Day 0962 - Be

Common “Be” (2005)

Following his success with “Like Water For Chocolate” (see day 913) Common really shook things up with his follow-up “Electric Circus”.  He moved away from his hip-hop sound, incorporating rock and psychedelic aspects.  That move was critically well-received, but the kudos wasn’t reflected in his album sales.

Common parted company with label MCA and was signed to Kanye West’s newly formed GOOD records.  Kanye was a fan of Common’s and the two got together with Common’s producer J Dilla (RIP) to produce “Be”.

The album almost feels like a modern “What’s Going On” (see day 208) and even samples Marvin Gaye on “Love is….”.   There is plenty of soul used in the backing tracks, and Common largely acts as a reporter of life growing up black in the US, particularly on tracks like “Be”, “The Corner” and “Real People”.  

The track “Testify” feels like it’s something similar but takes a turn as a is man set up and framed by his heartless wife.  Probably a theme Marvin Gaye would have got on board with as he seemed to play the victim following his divorce from Anna Gordy, which in turn led to him producing the album “Here My Dear” with the court ordering any royalties be paid to Gordy.

By contrast the track “Faithful” sees Common reflecting thoughtfully on the way he does and should treat women.

I probably preferred this to "Like Water for Chocolate".  Just the general overall sound and the slightly more 'conscious' lyrics appealed to me.

Day 0441 - Broken English

Marianne Faithful "Broken English" (1979)

Okay, this was not what I was expecting.  I'd picked Faithful as a bit more of a folky sort. In fact doing a quick bit of digging I see that she got her start in folk.  I guess this is just like that time that I introduced myself to Leonard Cohen's music via his fairly synth-heavy album "I'm your man".

Faithful had been discovered by the Rolling Stones' manager, released some albums, had a relationship with Mick Jagger, was nearly cheated out songwriting royalties by the Stones, was left homeless, lost custody of her son, and ended up addicted to heroin. Coming out the other side of all that she embraced the punk scene and put together this album that combined the sneering attitude, melodic minimalism and abrasiveness of punk with the slightly cold and mechanical sound of synthesizers.

Her lyrics don't take any prisoners, particularly the closing track "why'd ya do it" rebuking a former lover, featuring lines as charming as:
"Why'd ya do it, she said, why'd you spit on my snatch?
Are we out of love now, is this just a bad patch?"
or
"every time I see your dick I see her cunt in my bed"