Bilal is an extremely talented R&B artist that basically got stuck in major label hell. As a classically trained opera singer, there are very few voices I've heard in R&B with quite the caliber as his. While earning all the critical respect in the world from his major label debut, 2001's "1st Born Second", even the roster of big-name producers- with little promotion he was buried beneath the neo-soul explosion of Maxwell, India Arie, Jill Scott, and Erykah Badu. Since then, he's gained quite the cult following, continuing to tour and work with other artists. His second album, "Love for Sale", was shelved by Interscope to the dismay of many fans, despite the entire album leaking on the internet.
In 2009, he finally signed with an indie label, and the following year released his second official album, the universally lauded "Airtight's Revenge". Unbound by major label pressure, the album showcases massive creativity and classic sounding soul music. Bilal has a falsetto that will send chills down your spine. It's a shame that one of the absolute best voices of the past decade is continually ignored by the mainstream.
One of the singles from the album, torchlight ballad "Little One", is a perfect example of his sound- flawless vocals, Stevie Wonder influence, strong melody, and meaningful lyrics. The video is quite powerful, as a couple learns that their child is autistic. The mainstream has not been a welcoming place for Bilal over the past decade, but at least those of us that are aware of his presence are continually rewarded with stellar classic soul music.
Showing posts with label Song of the Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Song of the Day. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Saturday, August 20, 2011
8/20/2011: The Weeknd feat. Drake- The Zone
I feel like I've listened to more R&B this year than any other genre in 2011. It's hard to find consistently evolving genres- I'm always looking for what's new under the sun. It seems like the social media age and immediate access to all kinds of music has had a huge influence on the R&B community. The Weeknd's first mixtape, "House of Balloons", was released to deafening hype and rapturous reviews. For the first time, we have a potential megastar self-producing tracks with Beach House and Cocteau Twins samples. For a genre that is notorious for providing a few hit singles off of an album with corresponding filler on the rest of the album, R&B has gained credibility amongst the indie community in a similar sense to the turn of the millenium, when Maxwell, D'Angelo, and Erykah Badu released their career defining albums. As fresh as they sounded back in 1996-1999. Just as these artists gave the genre a face lift, so will this new generation of "blogger artists".
The song's almost 7 minutes long, and the atmospheric interlude between The Weeknd and Drake's verses- when has that ever happened before in R&B? The unconventional notions of indie experimentalism and mainstream R&B are finally colliding, and The Weeknd will be remembered as the artist (along with the OFWGKTA collective) that really merged it and created a splash.
As with Frank Ocean, these two artists will become absolute stars over the next year or two. And as for the song itself I'm blogging about... nothing really needs to be said. I guess the most notable thing is that this is really one of the few completely new things happening in music, in ANY genre. Which is why I'm so crazy about it.
The song's almost 7 minutes long, and the atmospheric interlude between The Weeknd and Drake's verses- when has that ever happened before in R&B? The unconventional notions of indie experimentalism and mainstream R&B are finally colliding, and The Weeknd will be remembered as the artist (along with the OFWGKTA collective) that really merged it and created a splash.
As with Frank Ocean, these two artists will become absolute stars over the next year or two. And as for the song itself I'm blogging about... nothing really needs to be said. I guess the most notable thing is that this is really one of the few completely new things happening in music, in ANY genre. Which is why I'm so crazy about it.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
8/15/2011- Jay Z & Kanye West ft. Frank Ocean- Made in America (2011)
Do I even need an introduction for this? The music world and blogs have been in a frenzy over the release of Watch the Throne, and is targeted to sell over half a million units in its first week. The 11th track from the album, "Made in America", instantly became the standout track off the album for me upon first listen.
In lead single Otis, the term "luxury rap" is coined. I can't think of a more accurate description from such a blockbuster of an album- 2 of the most powerful MC's- hell- musicians in the world rapping over the best beats money can buy, concurrently rapping about the things they can buy. Gears switch on "Made in America", a more conscious, socio-political statement, repeatedly referencing Coretta Scott King, Malcolm X, and Sweet Baby Jesus.
If unfamiliar, OFWGKTA member Frank Ocean, arguably the most buzzed about R&B artist in the genre currently, creates an instantly recognizable and addictive chorus. Even if a bit uninspired, the song has substance. 'Ye and Z offer earnest, heartfelt verses- but the real story for the song is a much blogged about artist earning his first legitimate exposure to the mainstream.
The song is basically a potential single and radio smash waiting to happen.
In lead single Otis, the term "luxury rap" is coined. I can't think of a more accurate description from such a blockbuster of an album- 2 of the most powerful MC's- hell- musicians in the world rapping over the best beats money can buy, concurrently rapping about the things they can buy. Gears switch on "Made in America", a more conscious, socio-political statement, repeatedly referencing Coretta Scott King, Malcolm X, and Sweet Baby Jesus.
If unfamiliar, OFWGKTA member Frank Ocean, arguably the most buzzed about R&B artist in the genre currently, creates an instantly recognizable and addictive chorus. Even if a bit uninspired, the song has substance. 'Ye and Z offer earnest, heartfelt verses- but the real story for the song is a much blogged about artist earning his first legitimate exposure to the mainstream.
The song is basically a potential single and radio smash waiting to happen.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
8/14/2011- PJ Harvey- Good Fortune (2000)
BACKGROUND:
This is the song that started my obsession with PJ Harvey. If unfamiliar, she started the class of out of the box female artists like Tori Amos and Bjork. Check out the most amazing magazine cover from British music magazine Q:
Polly Jean Harvey just released her latest album, Let England Shake, earlier this year to the warmest reception an album of hers has recieved since 2000's Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea, which is her most accessible and one of her biggest successes. An English artist writing a song about her love for New York eerily released a year before 9/11. There are conspiracy theories that This Mess We're In, the track she did with Thom Yorke for the album, predicts the attacks.
THE SONG ITSELF:
Harvey at her most accessible. She's known to be a challenging artist with each concurring album sounding nothing like her last. The closest thing to a pop song she's ever done, and the most appropriate starting point for her expansive catalog. It's notable that this is one of her happier songs, considering most of her songs, most notably her earlier work, is filled with angst and unsatisfaction. (And I feel like some bird of paradise/ My bad fortune slipping away/ And I feel the innocence of a child/ Everybody's got something good to say)
Also check out this great AV Club article about her:
This is the song that started my obsession with PJ Harvey. If unfamiliar, she started the class of out of the box female artists like Tori Amos and Bjork. Check out the most amazing magazine cover from British music magazine Q:
Polly Jean Harvey just released her latest album, Let England Shake, earlier this year to the warmest reception an album of hers has recieved since 2000's Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea, which is her most accessible and one of her biggest successes. An English artist writing a song about her love for New York eerily released a year before 9/11. There are conspiracy theories that This Mess We're In, the track she did with Thom Yorke for the album, predicts the attacks.
THE SONG ITSELF:
Harvey at her most accessible. She's known to be a challenging artist with each concurring album sounding nothing like her last. The closest thing to a pop song she's ever done, and the most appropriate starting point for her expansive catalog. It's notable that this is one of her happier songs, considering most of her songs, most notably her earlier work, is filled with angst and unsatisfaction. (And I feel like some bird of paradise/ My bad fortune slipping away/ And I feel the innocence of a child/ Everybody's got something good to say)
Also check out this great AV Club article about her:
Friday, August 12, 2011
8/13/2011- Yeasayer- I Remember (2010)
BACKGROUND:
Yeasayer is what I call the ultimate consensus band. Whenever I'm in a car with people, at a party, hell- whenever an acquaintance asks me to put something on, the first thing I turn to for immediate pleasure is Yeasayer's 2010 album Odd Blood. I see a lot of influence from Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavillion- a releatively inaccessible band finding a balance between their trademark and pop hooks- to much success.
THE SONG ITSELF:
The song "I Remember" is a pathetically sweet love song that hits all emotional cores if applicable. The song is unabashedly indulgent with plenty of stadium rock percussion and arpeggios that don't usually belong to indie bands. The melody is extremely easy to follow and becomes a total earworm by the end of the song the first time you listen. If you have a special someone on your mind, prepare your heart to melt. ("You're stuck in my mind... all the time")
LEGACY:
Who knows? Yeasayer has 4 absolutely killer singles from their breakthrough album "Odd Blood"... Highly recommended.
Yeasayer is what I call the ultimate consensus band. Whenever I'm in a car with people, at a party, hell- whenever an acquaintance asks me to put something on, the first thing I turn to for immediate pleasure is Yeasayer's 2010 album Odd Blood. I see a lot of influence from Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavillion- a releatively inaccessible band finding a balance between their trademark and pop hooks- to much success.
THE SONG ITSELF:
The song "I Remember" is a pathetically sweet love song that hits all emotional cores if applicable. The song is unabashedly indulgent with plenty of stadium rock percussion and arpeggios that don't usually belong to indie bands. The melody is extremely easy to follow and becomes a total earworm by the end of the song the first time you listen. If you have a special someone on your mind, prepare your heart to melt. ("You're stuck in my mind... all the time")
LEGACY:
Who knows? Yeasayer has 4 absolutely killer singles from their breakthrough album "Odd Blood"... Highly recommended.
8/12/2011: Karen Dalton- It Hurts Me Too (1968)
And now for something completely different.
BACKGROUND:
Karen Dalton is an obscure folk singer I stumbled upon while obsessed with the freak-folk genre in college. Her life was actually quite notable and interesting- Bob Dylan cites here as one of his main influences. She never recorded original material- only covers- and was stubborn of recording in a studio. In fact, she was tricked into recording her first album, not knowing it was being recorded. Her voice might be the most unique, beautiful and excruciating voices you'll ever hear- I've literally typed and erased 5 descriptions of her voice and none quite describe it accurately. Think Billy Holliday, Bob Dylan, Antony Hegarty, Devendra Banhart and Robert Johnson. Many artists today continue to discover her and continue to be influenced by her unconventional voice.
This isn't my favorite song of hers, by far. To find her best work, look to her 2nd album, "In My Own Time". This is just really the only video footage this day and age that we are left with of this incredible talent. Karen Dalton battled with drugs until her death in 1993, of which she was rumored homeless at the time. Of the minimal footage we have of this lost legend, at least we have this:
BACKGROUND:
Karen Dalton is an obscure folk singer I stumbled upon while obsessed with the freak-folk genre in college. Her life was actually quite notable and interesting- Bob Dylan cites here as one of his main influences. She never recorded original material- only covers- and was stubborn of recording in a studio. In fact, she was tricked into recording her first album, not knowing it was being recorded. Her voice might be the most unique, beautiful and excruciating voices you'll ever hear- I've literally typed and erased 5 descriptions of her voice and none quite describe it accurately. Think Billy Holliday, Bob Dylan, Antony Hegarty, Devendra Banhart and Robert Johnson. Many artists today continue to discover her and continue to be influenced by her unconventional voice.
This isn't my favorite song of hers, by far. To find her best work, look to her 2nd album, "In My Own Time". This is just really the only video footage this day and age that we are left with of this incredible talent. Karen Dalton battled with drugs until her death in 1993, of which she was rumored homeless at the time. Of the minimal footage we have of this lost legend, at least we have this:
Monday, August 8, 2011
8/11/2011 M.I.A.- Paper Planes (2008)
LEGACY/THE SONG ITSELF:
DUH, you know this song. When I dug through my brain for some of my favorite songs in recent memory, I thought about the best live shows I've been to. I saw M.I.A. in concert back in May of 2008 in Chicago, and seriously haven't seen a better show since. She had about 100 people on stage with her at one point, and it was honestly difficult to recognize or pinpoint the real M.I.A., but the presentation and energy were beyond exhilirating.
That being said, I don't know if there's a song this past decade that I've listened to more than "Paper Planes", or that I've liked more than "Paper Planes". My best friends and I used to drink and dance to it pretty much every weekend for 6 months, THEN it decided to become a fluke hit on the back of the new Judd Apatow movie trailer "The Pineapple Express". The song was a blockbuster, eventually peaking at #4 on the Hot 100, transforming her from blogger and indie circle's idol to international star. It's M.I.A.'s signature world music influence with a rhythm that has swagger for miles.
I never really paid attention to the lyrics until the song was used in "Slumdog Millionaire", The song's political lyrics are every bit as current and essential as the mesmerizing beat. Since, she's grown a horrible ego and released a sub-par 3rd album... I guess everyone deals with fame differently. It would be such a shame if this song were her peak.
DUH, you know this song. When I dug through my brain for some of my favorite songs in recent memory, I thought about the best live shows I've been to. I saw M.I.A. in concert back in May of 2008 in Chicago, and seriously haven't seen a better show since. She had about 100 people on stage with her at one point, and it was honestly difficult to recognize or pinpoint the real M.I.A., but the presentation and energy were beyond exhilirating.
That being said, I don't know if there's a song this past decade that I've listened to more than "Paper Planes", or that I've liked more than "Paper Planes". My best friends and I used to drink and dance to it pretty much every weekend for 6 months, THEN it decided to become a fluke hit on the back of the new Judd Apatow movie trailer "The Pineapple Express". The song was a blockbuster, eventually peaking at #4 on the Hot 100, transforming her from blogger and indie circle's idol to international star. It's M.I.A.'s signature world music influence with a rhythm that has swagger for miles.
I never really paid attention to the lyrics until the song was used in "Slumdog Millionaire", The song's political lyrics are every bit as current and essential as the mesmerizing beat. Since, she's grown a horrible ego and released a sub-par 3rd album... I guess everyone deals with fame differently. It would be such a shame if this song were her peak.
8/10/2011 Sly and the Family Stone- A Family Affair (1971)
BACKGROUND:
There's no doubt about it- Sly & the Family Stone is one of the greatest R&B/soul groups in history. After an extremely successful run of pioneering soul music in the 1960's, Sly fell to the pressures of fame and became an addict, which contributes to the fact that their catalog is relatively brief. The album this was pulled from- There's a Riot Goin' On- captures Sly's slow descent into drug addiction and hallucination. It's also by far their most criticially acclaimed album- a perfect balance of genius and, unfortunately, the effects of hard drugs on creativity. The song was a huge hit- #1 on the pop charts, which is strange because of all my years listening to classic radio, the song tends to be overlooked compared to say, his other #1 hit, Everyday People.
THE SONG ITSELF:
The song is notable for being the first #1 single in history to use a looped drum machine, so technically it could be considered the first electronic #1 song ever. The most interesting thing about the song "A Family Affair" is Sly's vocal delivery. He simply seems out of it, slurring words and appearing slightly off beat, which would prove influential. The strange vocal delivery is especially puzzling to me given the context of the early 70's, especially given it was a #1 hit. At the time, Sly was so hot that he probably could have turned anything into a major hit. This song would come to be Sly's last huge song. After this, he continued his downward spiral and stayed out of the public spotlight.
LEGACY:
The song has been countlessly sampled by R&B and hip-hop artists over the years, most notably by the Black Eyed Peas on the song Weekends. (this is pre-Fergie and before they lost their credibility) And I'm sure Mary J Blige's monster hit of the same name (the song never says "Family Affair"- why not "Hateration" or "Dancery"?) wasn't named out of the blue.
There's no doubt about it- Sly & the Family Stone is one of the greatest R&B/soul groups in history. After an extremely successful run of pioneering soul music in the 1960's, Sly fell to the pressures of fame and became an addict, which contributes to the fact that their catalog is relatively brief. The album this was pulled from- There's a Riot Goin' On- captures Sly's slow descent into drug addiction and hallucination. It's also by far their most criticially acclaimed album- a perfect balance of genius and, unfortunately, the effects of hard drugs on creativity. The song was a huge hit- #1 on the pop charts, which is strange because of all my years listening to classic radio, the song tends to be overlooked compared to say, his other #1 hit, Everyday People.
THE SONG ITSELF:
The song is notable for being the first #1 single in history to use a looped drum machine, so technically it could be considered the first electronic #1 song ever. The most interesting thing about the song "A Family Affair" is Sly's vocal delivery. He simply seems out of it, slurring words and appearing slightly off beat, which would prove influential. The strange vocal delivery is especially puzzling to me given the context of the early 70's, especially given it was a #1 hit. At the time, Sly was so hot that he probably could have turned anything into a major hit. This song would come to be Sly's last huge song. After this, he continued his downward spiral and stayed out of the public spotlight.
LEGACY:
The song has been countlessly sampled by R&B and hip-hop artists over the years, most notably by the Black Eyed Peas on the song Weekends. (this is pre-Fergie and before they lost their credibility) And I'm sure Mary J Blige's monster hit of the same name (the song never says "Family Affair"- why not "Hateration" or "Dancery"?) wasn't named out of the blue.
8/9/11- Prince- Uptown (1980)
I figured since my first post was about a soon to be hit across multiple formats, that I'd follow it up with a true hidden jem.
BACKGROUND
"Uptown" was released a few years before Prince's breakthrough song, "1999" was released. By 1980, Prince had one successful single to his name- 1979's I Wanna Be Your Lover, which almost made top 10. In context, Prince was still an obscure, androgynous R&B star on the brink of stardom.
"Uptown" is a pretty damn immaculate, lost disco tune. One of the highlights from his critically acclaimed Dirty Mind, the best part of the song is the break in the beat at the in the second verse, which has turned out to be highly influential even in today's pop songs. He explicitly addresses his percieved feminitity-
"Baby didn't say 2 much - she said, "Are U gay?"
Kinda took me by surprise, I didn't know what 2 do
I just looked her in her eyes and I said, "No, are U?"
So, as the rest of the story goes... 1999 vaults him into buzzworthy, and Purple Rain makes him an ultimate superstar. Sign O' the Times becomes the Sgt. Pepper of the 80's, and label controversy and opposition ultimately destroys his run of successful singles.
THE SONG ITSELF:
It really seems like a simple song given the production of today's standards, but the song is notable for a few things. The album the single was hosted from, "Dirty Mind", feature songs about oral sex, homosexuality, and incest- quite racy for 30 years ago. I mean seriously- check out this awesome album cover.
It's a standard disco tune with an awesome melody that would have been a huge hit post Purple Rain. Only hardcore Prince fans seem to be familiar with his pre-1999 albums, (though I may be naive as I was still 6 years from being born) but they are definitely worth checking out.
BACKGROUND
"Uptown" was released a few years before Prince's breakthrough song, "1999" was released. By 1980, Prince had one successful single to his name- 1979's I Wanna Be Your Lover, which almost made top 10. In context, Prince was still an obscure, androgynous R&B star on the brink of stardom.
"Uptown" is a pretty damn immaculate, lost disco tune. One of the highlights from his critically acclaimed Dirty Mind, the best part of the song is the break in the beat at the in the second verse, which has turned out to be highly influential even in today's pop songs. He explicitly addresses his percieved feminitity-
"Baby didn't say 2 much - she said, "Are U gay?"
Kinda took me by surprise, I didn't know what 2 do
I just looked her in her eyes and I said, "No, are U?"
So, as the rest of the story goes... 1999 vaults him into buzzworthy, and Purple Rain makes him an ultimate superstar. Sign O' the Times becomes the Sgt. Pepper of the 80's, and label controversy and opposition ultimately destroys his run of successful singles.
THE SONG ITSELF:
It really seems like a simple song given the production of today's standards, but the song is notable for a few things. The album the single was hosted from, "Dirty Mind", feature songs about oral sex, homosexuality, and incest- quite racy for 30 years ago. I mean seriously- check out this awesome album cover.
It's a standard disco tune with an awesome melody that would have been a huge hit post Purple Rain. Only hardcore Prince fans seem to be familiar with his pre-1999 albums, (though I may be naive as I was still 6 years from being born) but they are definitely worth checking out.
8/8/2011: Lloyd ft. Andre 3000- Dedication to my Ex (Miss That) (2011)
For my first song, instead of picking a classic- I'll pick one that's current, pretty much on the brink of becoming a major hit.
BACKGROUND:
Lloyd has always been a second tier R&B star, scoring a few top 20 hits, most notably the song You with Lil Wayne. After his third album, Girls Around the World) he split with declining Murder Inc (responsible for Ja Rule and Ashanti) and signed with Interscope. I don't know how the hell he did it, but he secured one of the hottest hitmakers to produce his ENTIRE ALBUM. (a la Justin Timberlake with Timbaland, Usher with Jermaine Dupri, MF Doom with Madlib, MF Doom with Danger Mouse, you get the picture) Wikipedia Polow's resume- his mark on pop and r&b has been massive and undeniable. For the particular track "Dedication to My Ex (Miss That)", they obviously saw that "Fuck You" by Cee-Lo was a massive hit, seeing that retro soul mixed with obscene lyrics works in very special and unique instances.
THE SONG ITSELF:
The explicit part is that it references "pussy" over 30 times. (!!?) It's one of those songs tailor made for radio, as the G-rated version has switched the dirty word to "lovin." (as is the rest of the album) with glossy production and an instantly retro feel, circa 1960's with the rhythm and keys imparticular. I've always been a fan of Lloyd's voice- most notably for the uniqueness in a sea of undistinctive peers like Trey Songz. On first listen- immediately catchy. I knew the song was a hit the first time I heard it, and my intuition was confirmed when I heard it on AmpRadio 97.1 in LA last week, a full week before it was scheduled to be serviced to radio. The extremely selective Andre 3000 of Outkast provides a nice little 16 bars to accompany. Expect to be sick of this song in a few months.
BACKGROUND:
Lloyd has always been a second tier R&B star, scoring a few top 20 hits, most notably the song You with Lil Wayne. After his third album, Girls Around the World) he split with declining Murder Inc (responsible for Ja Rule and Ashanti) and signed with Interscope. I don't know how the hell he did it, but he secured one of the hottest hitmakers to produce his ENTIRE ALBUM. (a la Justin Timberlake with Timbaland, Usher with Jermaine Dupri, MF Doom with Madlib, MF Doom with Danger Mouse, you get the picture) Wikipedia Polow's resume- his mark on pop and r&b has been massive and undeniable. For the particular track "Dedication to My Ex (Miss That)", they obviously saw that "Fuck You" by Cee-Lo was a massive hit, seeing that retro soul mixed with obscene lyrics works in very special and unique instances.
THE SONG ITSELF:
The explicit part is that it references "pussy" over 30 times. (!!?) It's one of those songs tailor made for radio, as the G-rated version has switched the dirty word to "lovin." (as is the rest of the album) with glossy production and an instantly retro feel, circa 1960's with the rhythm and keys imparticular. I've always been a fan of Lloyd's voice- most notably for the uniqueness in a sea of undistinctive peers like Trey Songz. On first listen- immediately catchy. I knew the song was a hit the first time I heard it, and my intuition was confirmed when I heard it on AmpRadio 97.1 in LA last week, a full week before it was scheduled to be serviced to radio. The extremely selective Andre 3000 of Outkast provides a nice little 16 bars to accompany. Expect to be sick of this song in a few months.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)