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Album Review: Sade – Soldier of Love
Sade’s musical legacy lies in her ability to fill expansive emotion into recounting the deep and defining moments of love. It never feels personal to her, but universally personal to the listener, a skill that none have mastered in quite the same realm. She, as well as her band, have made an entire career of this aim, and for her first album release in a decade, Soldier of Love does not deviate from form. There are huge hooks, solid songwriting, fantastically expressive and even fanciful orchestration, and while not a masterpiece, in an era where the market has been deluged by a new female soul vanguard that angles increasingly towards pop, Sade remains regal, calm, collected and steadfast, and merely releases the standard bearer album to define the female expression in R & B for 2010.
The album feels familiar. While many may see that as a negative, to hear a coherent, six minute long single like the lead single “Soldier of Love” in an era where most singers are barely allowed to fill four minutes with quality material is ultra impressive. It hearkens to the days of her quadruple platinum Love Deluxe album with its deep forays into emotion from a lyric and sonic standpoint. Epic instrumentation outlines the landscape where Sade is loosing this torch song of undaunted romantic aspiration.
Download: Mos Def x Robert Glasper – Dilla Tribute, Ann Arbor, MI
Download: Mos Def x Robert Glasper – Dilla Tribute, Ann Arbor, MI
I’ve been avoiding the “Dilla-mania” that arises on the anniversary of his death and his birthday. Don’t get me wrong, I think J Dilla is one of the best hip-hop producers of all time, but I get mad when cats who didn’t even know who Dilla was 10 years ago start claiming that he’s the G.O.A.T. just because it’s the culturally acceptable thing to do. I’m glad his work is getting more exposure, but as Mos’s photographer Cognito said last week, we need to be into our icons in life just as much as we are in death. (That goes for Michael Jackson too).
Rants aside, I did think that this Mos Def x Robert Glasper Dilla tribute to be fitting. They covered 16 of my Dilla songs for some lucky Michiganders, including”Stakes Is High and “Fall In Love.” Check it: (via Blind I and BamaLoveSoul)
01. Black Radio
02. Fantastic
03. The $
04. Interlude
05. E=MC2
06. Jam
07. Ms. Fat Booty
08. The Look of Love
09. Players
10. Bass Solo
11. Jam
12. Interlude
13. Paint The World
14. Interlude
15. Stakes Is High
16. Fall In Love
Album Review: Sade – Soldier of Love
Sade’s musical legacy lies in her ability to fill expansive emotion into recounting the deep and defining moments of love. It never feels personal to her, but universally personal to the listener, a skill that none have mastered in quite the same realm. She, as well as her band, have made an entire career of [...]
Download: Mos Def x Robert Glasper – Dilla Tribute, Ann Arbor, MI
Download: Mos Def x Robert Glasper – Dilla Tribute, Ann Arbor, MI
I’ve been avoiding the “Dilla-mania” that arises on the anniversary of his death and his birthday. Don’t get me wrong, I think J Dilla is one of the best hip-hop producers of all time, but I get mad when cats who didn’t even know [...]
TV Watch: Soul Train Documentary
I know I don’t stand alone with my respect for Soul Train. And although I missed out on my parents era and was not able to watch iconic performers like Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin do their thang on the stage (with cool ass host and creator Don Cornelius watching on the side), as a kid [...]
New Video: Nina Sky – Beautiful People
I was never into Nina Sky. I know the whole ‘Move Ya Body’ song was crazy popular back in the summer of 2004, but I only listened to it (and knew every word) because unfortunately that was during my terrestrial radio listening days – so basically I had no choice (you know, how radio will [...]
VIDEO: Wale – My Sweetie (directed by Tabi Bonney)
This song can only be only be found on iTunes if you purchase Wale’s entire album. It is one of two bonus tracks.
Wale – My Sweetie (directed by tabi Bonney) from tabi Bonney on Vimeo.
Designer to Watch: Lanie B. (of Hellz Bellz)
NAME: Lanie Alabanza-Barcena (Lanie B.)
Sign: Libra
Reppen: Los Angeles
Occupation: Creative Director and Founder of Hellz Bellz
Crew: Husband Bam and dog Marley
Quote: “There is nothing more empowering for a woman than to be able to hold her own without the help of a man.”
Web: http://hellz-bellz.com/; http://www.whatthehellz.com
“Hells Bells and cockle shells!” What does that really mean anyway? [...]
TV: Kid Cudi Shows You “How To Make It In America”
I gotta confess something: An industry source told me about Kid Cudi filming a pilot for an HBO show months ago. At that time, I couldn’t tell anybody, and to be honest, I still can’t picture Cudi as an actor (on the flip, Drake would’ve been good with this and he has acting experience, but [...]
PHOTOS: The Roots Jam at BB Kings, NYC
Photos by Joann Gomez/Music Looks Like This. Please Support.
The 3rd annual Roots Holiday Jam went down this past weekend at BB Kings in New York City. In addition to the legendary Roots crew, the stage was graced by the cast of the hit Broadway Musical Fela, Brother Ali, The Hynotic Brass Ensemble, and surprise guest [...]
Live: Raphael Saadiq and Anjulie at the 9:30 Club, DC
When we look back on the career of Raphel Saadiq, we must place him among our generation’s greats. For almost 30 years, he has been pumping out amazing soul music, from Tony! Toni! Toné!, to Lucy Pearl, and from his own solo career.
Live: Res at Inside The Artists’s Studio, DC
To some Res is not yet a household name. However, to a small group of fans in Washington, DC last week, she was the center of the world.
IN PHOTOS: Rakim at Black Cat, DC
Last Sunday night, Washington, DC’s Black Cat was graced with hip-hop royalty as Rakim took the stage, rocking old joints and new tracks from his new album The Seventh Seal.
Presenting DC and Bmore’s DJ Quicksilva, and the underground hit, “Where They Do That At?”
DOWNLOAD INTERVIEW HERE…
Interview: Cognito, Mos Def’s Documentiarian and curator of Ecstatic Moments
Photo provided by FroLab
If you’re in Los Angeles this weekend, do yourself a favor and head over to the HVW8 Art & Design Galley, right off of Melrose Avenue. Enter the small, square shaped gallery and you will find Mos Def: Ecstatic Moments, a collection of photographs from the past two years of Mos’ [...]
Interview: Common at BMI’s “How I Wrote That Song” panel, Hollywood
Common always seems to be a few years ahead of his time. The Chicago MC was once scolded by the hip-hop community for his more adventitious projects–Electric Circus and Universal Mind Control–however now it’s almost the norm for hip-hop artists to rhyme over electro beats. Ever forward thinking and innovative, the MC has not only [...]
Interview: What’s Up With Selah Sue?
About a month ago I blogged about a girl from Belgium named Selah Sue who many referred to as the ‘white girl who rhymes like a Jamaican’. Since then I’ve really begin to wonder about who this girl is; why is she deeply into reggae and hip hop and how is it that with such a dope [...]
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The Musical Minority Podcast: Asher Roth in the age of Black Music
Asher finds himself in the same position as many other white artists who make black music, but in 2009, has anything changed?
Podcast: Kidz In The Hall
It’s been a while since we had a podcast…..I know people have been asking me about it, and we’ve been dark since May, HOWEVER, we return to the podcast game with a special guest–Nawledge and Double-O from Kidz In The Hall.
Random Ish Radio 025: Badu Remixed, Jay Electronica, Res, Other Treats
Another collection of delectable treats for your iPod.
Random Ish Radio 024: The Podcast Is Back!!!
Whats up people. I can’t even believe that Its been almost a year since the last Podcast dropped. My bad.
ALBUM REVIEW:Massive Attack “Heligoland”
Massive Attack – Paradise Circus
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Tomorrow marks the official release date (U.S. and Canada) for Heligoland, the 5th proper studio album by Massive Attack.
Whereas the 2003 release 100th Window glistened with mechanical accuracy and disciplined minimal techno, Heligoland finds the Bristol duo returning to the dirtier, dubbed out sound of [...]
Review: Corinne Bailey Rae – The Sea
It seemed like only yesterday that we saw fresh faced Leeds singer Corinne Bailey Rae burst onto the scene. Her self-titled debut album, laced with pop hits “Like A Star,” and the empowering “Put Your Records On,” made her a critical and commercial darling.
After experiencing the death of her husband, it seemed like Corrinne would [...]
Mixtape Review: Jack Splash – King of the Beats, Vol. 1
Download: JACK SPLASH – King of the Beats, Vol. 1
Jack Splash was frozen in place conducting a full symphony for Quincy Jones in 1981 at the Hollywood Bowl, unfrozen five years ago after being stored away for almost 30 years and was immediately dropped off at the Compton Swap Meet.
Jack Splash was frozen [...]
Mixtape Review: SMKA – The 808 Experiment Vol 2
The SMKA compilation might lack the star power of Big Boi’s Purple Ribbon All-Stars compilation from a few years ago, but it is a solid piece of work, and should do good things for all who were involved.
