Day 0966 - Food & Liquor

Lupe Fiasco "Food & Liquor" (2006)

Lupe had grown up with parents who exposed him to a range of experiences and knowledge.   This, juxtaposed with the experience of growing up in a dangerous neighbourhood helped shape his music and world-view.

After a deal with Arista records fell through, Jay Z helped Lupe land a contract with Atlantic and get started on his debut album.   Lupe explained that the title was in reference to the 'food and liquor' stores that could be found all around his neighbourhood and other similar hoods.   He stated that it represented the balance of the two sides of people.   Food was the good, but liquor (with Lupe being a Muslim) represented the evil.

While the album starts and ends in meandering fashion ("Intro" and the 12-minute long "Outro") the rest of it is interesting stuff.

"Kick Push" almost has a Dan the Automator feel with its retro cinematic swells of strings and horns, but actually backing quite a sweet story about skating romance.   It's cleverly juxtaposed later on by "Kick Push II" which focuses on the street drug trade.

"The Instrumental" starts off almost sounding like the quiet part of a nu-metal track... which is not surprising when I then see it's produced by Mike Shinoda from Linkin Park.  It does have a good groove to it though with interesting production sound, little swells of strings popping up among guitar loop and keyboard parts.

"Pressure" (feat. Jay Z) has a 70s funk and rock backing. "He Say, She Say" is glorious strings.  "I Gotcha" has a jazzy keyboard part to it.

Another of those hip-hop albums that (at 72+ minutes) could possibly have stood to lose a track or two, but other than that, I dug this.

Day 0955 - Cee-lo Green...is the Soul Machine

Cee-lo Green "Cee-lo Green...is the Soul Machine" (2004) - got it

Like a few people, I was introduced to the immense talents of Cee-lo Green via his duo Gnarls Barkley, also featuring producer Danger Mouse. 

I immediately began investigating the back-catalogues of both members and discovered Cee-lo's solo albums.  "...Soul Machine" is a heavyweight of an album.   The last track on the album asks "Damn 'lo, what DON'T you do!" and it's an appropriate question as Green mixes speedy, clever raps in "Childz Play", electronic/dance elements in "I am Selling Soul" and beautiful singing in "Let's Stay Together".  There's jazz in "Living Again" and huge stacked vocal harmonies in "Soul Machine".

The album is possibly a tad long, and do prefer Cee-lo's next solo release "The Lady Killer" where he leaned on his singing/soul side a little more.   But as with all of his material, this one has some great backing tracks, huge vocals and clever lyrics.

Day 0888 - The Contino Sessions

Death in Vegas “The Contino Sessions” (1999)

The band were originally called ‘Dead Elvis’, but as it tunred out this was the name of an existing record label.  They changed their name to the thematically similar ‘Death in Vegas’ and used the Dead Elvis moniker for their first album instead.

The Contino Sessions (named for their recording space) is their second album.  The blurb in the book mentioned DJing and electronica and I’d thought that I’d be getting something very much in that musical arena.   I was quite surprised then to hear the opening track “Dirge” that starts with a sparse guitar line and vocals, then eventually builds to a Shoe-gazey wall of guitar noise.  

There are definitely electronic elements here (electronic beats, loops) but the sound veers between the aforementioned shoegazey sound and triphop, with shoe-gaze/wall-of-guitar band Jesus and Mary Chain’s vocalist Jim Reid featuring on one track “Broken Little Sister”.  Actually, that one sounded a bit familiar to me.

The second track “Soul Auctioneer” features a sinister, subdued groove that would not feel out of place on an early Massive Attack album.   Iggy Pop features spoken word vocals on “Aisha”, meanwhile the track “Aladdin’s Story” is a rare burst of upbeat melody amongst the gloom… though even there, it’s deceptive.  The few lyrics are hardly uplifting “Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen/Nobody knows my sorrow”.

Day 0850 - When I was Born for the 7th Time

Cornershop “When I was Born for the 7th Time" (1997)

Cornershop was formed in Leicester by Tjinder Singh.  The book suggests that as time went on, Singh started to incorporate elements of Indian music into the band, but I listened to a compilation of their first couple of EPs and that influence was already pretty clear even back then.

"When I was born..." features production from Dan the Automator, and definitely track "Butter the Soul" has his sound all over it with its mix of retro kitsch and unconventional turntablism.

"We're in your corner" in a full on raga drone, while "Indian Tobacco"  takes elements of drone but puts them in more of a triphoppy frame.   "Candyman" is pure funk, but most of the rest of the album is generally a nice beat-heavy form of indie-pop with "Brimful of Asha" being the most known track.

The album closes with a cover of the Beatles' "Norwegian Wood" that takes that band's experimentation with Indian music and puts a spin on it by performing the song in Punjabi.

Day 0824 - Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite

Maxwell "Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite" (1996)

I remember checking this one out when I first flicked through the 1001 albums book back in 2009 or whenever, because I was on a bit of a Marvin Gaye kick at the time and the album features a guitarist and songwriter who had worked with Marvin.

The album is in the neo-soul genre, much like D'Angelo (entry 804) and Erykah Badu with that sort of funk-based soul sound.  The track "Whenever, whatever, wherever" sounds like the kind of 'giant heart on the sleeve' style of ballad that Michael Jackson would frequently indulge in.

When I listened to it those years ago, it didn't inspire me to want to check out anything else Maxwell had done or to listen to this album again, and unfortunately that assessment has not changed.   It's not a bad album, just not really my bag.

Day 0817 - Beautiful Freak

Eels "Beautiful Freak" (1996) - got it

If the Eels' sound seems to come somewhat fully formed, perhaps that's because the band was always more or less centred around singer/songwriter Mark Oliver Everett.  Prior to forming the Eels with drummer Butch and bassist Tommy Walter, Everett had honed his skills across two solo albums under his moniker 'E'.  

Lately I've been more focussed on the more recent Eels albums like "Hombre Lobo" and "Wonderful Glorious" (good) and "End Times" (less great), so it's been nice revisiting this great album.

On the face of it, it's a kind of downbeat indie pop and rock album, but there's plenty more here.   Opening track and single "Novocaine for the soul" features a sample of Fats Domino, some tinkling piano, strings and looped beats.   Track "Flower" opens with what sounds like a church choir then drops in some tasteful slide guitar, giving the track a hint of country.

E and his rotating cast of musicians would go on to plumb emotional depths, investigate harder rock sounds and string-backed mellowness but this album is already just bursting with musical information.  E lays out self-analysis, observations of the world around him and his offbeat take on love songs (as on the title track).

Day 0753 - Bubble & Scrape

 Sebadoh “Bubble & Scrape” (1993)

 

Sebadoh was formed by Eric Gaffney and Dinosaur Jr. bassist/vocalist Lou Barlow.  Originally it acted as a creative outlet and side project for Barlow, who was being somewhat shut out of the songwriting process of Dinosaur Jr by his bandmate J Mascis.  Eventually Barlow was fired from Dinosaur Jr and made Sebadoh his full-time priority.

Possibly due to Mascis’ overbearing nature, some of Barlow’s songs ruminated on the subject of control.  In contrast to that band, Sebadoh seems much more democratic, with all three band members contributing songs to the album.

The band had built itself up on lo-fi indie recordings, but this was the first album that they recorded entirely in a professional studio, and the last album with founding member Gaffney, who went on to pursue a prodigious DIY solo career.

'Bubble and Scrape' benefits from the mix of writers with a range of sounds, from noisy fuzzed out lo-fi punk, to washy alt-rock and some almost 1960s pop moments (but sifted through a grimy 90s filter).

Day 0660 - 3 Feet High and Rising

De La Soul "3 Feet High and Rising" (1989)

 
For a time De La Soul were labelled as rap's hippies.  This album is a startlingly more colourful, sunshiney and less aggressive release than those from other prominent hiphop artists at the time such as Public Enemy and NWA.

One critic called them the new-wave to Public Enemy's punk, and I guess it's as good a comparison as any.   A sample-heavy record, the group had borrowed from artists as diverse as Johnny Cash, Hall & Oates, and the Turtles.   The latter of these would lead to the former members of the Turtles suing the band for samples of their music featured in the track "Transmitting from Mars".  That lawsuit took a lot of air out of the sampling movement, with artists coming to fear the exorbitant legal costs that could result.

I don't usually take much interest in lyrics, but as one of the songs features the name of my wife I decided to read the lyrics.  This is some top shelf wordplay: interesting, narrative and creative usage.

Day 0659 - Club Classics Vol. One

Soul II Soul "Club Classics Vol. One" (1989)

The group started off playing house parties and street parties.   It's apt then that the album is set out like a DJ's club mix with some long drawn-out beat loops and some catchy hooks.   There are touches of jazz, funk, disco and the titular soul, all brewed into a dancey stew.  Probably not my cup of tea overall, but it's listenable.

They released this album before the line-up started to change, with member Jazzie B eventually being the only original member left.

Day 0642 - Playing With Fire

Spacemen 3 "Playing With Fire" (1989)

I honestly don't have much to report on this one.   A band folding in the aural assault of the Stooges with psychedelia, drone, and the harsh industrial machine-rock of Suicide.  The music is largely abrasive ambience and swirly shoe-gazey psychedelia, with some beefy fuzzed out guitars making an occasional appearance.

I didn't hate it, but won't be rushing to revisit it.   A couple of the members went on to form the band Spiritualized, whom I've heard of, but haven't heard.  I notice that 2 or 3 of their albums are in the list, so I'll get to them.

Day 0497 - 1999

Prince "1999" (1982)

Though Prince's next album "Purple Rain" would contribute to the parental advisory stickers being added to albums, this one is also pretty full-on (in typical Prince fashion).  It includes the ad-libbed line "I sincerely want to fuck the taste out of your mouth".

Barry White, Isaac Hayes and Marvin Gaye may have been masters of the bedroom groove that gave you the aural equivalent of being laid down on satin sheets, but I daresay Prince was king of the 'fuck-groove'.  The pull your panties down in the backseat and get buck-wild vibe.  "Lady Cab Driver" and "International lover" are pretty overt with this with Prince's ecstatic squeals and hard funk grooves, but the whole album has touches of the erotic.

Combining the warm grooves of Funkadelic with the machine-like rhythms of Kraftwerk, Prince was the future.

Day 0437 - Risqué

Chic "Risqué" (1979)

So, right off the bat the first song is essentially the basis for "Rappers delight", so that's pretty cool. The band were looking to make a fun, good-times album to counteract financial hard times that were going on at the time (kind of like the Black Eyed Peas apparently tried to do with "I've got a feeling" years later).

I still can't totally get on board with the idea that this is "disco", I guess because I have a certain set idea of what that genre is.  To me this sounds more like soft-funk with some slower jams (though, bleak slow-jams) thrown in for good measure. I prefer this album to the previous Chic album (C'est Chic) on this list.

Day 0429 - Street Life

Crusaders "Street Life" (1979)

 
Another album featuring a dose of light funk.  Though, that is just one side to their sound, which is more of a jazzy smooth pop-fusion kind of thing. The band used to be called 'the Jazz Crusaders', and though they dropped 'jazz' from their name, the sound stayed very firmly in the music.

These songs sound like they'd work just fine in either a disco/dance club or in a smokey jazz lounge. The pop flavour does dull the jazz edge a little, but it's still spicy enough.

Day 0428 - We are Family

Sister Sledge "We are Family" (1979)

Another album where soft-funk meets disco, much like Chic... not surprising as half of the musicians here backing the titular sisters are from that band.

I prefer this somewhat to "C'est Chic".  Those heavenly Sledge voices help, as does the fact this leans towards a more pleasing funk/soul fusion with only hints of some disco genre tricks.

Day 0421 - Here, My Dear

Marvin Gaye "Here, My Dear" (1978) - got it

Possibly one of the more whiny and passive-aggressive break-up albums of all time.

Marvin had divorced his wife, Anna Gordy (the sister of Motown owner Berry Gordy... in hindsight, not the smartest career move) having met and fallen for another woman.  After failing to pay his alimony, Marvin was taken to court and reluctantly agreed to pay Anna the advance and half of the earnings for his next album.

Instead of just making any old record and getting it out of the way, Marvin set about airing their dirty laundry (with the narrative slanted firmly in his favour). Lamenting his situation, railing against Anna for dragging him through court and tarnishing his image with the press, and then eventually gushing about his new love and how much happier he was.

The album was not loved by critics, fans... or Anna. It is a lengthy ride, but Marvin's mix of funk, soul, jazz, doowop and some more modern (at the time) production, would create a sound picked up on by artists like Michael Jackson, Jamiroquai, Justin Timberlake and other purveyors of funky RnB.

Day 0273 - Aladdin Sane

David Bowie "Aladdin Sane" (1973)

 
There are not a lot of ch-ch-changes here, with what seems like a rare case of Bowie (either due to record company pressure or his own urge) re-treading familiar territory.

He follows the success of the Ziggy Stardust album with an offering that is in a similar androgynous glam-rock-alien, semi-concept album vein.  Two points of difference present themselves: one is an increased theatricality to the music, with none of the songs matching the more low-key moments of something like 'Rock n roll suicide', parts of 'Starman' or others... I think that is partly due to the increased presence of the piano, it just makes the songs feel a bit more grand and elegant. The other point of difference is a bit more space provided in the arrangements for his musicians (especially Mick Ronson) to shine.

There are some interesting things going on here; 'Time' and 'Lady Grinning Soul' sound to me like Bowie's Scott Walker fandom coming to the fore. The book describes the Rolling Stones cover 'Let's spend the night together' as a musical misstep, but to me it seems in a similar musical vein to 'Sufragette city', particularly with a little Bowie 'sparkle' infused in the riffs and could almost act as a musical 'sequel' to that track.

All in all, I feel as though it's not up to the standard of the previous Bowie album, but still enjoyable with some truly top-shelf moments, such as the title track, 'Time' and "Lady Grinning Soul".

Day 0269 - Let's Stay Together

Al Green "Let's stay together" (1972) - got it

 
As with Roxy Music, I got into Al Green through a slightly indirect route.  I saw/heard a slightly warped cover of his song "Simply Beautiful" by Mike Patton's band Fantômas.

Loved the song so I checked out a couple of Green's tracks on youtube ended up picking up a 4-pack of Green's classic albums for Hi records.

Green's voice is a thing of beauty.  It moves from a delicate, barely audible falsetto whisper to a raspy bold cry, giving each song exactly what it needs.  Whether it's the soul grooves of 'La la for you' and 'So you're leaving', the laid back RnB of 'What is this feeling?', or the epic, emotive 6 minute reading of "How can you mend a broken heart?" in which you could imagine that Green is actually searching for the broken shards.

0266 - All Directions

The Temptations "All Directions" (1972)

 
The Temps continue to prove themselves to be "more just that band who sung 'My Girl'".  The group continue to explore sounds outside of the standard Motown sound, as already heard in slinky funky wah-wah infused albums like 'Cloud Nine' and 'Psychedelic Shack'.

This album is full of funky grooves, including the nearly 12 minute jam of 'Papa was a Rollin' Stone' and gets in your face with the N-bomb laden "Run Charlie, Run" that definitely draw a line in the sand between this album and the clean, short-n-sweet pop of their earlier material.

It comes with a deceptively run of the mill album cover, featuring a clean-cut band photo that doesn't immediately hint at the interesting directions explored within.

Day 0165 - Hot Buttered Soul

Isaac Hayes "Hot Buttered Soul" (1969) - got it

Isaac was a hit songwriter before this album.  He was primarily writing songs for other artists.  I saw a documentary about Stax Records, and it sounds like at some point EVERYBODY got given a chance to do an album.  Isaac first release didn't fare so well, but his second go paid off nicely, and once he had the Shaft soundtrack under his belt his reputation was pretty well set in stone.

With music I generally prefer shorter more concise statements (but with plenty of exceptions to that rule).  The songs on this album are fairly long, but they are just so damned sultry and funky that it doesn't matter, plus this seems to be one of the earliest albums designed specifically for the audience to "get it on" to, so I guess you don't want the tracks to be 3-4 minutes long!  That being said, I definitely need to be in the right mood to listen to the lengthy spoken word intro to "By the Time I Get to Phoenix".

Day 0160 - Stand!

Sly and the Family Stone "Stand!" (1969) - got it

This has got to be one of the first serious 'funk' albums.  Those beats.  Dat bass.  Those horns. Sly and the family are one of those bands that have always been on my radar but I've never quite got around to checking them out properly.

A mixture of races and genders coming together to make great music, and one of the earliest bands to mix upbeat funky 'party' music with serious political commentary.  Great stuff, and as the "got it" at the top implies, I ended up picking up a copy of the album as a result of listening to it.