Since I just started this journal on MB, I figured I'd transplant it over here.

A while back, I started a journal on MB about albums I felt were underappreciated. I've been wanting to go back to it, but haven't felt the spark yet to actually feel like writing enough to make it anything besides work. So, in lieu of that, I decided I'll do one of the these - the classic "what am I listening to" journals. This will serve hopefully as an outlet to exercise the linguistic part of my brain and perhaps even motivate me to start other journals I'd find worthwhile (like discography reviews) or return to my old underappreciated album journal.

Anyways, I'll provide a Youtube link to a track - or maybe an album, and give a brief explanation for what I like about it. Or, maybe I'll feel lazy and just provide a link. It'll depend on my mood. Let's begin.


#1 Mar 21, 2023, 08:02 PM Last Edit: Apr 01, 2023, 09:05 PM by SGR
Leftfield - This Is What We Do

Leftfield is widely known for their then innovative sounds in breakbeat and progressive house music on full display in their 1995 album Leftism. Admittedly, I always liked Underworld more, but the album grew on me over time, as did their vastly underappreciated follow-up Rhythm & Stealth (which has one of the all time coolest album covers). Anyways, 7 years ago or so they released a third album finally - it was okay, few good tracks - fast forward to late last year and they quietly (to not much fanfare) released a fourth album, This Is What We Do.

It's good. That's about all. It isn't revolutionary or anything - in fact, it's more of the same really. Same old Leftfield sound that was established on their first two records - breakbeats, big beats, and hard, driving analogue synths with some clever and crafty vocal loops and vocal contributions thrown in to spice things up. Despite the lack of originality, I quite enjoyed the record. There's something comforting about an artist that doesn't really switch up their sound and releases one album every decade or so - it's sort of like seeing an old friend who you haven't talked to in a long time - and after the initial greetings are out of the way, it's like you've never spent any time apart. Comfort, yes, that's the word. It's not always what I want out of music, but when it is, and I'm in the mood, Leftfield is, and hopefully continues to be (i.e. I hope this isn't their final record) that friend. This is what they do indeed. And they're damn good at it.




#2 Mar 21, 2023, 08:03 PM Last Edit: Apr 01, 2023, 09:06 PM by SGR
Rose Royce - Wishing On A Star

I've been listening to some 70s funk and soul recently - and besides their unforgettable "Car Wash", I'd never really listened to anything else by Rose Royce. Oddly, their first album was the soundtrack to the comedy film Car Wash. So I figured, I'd check out their first album proper In Full Bloom. It's a pretty damn good record - but I think their ballads are better than their exercises in funk. Case in point, the first track on the record, "Wishing on a Star" - which is unfortunately, the best song on the entire damn record.

The piano stabs, the deliberate percussion, the woozy strings, and most importantly, the crescendoes near the end and the absolutely beautiful vocals from Rose Norwalt (Gwen Dickey) - just wonderful. I love it. Again, it sucks that it's clearly the best song on the record. Peep it if you haven't heard it.


ALSO:

Hearing this track was a bit of a mindblower to me - as some of you know, I'm a big fan of house music. John Summit released a house track a couple years ago ("Forgotten One") that samples "Wishing on a Star". I should've done some more exploration at the time, because I've naively assumed that the vocals weren't a sample, but an original piece created specifically for that song. How wrong I was - but anyways, it was a great sample choice:




#3 Mar 21, 2023, 08:03 PM Last Edit: Apr 01, 2023, 09:06 PM by SGR
Mono - Slimcea Girl

Trip hop as a relatively mainstream item seemed to disappear as quickly as it appeared - and there were several artists who made only one or two albums. One such group was Mono, a UK duo. Their big hit was "Life in Mono" - which is a great track, but I've always kind of liked "Slimcea Girl" better. Those beautiful piano notes are infectious, the bass licks are groovy - and the choral chorus is just *mwah* chef's kiss!


"Only memories remain...

OF THE WAY SHE USED TO BE! THE WAY SHE USED TO BE!"

Very jazzy, relaxing stuff. The album as a whole is even more relaxing - it's front-loaded, but still an enjoyable listen. Sometimes, you don't leave a long legacy, but a small imprint - and sometimes, that's good enough.

Oh, one other note - the title of the track came from this old TV advert for bread:

Slim-slim-slimcea girl!




#4 Mar 21, 2023, 08:04 PM Last Edit: Apr 01, 2023, 09:06 PM by SGR
The Horace Silver Quintet - Lonely Woman

Horace Silver was one hell of a pianist. And of course, he released some great albums too. His most famous is probably his 1965 Blue Note hard bop classic, Song for my Father, an album dedicated in tribute his dad, who was featured on the album's cover.



The album has rightfully garnered a lot of praise over the years - and while I wouldn't dare to begin to try and explain in technical terms why I love it, given my lack of knowledge in how to actually play jazz music, I can say that any lover of jazz music should check this album out. It's the perfect record to put on during a sunny Sunday morning when you're relaxing and trying to recharge for the challenges that next week will bring.

The title track is probably the most well known out of the bunch, a great, great song. But the closing track, "Lonely Woman" is perhaps my favorite. It's one of those mood pieces. Sparse drums, muted bass, and a dominant piano performance. It's just beautiful - the way the notes ascend and descend is like a massage for your brain. If you're not relaxed after hearing this track, I think therapy sessions might be in order for you.




#5 Mar 23, 2023, 04:42 PM Last Edit: Apr 01, 2023, 09:07 PM by SGR
S.O.S. Band - No One's Gonna Love You

Oh yes, probably my favorite S.O.S. Band tune.


That phat rolling bassline, those gentle guitar plucks, driving drum machine claps, and Mary Davis's beautiful soulful vocals. This is a perfectly funky slow jam - addctive in its laid-back nature and perfect delivery.

"Rate my love....from one to ten....and I'm suuuuure you'd give it twelve...."

S.O.S. Band is massively underrated and underappreciated - and so are Mary Davis's vocals. Just great, great stuff. They regularly add a bit of brass to live performances of this song which always sounds great - it's kind of unfortunate that there wasn't a brass section on the original recording, even though I think it's perfect how it is. Here's a live performance that showcases the saxy rendition (there's no great sounding live recordings on Youtube, which is a bummer):


I'm still waiting on a great house remix of this track. Some artist must've sampled the vocals in a house tune, right?....missed opportunity if not.


Nice, SGR :) I'm enjoying your write-ups and like the diversity in the genres you cover.

I never heard that Horace Silver album (or much of him at all), but it seems like just the thing for me atm. Gonna check that out more thoroughly!

Happiness is a warm manatee

Quote from: Guybrush on Mar 23, 2023, 07:31 PMNice, SGR :) I'm enjoying your write-ups and like the diversity in the genres you cover.

I never heard that Horace Silver album (or much of him at all), but it seems like just the thing for me atm. Gonna check that out more thoroughly!

Thanks Guy! Definitely let me know what you think of the Horace Silver album! :)


#8 Mar 24, 2023, 01:57 AM Last Edit: Apr 01, 2023, 09:08 PM by SGR
UGK - One Day

UGK (consisting of Bun B and Pimp C) - the southern rap duo that is unfortunately perhaps best known in popular consciousness for either their feature on Jay-Z's "Big Pimpin" or their late era masterstroke that featured Andre 3K, "Int'l Players Anthem (I Choose You)":



Great tunes, both of them - but when I think of UGK, I'm not thinking of either of these songs.

I'm thinking of one of the all-time greatest rap tracks - I'm thinking of "One Day", the opening tune from their best album, Ridin' Dirty. This isn't just glorification of drug dealing and partying as is the case with a lot of southern rap - it deals deftly with the consequences of living these lifestyles - it's emotionally charged and poignant as hell. This track paints a picture of a never-ending cycle of drug-dealing, incarceration, death, and sadness. The whole song is elevated to the level of classic with Ronnie Spencer putting in an amazingly soulful performance for the chorus and the woozy guitar that accompanies everything.

Lyric examples:

"Verse 2 - Bun B"
Down in Orange, my nigga Pots died on the corner
Behind a funky-ass dice game
I saw him once before he died, wish it was twice, man
I remember being eight deep off in Chucky crib
Lettin' us act bad, not givin' a fuck what we did
When we lost him, I knew the world was comin' to the end
And I had to quit lettin' that devil push me to a sin
My brother been in the pen for damn near ten
But now it look like when he come out, man, I'm goin' in
So, shit, I walk around with my mind blown in my own fuckin' zone
'Cause one day, you're here, the next day, you're gone
[close]

"Verse 3 - Pimp C"
My world a trip, you can ask Bun B, bitch, I ain't no liar
My man BoBo just lost his baby in a house fire (Oh yeah)
And when I got on my knees that night to pray, I asked God
"Why You let these killers live and take my homeboy's son away?"
Man if you got kids, show you love 'em 'cause God just might call 'em home
'Cause one day, they're here and, baby, the next day, they're gone
[close]


Oh yeah, one more thing: I think at their best, they were a better rap duo than Outkast were. Don't believe me? Check out "Murder", the third track on Ridin' Dirty - Pimp C drops bombs on the track - and that's just the pre-game before Bun B goes absolutely nuclear:


So yeah - "One Day" is a masterpiece of a track - and Ridin' Dirty is a certified rap classic. If you haven't heard it, you're missing out.


Man I love me some SOS Band and Atlantic Starr.  Sands Of Time is one of the best R&B songs of the 80's.


Quote from: Nimbly9 on Mar 28, 2023, 10:29 PMMan I love me some SOS Band and Atlantic Starr.  Sands Of Time is one of the best R&B songs of the 80's.

"Sands of Time" is another great tune! Don't think I've heard much Atlantic Starr though - do you have any song/album recommendations?


#11 Mar 28, 2023, 11:59 PM Last Edit: Apr 01, 2023, 09:09 PM by SGR
The Sound - Total Recall

When it comes to post-punk, one of the more underappreciated bands in my eyes was The Sound. Their excellent debut album, Jeopardy was released about a year and a half after Unknown Pleasures - and their equally great follow-up From the Lion's Mouth was released a year later. I love these two records. Both of them are close to my heart. They're both downright excellent exercises in dark, somewhat depressing, but yet ultimately triumphant post punk music. Politically charged ("Missiles") at times - while at other times just grasping for hope ("Sense of Purpose") - it's always a musical exorcism of something evil from within us. The Sound were the real deal, even if they weren't as experimental as some of their contemporaries (The Pop Group, Swell Maps, Public Image Ltd., etc.) - the quality of their music speaks for itself. For those that don't know, their lead singer commited suicide in a particularly disturbing way (threw himself under a train as onlookers watched in horror) - his music and his lyrics were genuine expressions of his feelings and his inner turmoil.

Their records never became poor or tiresome, but after their second record, they admittedly never released anything quite as excellent. Which isn't to say that they no longer made excellent songs - and to that end, one of their later tracks is what I'm listening to today - "Total Recall" from their fourth record Heads and Hearts.

Beginning with a deliberate thumping bassline that soon sprouts into an excellently melodic guitar riff - Borland sings about love lost and the inevitable passing of time - tried and true lyrical subject matter - but boy do they make it work:

It's all such a blur when time goes so quickly
Trying to hang on to the way that you'd like things to stay
You trace back the seconds recall the details
From someone will, to someone does
To someone did, you know I did
Oh there must be a hole in your memory
But I can see
I can see, a distant victory
A time when you will be with me


And when that soaring chorus hits, that's when the song wins you over. At least, it won me over. Despite not hailing from their best album, "Total Recall" is most certainly one of their greatest songs. Sometimes what pushes a song over the top is the delivery and the pacing, and that's the case here. A melodic and poppy post punk triumph:


RIP Adrian


Quote from: SGR on Mar 28, 2023, 11:36 PM
Quote from: Nimbly9 on Mar 28, 2023, 10:29 PMMan I love me some SOS Band and Atlantic Starr.  Sands Of Time is one of the best R&B songs of the 80's.

"Sands of Time" is another great tune! Don't think I've heard much Atlantic Starr though - do you have any song/album recommendations?

Silver Shadow is my favorite song by them. It's such a good song that when he first heard it, it galvanized DMX to start his music career.


Quote from: Nimbly9 on Mar 29, 2023, 01:16 AM
Quote from: SGR on Mar 28, 2023, 11:36 PM
Quote from: Nimbly9 on Mar 28, 2023, 10:29 PMMan I love me some SOS Band and Atlantic Starr.  Sands Of Time is one of the best R&B songs of the 80's.

"Sands of Time" is another great tune! Don't think I've heard much Atlantic Starr though - do you have any song/album recommendations?

Silver Shadow is my favorite song by them. It's such a good song that when he first heard it, it galvanized DMX to start his music career.

Just listened to it, great song!! I'll have to listen to more! Are you serious though - did this song actually galvanize DMX's career? Possibly no Ruff Ryders Anthem without this tune?


QuoteRapper DMX's career was influenced by "Silver Shadow"; in an interview for Rolling Stone he explained: "I'd just finished doing a robbery, and I was walking into my building [...]. I stopped right in my tracks. If you hear the words to that song, you'd know how it predicted my life to me. I'd been doin' the beatbox before that, but that's when I started writin' seriously."