Showing posts with label Raphael Saadiq. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Raphael Saadiq. Show all posts

Thursday, June 20, 2019

The Five Most Anticipated Albums of Summer 2019


Last week I saw a Billboard headline that asked are labels signing too many artist? After the music industry almost died during the height of downloading, it seemed like most Top 40 radio stations only played 25 songs, streaming has been a huge boon and they are making almost as much money as the CD era. So to answer Billboard's question, no. With more signees means more diversity, after a long period where record companies were just throwing around crash to Soundcloud rappers, hopefully with the boon it will spawn the weirdness in the nineties where you had alt rock, gangsta rap, Boyz II Men, Hootie and The Blowfish, and Celine Dion all selling boatloads of CD's. Even Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles, and johnny Cash had huge comeback albums. With the overabundance of music come are way, I am actually able to come up with a Most Anticipated list for the first time in a while.

1. Originals - Prince (Tomorrow) - We are all familiar with songs like Manic Monday, Jungle Love, and the Glamorous Life but what some people may not know is that Prince wrote all three of those songs and many more that he handed off to artists as diverse as Martika and Kenny Rogers. Much like last years Piano and a Microphone 1983 these are all demos and not completely finished songs but like that album, this will at the very least be an interesting album to listen to.

2. "Let's Rock" - The Black Keys (June 28) - The duo released six albums in their first eight years as a band but just two in the next eight years. And the last one, Turn Blue was a weird psychedelic turn. Thier firt in five years sounds like a reeturn to the garage rock that got them the rare guitar based radio this decade. And I am all ready to have some rock back in my life.

3. Jimmy Lee - Raphael Saadiq (August 23) - Speaking of a long hiattus, it has been eight years since the last album by the RnB legend but listening to the first single Something Keeps Calling, it will be worth the wait. Really, old school RnB is another thing I really need back in my life.

4. No.6 Collaborations Project - Ed Sheeran (July 12) - Before he got signed and released mathematical themed album titles, Ed Sheeran numbered his EP's, the last of which was No.5 Collaborations Project. No word on who he is collaborating with other than Justin Beiber (meh) and Chance the Rapper (much better) which have already been released as single.

5. Lover - Taylor Swift (August 23) - Alright, Reputation was pure trash. And Me! was not much better, but Taylor does tend to release her cheesiest songs first. You Need to Calm Down is a little better. Here is hoping she is holding off her best for the album release like she has done for hr best albums.

Here are some other albums coming out this summer that will at least be worth a spin on Spotify. Click on the album name to pre-order on Amazon. Click on the artist's name to be taken to their iTunes page.


Tomorrow
Help Us Stranger - The Raconteurs
Late Night Feelings - Mark Ronson
Ride Me Back Home - Willie Nelson
Blood - Collective Soul

June 28
From Muscle Shoals - Foy Vance
Stranger Songs - Ingrid Michaelson

July 5
Brand New Day - Eddie Money

July 12
III - Banks
Solutions - K.Flay
Voyager - 311
Full Circle - Angie Stone
∑(No,12k,Lg,17Mif) New Order + Liam Gillick: So It Goes.. (Live at MIF) - New Order

July 19
Singular Act II - Sabrina Carpenter
Throwing Copper (25 Anniversary) - Live

July 26
Fever Dream - Of Monsters and Men
Little Yachty - Sugar Ray
Hotel Last Resort - Violent Femmes
Live From The Artists Den - Soundgarden
Everything Hits At Once: The Best Of Spoon - Spoon

August 2
Finch - Penny & Sparrow
Interpreting the Masters, Volume 2: (A Tribute to Van Halen) - The Bird and the Bee
Live at Woodstock - Creedence Clearwater Revival

August 9
How Do You Love? - The Regrettes

August 16
Thrashing Thru the Passion - The Hold Steady

August 23
Threads - Sheryl Crow
Hello From Las Vegas - Lionel Richie

September 6
Lost Girls - Bat for Lashes
404 - Barns Courtney
Valve Bone Woe - Chrissy Hynde

September 13
III - The Lumineers
Charli - Charli XCX

September 20
Why Me? Why Not. - Liam Gallagher

October 4
Closer Than Together - The Avett Brothers


TBD

Masochism - Sky Ferreira
Run the Jewels 4 - Run The Jewels
Adele
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
Chance the Rapper
D'Angelo
Guns N' Roses
Hootie & The Blowfish
Keane
Lorde
Mandy Moore
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Rihanna

And of course this could be the quarter we here Dr. Dre's Detox. Recently Flying Lotus says he has heard Detox and claims it is better than Compton, so maybe there is a chance us common people will hear it soon too.

Friday, December 30, 2011

The 100 Best Songs of 2011


1. Barton Hollow - The Civil Wars

2. Otis - Jay-Z & Kanye West featuring Otis Redding

3. Someone Like You - Adele

4. Good Man - Raphael Saadiq

5. Rolling in the Deep - Adele

6. Helplessness Blues - Fleet Foxes

7. Young Blood - The Naked and Famous

8. Poison & Wine - The Civil Wars

9. Pumped Up Kicks - Foster The People

10. Colder Weather - Zac Brown Band

11. Lonely Boy - The Black Keys

12. My Ugly Mouth - Meg & Dia

13. Black - Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi featuring Norah Jones

14. Rumour Has It - Adele

15. Brighter Than the Sun - Colbie Caillat

16. Bring It On - The Gaslight Anthem

17. Children - V V Brown

18. Lost In My Mind - The Head and the Heart

19. L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N. - Noah and the Whale

20. Make Some Noise - Beastie Boys

21. Back Down South - Kings of Leon

22. Comeback Kid (That's My Dog) - Brett Dennen

23. Oh My Heart - R.E.M.

24. Tree By the River - Iron & Wine

25. Freak Out - Tapes 'n Tapes

26. Stay Young, Go Dancing - Death Cab For Cutie

27. Windows Are Rolled Down - Amos Lee

28. Just a Kiss - Lady Antebellum

29. The Show Goes On - Lupe Fiasco

30. I Need a Doctor - Dr. Dre featuring Eminem and Skylar Grey

31. Lucky Now - Ryan Adams

32. Battery Kinzie - Fleet Foxes

33. My Body - Young The Giant

34. Freaks and Geeks - Childish Gambino

35. Faster - Matt Nathanson

36. Nylons In a Rip - Nikka Costa

37. (Expletive Deleted) in Paris - Jay-Z & Kanye West

38. Up Up Up - Givers

39. Love the Way You Walk Away - Blitzen Trapper

40. Single Girls - Laura Jansen

41. Gonna Get Over You - Sara Bareilles

42. Ours - Taylor Swift

43. All of the Lights - Kanye West

44. The Lazy Song - Bruno Mars

45. Let the Rain - Sara Bareilles

46. Go Outside - Cults

47. Our Hearts Are Wrong - Jessica Lea Mayfield

48. Mean - Taylor Swift

49. When I'm Alone - Lissie

50. Stone Rollin' - Raphael Saadiq

51. Paradise - Coldplay

52. Hey Mama - Mat Kearney

53. Thinking About You - Frank Ocean

54. Time Spent in Los Angeles - Dawes

55. The Broken Ones - Dia Frampton

56. Hell On Heels - Pistol Annies

57. The Shrine / An Argument - Fleet Foxes

58. You Are a Tourist - Death Cab for Cutie

59. Flower - Amos Lee

60. Holdin On to Black Metal - My Morning Jacket

61. How Come You Never Go There - Feist

62. Bonfire - Childish Gambino

63. Back to December - Taylor Swift

64. Inventing Shadows - Dia Frampton

65. 'Til the End of Time - Timothy Bloom featuring V

66. ĂœBerlin - R.E.M.

67. We Found Love - Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris

68. Lorelai - Fleet Foxes

69. Call Your Girlfriend - Robyn

70. The Story of Us - Taylor Swift

71. Invisible - Skylar Grey

72. Movin' Down the Line - Raphael Saadiq

73. Don't Kick the Chair - Dia Frampton featuring Kid Cudi

74. You've Got the Love - Florence + the Machine

75. Roll Away Your Stone - Mumford & Sons

76. Best Thing I Never Had - Beyoncé

77. Red Solo Cup - Toby Keith

78. Two Against One - Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi featuring Jack Black

79. Get Some - Lykke Li

80. We All Go Back to Where We Belong - R.E.M.

81. Change The Sheets - Kathleen Edwards

82. Nasty - Nas

83. From the Clouds - Jack Johnson

84. Shanghai Cigarettes - Caitlin Rose

85. Radio Message - R. Kelly

86. Who Says - Selena Gomez & the Scene

87. Smarter - Eisley

88. Monster - Kanye West, Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj and Bon Iver

89. Howlin' for You - The Black Keys

90. KMAG YOYO - Hayes Carll

91. If I Die Young - The Band Perry

92. Moves Like Jagger - Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera

93. Make My - The Roots featuring Big K.R.I.T. & Dice Raw

94. Masquerade - Lelia Broussard

95. Calamity Song - The Decemberists

96. Little Lie - Lindi Ortega

97. Shake It Out - Florence + the Machine

98. The Scientist - Willie Nelson

99. Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall - Coldplay

100. Radio - Raphael Saadiq




Friday, December 23, 2011

The 20 Best Albums of 2011


If you interested in buying any of the albums below, click on the album title to go to Amazon and the artist name to download it in iTunes. Also check out my original album reviews in the link under the album where for those I reviewed.

1. Helplessness Blues - Fleet Foxes
In That Dream I'm as Old as the Mountains

2. Stone Rollin' - Raphael Saadiq
Let Love Bring Us Together

3. Barton Hollow - The Civil Wars

4. 21 - Adele
There's a Fire Starting in My Heart

5. El Camino - The Black Keys
I Got a Love That Keeps Me Waiting

6. Watch the Throne - Jay-Z & Kanye West
Jay Is Chillin', 'Ye Is Chillin', What More Can I Say?

7. Ashes & Fire - Ryan Adams
Nobody Has to Cry to Make it Seem Real

8. Collapse into Now - R.E.M.
I Know What I am Chasing, I Know that this Is Changing Me

9. 4 - Beyoncé
You a Bad Girl and You're Friends Bad Too

10. Cocoon - Meg & Dia
I Gave Up on Giving Up on Me

11. Hot Sauce Committee Part 2 - Beastie Boys
We're Gonna Party for the Right to Fight

12. Chesapeake - Rachael Yamagata

13. Lasers - Lupe Fiasco

14. American Goldwing - Blitzen Trapper
You Might Find it Cheap but You're Never Gonna Find it Free

15. Undun - The Roots
If There's a Heaven I Can't Find a Stairway

16. Bells - Laura Jansen
I Have the Motivation to Be a Free Girl Now

17. Camp - Childish Gambino
Why Does Every Black Actor Gotta Rap Some? I Don’t Know, All I Know Is I’m the Best One

18. Mondo Amore - Nicole Atkins
They Call Dawn the Moring and I Wish We Said Goodbye

19. Back To Love - Anthony Hamilton
I'd Be Such and Angel You'd Think Me and Jesus Was Cool Like that

20. Red - Dia Frampton
Have You Ever Felt Like Everybody's Watching

Thursday, December 22, 2011

The 25 Best Live Performances of 2011


For the best live performances of the year, you can take the song title link to view the performance(aside from the first couple embedded ones) and the iTunes links will take you there where you can buy the performances (where available).

1. Friday – Stephan Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, The Roots, Taylor Hicks, and the Knick City Dancers (Late Night with Jimmy Fallon)



2. The Cave / Head Full of Doubt / Road Full of Promise / Maggie’s Farm – Mumford and Sons, The Avett Brothers and Bob Dylan (2011 Grammy Awards)



3. Someone Like You – Adele (2011 MTV Video Music Awards)



4. Heartless – Dia Frampton (The Voice) Heartless - The Voice: Season 1 (The Highlights)



5. Deep River Woman / Stuck on You / Dancing on the Ceiling – Lionel Richie, Little Big Town, Darius Rucker, and Rascal Flatts (2011 American Country Music Awards)

6. The Song Otherwise Known as Forget You – Cee-Lo Green, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Muppets (2011 Grammy Awards)

7. Wake Up – The Sing-Off Contestants (The Sing-Off) Wake Up - The Sing-Off - Season 3: Episode 8 - New Country & Classic Rock

8. Everybody Needs Somebody To Love - Mick Jagger featuring Raphael Saadiq (2011 Grammy Awards) Everybody Needs Somebody To Love (Performed Live at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards) - Single - Mick Jagger featuring Raphael Saadiq

9. You’re All I Need to Get By / Stand By Me – Usher / Valerie Simpson and Mike Stroller (2012 Grammy Nomination Special)

10. Love Is a Battlefield – Cee-Lo Green and Vicki Martinez (The Sing-Off) Love Is a Battlefield (The Voice Performance) - Love Is a Battlefield (The Voice Performance) - Single

11. Love the Way You Lie / I Need a Doctor – Rihanna, Eminem, and Dr. Dre featuring Adam Levine and Skylar Grey (2011 Grammy Awards)

12. Ignition (Remix) – The Dartmouth Aires (The Sing-Off) Ignition - The Sing-Off: Season 3, Episode 9 - R&B

13. Otis – The Throne (2011 MTV Video Music Awards)

14. Poison – Bell Biv DeVoe and The Roots (Late Night with Jimmy Fallon)

15. This Love – Blake Shelton, Patrick Thomas, Xenia, Jared Blake, and Dia Frampton (The Voice)

16. Grenade – Delilah (The Sing-Off) Grenade - The Sing-Off: Season 3: Episode 1 - Signature Songs

17. Colder Weather / Sweet Baby James – Zac Brown Band and James Taylor (2011 American Country Music Awards)

18. Valerie – Bruno Mars (2011 MTV Video Music Awards)

19. Aretha Franklin Tribute – Christina Aguilera, Martina McBride, Yolanda Adams, Florence Welch and Jennifer Hudson (2011 Grammy Awards)

20. The Message – Grandmaster Flash, Melle Mel, Scorpio, Common, Lupe Fiasco, and LL Cool J (2012 Grammy Nomination Special)

21. Put Your Records On – Afro Blue (The Sing-Off) Put Your Records On - The Sing-Off: Season 3: Episode 1 - Signature Songs

22. Mean – Taylor Swift (2011 American Country Music Awards)

23. My Body – Young the Giant (2011 MTV Video Music Awards)

24. Motownphilly – Boyz II Men and The Roots (VH1 Divas Live)

25. Tubthumping – The Yellowjackets (The Sing-Off)

Monday, August 22, 2011

I Want My Music Television - 8/22/11


There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.


Otis - Jay-Z & Kanye West



When I hear Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Spike Jonzes together I except something legendary, but this may not even be a top ten video of the year let alone of all time. But I have been thinking lately where exactly does the Otis Redding sample ranking in the all time rap samples category. I may have to start doing some research, look for a list sometime in the next five years.


The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie – Red Hot Chili Peppers



Did someone not tell the Red Hot Chili Peppers that when you do a rooftop performance that it is supposed to end with the cops shutting you down? But that is a funky bassline from Flea but I cannot say the same for the new guitarist. Or Anthony Kiedis‘s mustache.


Miracle Worker - SuperHeavy



And the award for most random Supergroup award goes to SuperHeavy featuring Mick Jagger (in the pinkest suit that I do not think even Elton John could pull off), Dave Stewart, Damien Marley, Joss Stone, A.R. Rahman (you may know him better as the guy who did the Slumdog Millionaire Soundtrack). It was if Mick put his iPod on shuffle and decided to ask the first four people that popped up to come into the studio with him. Hopefully Eric Clapton does the same because I would love to hear his collaboration with Mandy Moore, Babyface, Q-Tip, and Willie Nelson.


Day Dreams - Raphael Saadiq



Last week Cee-Lo had Urkel lip-syncing his words and this week Raphael Saadiq saw his Urkel and rasied him an Abed. Kimmy Gibler better get her agent on the phone.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

I Want My Music Television - 7/28/11


There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.

All Is Not Lost – OK Go



OK Go is back with their new eye popping video (and mediocre at best song) so advanced that YouTube cannot do it proper justice. If you have Chrome, then follow this link to see the video that they made especially for me.


Cho Cha – Teddybears featuring Cee-Lo and B52’s



If this music video by Teddybears was not creepy enough, it turns out the dude in the video is a legitimate celebrity stacker who has had restraining orders and everything. I do not know enough about him to know if he used teddy bears as part of his stalking or not.


Go Outside - Cults



If that is not enough creepy dudes for you, Cults recently inserted themselves into the most famous cult led by Jim Jones (for you young-ins wondering where the phrase “Drinking the Kool-Aid” came from, it’s this cult).


Movin' Down the Line (Don't You Go Away) - Raphael Saadiq



Since the world needs more Raphael Saadiq in it, here is his latest music video.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Let Love Bring Us Together


Stone Rollin' - Raphael Saadiq

On his last album Raphael Saadiq a twelve track love letter to the heyday of Motown and his new album, Stone Rollin’ is still in a retro mood but expands his RnB repertoire from the fifties roots rock to smooth seventies soul and still manages to sound as cohesive as The Way I See It. Really the only time Saadiq dipps back into the Motown pool is on the grooving Movin’ Down the Line.

The rest of Stone Rollin’ is like a compilation of great rhythm and blues music from thirty years or more ago. The album opens up with Heart Attack which moves like a Jr. Walker & The All Stars song. Radio has shades of early guitar players like Chuck Berry. Day Dreams sounds like one of Eric Clapton’s poppier mid seventies songs. Raphael gets his Stevie Wonder on during Over You. Oddly, Just Don’t starts off with the same guitar strums that begin Kiss Me by Sixpence None the Richer.

But the biggest standout track on the album is also the greatest song Saadiq has done in his quarter century making music. Good Man just drips cool like Curtis Mayfield when he was penning music for Superfly. The song is so great someone in Hollywood needs to write it’s on blaxplotation film for Good Man to anchor the soundtrack for. Seriously screenwriters out there, just expand the equally great music video that has already been released. The other album high is the antithesis of Good Man, the heavenly Go to Hell (I understand the irony, but the song is about someone trying not to go there) which floats through your ears before heading for a gospel ending. The song is a prime example than even though the songs he makes sound like they could be from an era long gone, Raphael Saadiq can still make it sound modern.

Song to Download – Good Man

Stone Rollin’ gets a Terror Alert Level: High [ORANGE] on my Terror Alert Scale.



Thursday, April 07, 2011

I Want My Music Television - 4/7/11


There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.

You Are a Tourist – Death Cab for Cutie



For those that missed it, Death Cab for Cutie filmed this music video live via Ustream in one take and definitely gets an A for ambition for that. But a part of me wishes something would have went horribly wrong. I’m sure the video would have gotten much more press had it happened.


Stone Rollin' - Raphael Saadiq



We are about a month out until the new Raphael Saadiq album hits shelves and the singles he has been dropping keep on getting better.


Long Time - Cake



Cake does not get the credit it deserves for coming up with some creative music videos and their latest takes a morbid turn. I was screaming for the monkey to climb out the hatch and unload the door from the outside.


I'll Be Waiting - Michael Franti & Spearhead



Who would have guessed a Michael Franti and Spearhead career resurgence a decade and a half after being deemed Buzzworthy that never really materialized into mainstream success? Now he has finally bust through with a string of great tracks including this one.