen and maybe you'll be too. Enjoy!

Star People 97

I have been a rather large George Michael fan stretching back to his days in Wham! When I heard the song A Different Corner, I was hooked. It was a well written song, a little heavy on the schmaltz, but it fit that period of my life so perfectly that it almost became a theme song. I had no idea this white guy from England was also so funky though.

Later in his career he started to display his funky side and he emphasized the fun in funky. George Michael gets laughed off by a lot of people for this reason or that, but the man is an artist, pure and simple. He's written some amazing songs and one that still puts a smile on my face is Star People 97. It's a funky rip on celebrity and a funky romp musically. Off of his amazing 1996 release Older, Star People 97 caught me somewhat off guard. It's five minutes and thirty eight seconds of pure funky fun, and at the 3:40 mark he hits you with the classic Gap Band bass line from their hit Burn Rubber. Talk about classic.

I will always be a George Michael fan, mainly because he never failed to entertain me. He's an iconic entertainer, and when it comes right down to it, that's really all I care about.

Brazilian Love Affair

An icon of music recently passed away, and when I say "of music" it's because there wasn't anything George Duke couldn't do musically. He was adept in jazz, funk, pop, rock, alternative rock, and so many other genres that listing them here would take all day. That term "musical genius" has been passed around and given to those who don't deserve it. George Duke deserved that moniker in every way, shape, and form.

One of my favorite tunes by this genius is the harmoniously funky Brazilian Love Affair. Released in 1979 after traveling to Brazil to record it, it's one of his most amazing albums, and it displayed his versatility and craftsmanship in such amazing ways. I can listen to this cut and never grow tired of it. I love the funky bass line as it plays along with the rhythm guitar and rumbles along under the smooth vocals. Then comes the change up and it takes this song to another plane, lovely.

George Duke left us on August 5th, 2013 and he is going to be truely missed. Not just by the music community but by those that have come to be ardent lovers of his music. On behalf of music lovers everywhere I'd like to say thank you Mr. Duke for providing us with creativity so beautiful and inspiring. May you rest forevermore in eternal peace.

Castellorization - On An Island

As a Roger Waters fan I had programmed myself to look upon anything David Gilmour did with suspicion and derision. I laughed at his song writing skills and I was pissed at the fact that he continued to tour under the Pink Floyd banner, knowing all the while that the groups biggest hits were written by Roger Waters. As a fan of Pink though, I would slyly take a listen to what David's Floyd was doing, mainly because I missed that signature Floyd sound. To say I was often less than impressed would be an understatement.

Then I heard David Gilmour: Live In Gdansk and it blew me away, especially this song. On An Island so vividly displays the one thing David could always do and that's play that damn guitar of his. The lyrics are elementary, pedestrian even. They're nice but they aren't going to win any songwriting awards. No, the magic of this song is the second guitar solo.

The second guitar solo is a thing of absolute magic. David wails away on his ax as the strings playing underneath him add a layer to that solo that renders me speechless, and gives me chills. It's lightening captured in a bottle and I for one am thankful they recorded that moment because it was...perfection. I'm still not much of a David Gilmour fan, but thanks to On An Island I'm a bigger fan than I was, and that's saying something. Enjoy!