Remembering Rhythm and Blues

Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Enjoying the Rise & 'The Fall' with Norah Jones

One word. Turmoil. That's the best way to describe my personal life since the last time I came thru to write. My children are getting grown, my man is still driving me nuts with his passion for motorcycles, and yes, I'm still working on that novel. For the last four months, I've had my to-do list in hand, hoping that I didn't allow anything to fall by the waste-side.

Now if you've been following Remembering R&B though, you'd already know that I'm usually juggling multiple situations. But if you've been following since 2006, then you'd understand 100% as to why music serves as my consistent drug of choice and as usual, I'm always game for a new fix.

Enter Norah Jones. You guys remember her, right? She's the demure sista with the sultry vocals that rocked the world in 2002 with her smash hit, Don't Know Why. Since then Jones’ has sold a collective 36 million albums worldwide, making her the only female jazz artist to sell the most albums during the 2000s. And let's not forget this BRILLIANT collaboration.

Today marks the release of her fourth studio album, The Fall, and the good folks at Blue Note/EMI sent our a copy for my review. My goodness, I can't contain the excitement. So fellow music lovers, put on your headphones, turn up the volume, and let's check this one out:

Chasing Pirates - This is the first single of the album and it puts in the mind of some fab 80s bubble gum dance moves. You know the ones. But maybe it's just me. At any rate, this track describes Norah's love for reading before bedtime and the dreams that are conquered up. Interestingly, there are so many layers on this song that I find myself dreaming right along with her. As her voice flows from the floor to the ceiling and fills in the cracks left behind by the beat, I'm stuck trying to let go of this odd feeling that there are other voices talking in the background. Scary. Oh you, don't believe me? Listen at the 2:40 mark of the song and TELL ME you don't hear Willy Wonka talk about gobstoppers?

Even Though - Introspective. Silly. Strong. Bashful. This track takes a turn towards relationship drama. To quote the lyrics,

"Something bout the way he touched me,
Was so slow,
The way he'd put his arms around me,
Even though...."

This song describes that perfectly imperfect moment after an argument has run its' course. You know that moment when you're ready to just give in and have sloppy-sweet, but angry make-up sex. Yet, there's that little child inside of you, still holding onto the pain like Linus with his blanket. With the melancholy ending, you immediately come to the conclusion... There won't be any 'spooning' tonight, buddy.

Light As A Feather - At first listen, you'd think this was a 'lost in the forest' type of song, but that's just Norah painting pain. Inside this gem of a song, I can musically see the rhythmic oars pushing heavily thru the murky waters of this bluesy trance. Thrusting me to the other side of our collective pain. Can't front, I cried listening to this song. I got pain ya'll and just like you, I think my pain is much heavier and much greater, but Jones slammed that notion right in the trash with these lines: "All for the better, worse for the wear. We're light as a feather. God, you, and I together." Yes indeed! This is my new anthem. Though my travels may be heavy, I'm NEVER walking alone. (Sidebar: At my fifth listening, this could also make a good pregnancy song. Just read the lyrics.)

Young Blood - Not a fan of this track. Somewhere I know Norah's talking about the beauty of new love, but I like my bluesy tracks without the bloody imagery of guns and werewolves. All this track made me do is yearn for my Sunday nights full of True Blood and tweeting. I will say this though. The background vocals from Mike Martin are nice. He fits Norah's pitch like a silver bullet to a gun chamber. Lovely.

I Wouldn't Need You - This song took me to a dusty, old club and left me there at the edge of the bar. With the biggest bottle of the darkest liquor in hand, I'm transformed into that withering woman hungry for a touch from that sexy man and too damn desperate to hide it. Major props to the man that inspires a woman to grab a drink of this musical whiskey. Love it.

Waiting - Excellent follow-up to the last track. The drums give a great sense of anxiety, while Norah calls you to calm your fears with her beautiful hum. Now that you're nice and drunk from the last song, Norah has you clawing up your bedroom walls, waiting for that special lover to come on home. Uh huh. Hush now, and just listen to the lullaby.

It's Gonna Be - Ain't nothing, but a party going on with this track and all the ills of the world have turned in their RSVP. Simply put, Norah has invited you to witness the mayhem of our society, but you'll be to busy rocking out to the beat to pay attention to the lyrics. But don't be a dummy, there's an important message here. However if you're not a fan of preachy, subliminal messages, then feel free to skip.

You've Ruined Me - "Your chocolate eyes like buttons of lies?" Hmm, looks like we have the makings of a fine 'this-dirty-bastard-did-me-wrong-but-I'm-obsessed' kind of song. And not to add insult to Norah's pain, but she's wearing 'crazy heartbreak' quite well. Niiice.

Back To Manhattan - I see you in your 'empire state of mind’. You're hiding the pain of your broken heart inside that Yankee fitted cap. However, the simplistic sounds of this song will pull your broken soul into the heart of the city. Norah's voice rumbles low like the trains under Rockefeller Center beckoning you to be free of it all in Manhattan. I love it, love it, love it and you will too. Unless you're a Phillies fan.

Stuck - At 5 minutes and 15 seconds, this track is the longest song on the album. How appropriate. I'm still stuck trying to figure out the point, but I suppose that is the whole idea from a song describing a woman being drunk and stuck to her seat.

December - Slightly odd to have this crybaby Christmas-type song follow the drunken stupor of the last. I suppose when you're dropping an album right before the holiday season, you gotta do what you gotta do. I'll pass.

Tell Yer Mama - This song is an ode to Mr. Tom Foolery and the parents that raised his dumb ass. I'm adding this to the list of songs that I so wish I had while I was single. Love it!

Man of the Hour - Well, you know you weren't getting away before Norah expressed her love for her four-legged friends. From the front of this album to the accompanying artwork, it's quite clear that Norah loves her companions. Nice track but considering I still haven't found the perfect pooch... um, I'll pass. And yes, I'm hatin'.

Overall: In 2009, it’s still a rarity to purchase an album that has more than 2-3 songs that you can say you really, really like. When I consider the fact that Jones’ is a true artist and musician, I’m not surprised that I enjoyed so many of the tracks on this album. She proves that it’s never too late to go back into the lab, grab a few new friends, and produce quality music. Speaking of friends, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the new collaborators who worked on The Fall.

Producer Jacquire King—who has worked with Kings of Leon, Modest Mouse, and Tom Waits, among others— helped Jones put together a group of musicians, including drummers Joey Waronker (Beck, R.E.M.) and James Gadson (Bill Withers), keyboardist James Poyser (Erykah Badu, Al Green), and guitarists Marc Ribot (Tom Waits, Elvis Costello) and Smokey Hormel (Johnny Cash, Joe Strummer). Jones also joined forces with several notable songwriters on The Fall, including Ryan Adams and Okkervil River’s Will Sheff, as well as her frequent collaborator Jesse Harris.

Bravo Norah Jones. Bravo.

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Norah Jones The Fall album review

posted by Soulfull @ 11/17/2009 , , links to this post

Friday, June 26, 2009
Remembering Michael Jackson 1958 - 2009

This. isn't. happening. Please tell me that this is all a dream and Michael is somewhere in his hyperbaric oxygen chamber giggling with Bubbles. Someone please slap the hell outta my back and remove this annoying lump in my throat. A lump that comes then goes then reappears at this very thought - Michael is dead. *shivering* Naw, this just can't be. Not Michael Jackson, born August 29, 1958 in Gary, Indiana? This thought just doesn't compute. Sadly, no matter how much my brain wants to throw this thought away like yesterday's used Kleenex - Michael Joseph Jackson, the seventh child of the Jackson family and THE undisputed KING OF POP is DEAD! :sigh: Michael's music has been a constant throughout my entire life and never ever EVER in my wildest dreams did I believe I would see a moment like this. so. damn. soon.

I was born in 1979. Six months after my birth and one day before my dad's birthday, Michael Jackson released his fifth studio album, Off the Wall. My family, like most families around the globe, has had a special connection to his music. Not many artists could transcend generations, but Michael was special. With his brothers, Michael gave my parents songs to groove to like "I Want You Back", "ABC", "The Love You Save", "Mama's Pearl", "Never Can Say Goodbye" and "Dancing Machine" ~~watch me get down, watch me get down~~. My parents would share stories about the times they would gather around the television to watch The Jackson 5 and ironically when my siblings and I became older, we did the exact same thing each time one of Michael's videos would premiere on network television.

The first Michael Jackson song I fell in love with was "Rock With You", which is directly attributed to my father playing that song over and over. This song turned my young world inside out and it was from here that I grew to have such an appreciation for the creativity and innovation Michael brought to music. Moving through the years, my ears have had the pleasure of falling in love with a multitude of songs from Michael, all of them as uniquely different than the last. From "Ben" to "Butterflies", my iPod is chock-full of musical memories that take me away to another place in time. Far away from the pundits making their rounds on TV with their talks of Michael's 'dark side'. Far away from the pained faces and countless tributes. Oh no, the tragic news of Michael's death doesn't live within the hallowed walls of my iPod. See, in here, Michael Jackson is alive, singing, and still doing all his famous dance moves. Yessir, Michael Jackson will definitely live on - forever.

"If you enter this world knowing you are loved and leave this world knowing the same, then everything that happens in between can be dealt with."
-Michael J. Jackson

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Michael Jackson

posted by Soulfull @ 6/26/2009 , , links to this post

Monday, June 15, 2009
Remembering R&B Joins Twitter

Hello readers! It's mid-month and if you don't know by now.... June is Black Music Month! In honor of this beautiful month, Remembering Rhythm & Blues has established a presence on Twitter and we're tweeting some great R&B music from the past to the present, along with some interesting features. Here are SOME of the features we have lined up:

'Follow the Sample' - Each day during the month of June, we will feature one original song and all the known artists that have sampled the original song -#musicsamples
'Today In R&B History' - Ever wonder what happened way back when on today's date? Well, we scour the 'net for those buried treasures so you don't have to!
Not Quite A #1 Hit - You might know all of the hits, but what about that gem of a song that only peaked at #86?
Topping The Charts Thursday - Each Thursday, we're counting down the top #1 hits of a particular year using the the following hashtag - #topthurs
SexySaturday - It's time to unwind and relax to some classic and current slow jams... can you handle it? #sexysaturday
Did They SANG It? (Fiyah or Failure?™): Everyone with a video camera thinks they can sing, but can they really 'sang'? Look for us to tweet videos of these questionable singers and YOU get to be the judge!

That's just a small sampling of the R&B goodness we got going on, so do be sure to follow us and tell a 'tweeple', um, we mean a friend. =)

Labels: Arts, Happy Birthday, Music, On the Web, Online Communities, Rhythm and blues, Social Networking, Twitter

posted by Soulfull @ 6/15/2009 , , links to this post

Saturday, May 23, 2009
Reminiscing On My First Maxwell Concert

So long I've searched for you
So long but now it's true
-Reunion, from Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite

I remember that summer day in 2001 like it was yesterday. It was a warm, sunny afternoon in Washington, DC. I was three months pregnant and trying my best to maintain my growing belly in three inch wedge sandals. As I took every step towards Constitution Hall with my boyfriend, I just knew I was going to fall over, but I. just. didn't. care. Shoot, I was with my man, I was looking cute, and we were going to see one of my favorite singers of all time, MAXWELL! My man knew how much I loved Maxwell and he liked his music too, but I… I was a totally obsessed and all my friends could attest to my passion for Maxwell. I had his pictures all over my desk at work, a screensaver of him on all my computers, and I played his music all damn day long... Come to think of it, when the concert day finally arrived, I think my coworkers were happier than me as they'd finally have a whole day without listening to me and my talks of Maxwell.~~Whatever haters!~~

I'm always here
I'm in yo ear, yeah
Love’s stereo so don't you fear
Don't fear…
Cause it’s our reunion…

When the day of the concert arrived, the first thing I had to do was capture the moment with one of those street photographers that seem to be at almost every concert. Man, I was excited! As we made our way towards our seats, I started getting really nervous. My boyfriend didn't mention that we would be sitting left of the stage, IN THE FRONT ROW?! OH MY GOODNESS! *faint* Was I really about to see Maxwell and at such a close range?! I felt my growing baby kicking inside of me, signaling me to chill out. My hormones went in straight overdrive, yet I managed to relax a bit as Res came onstage to perform songs from her 2001 album, How I Do. My girl did a great job of warming the crowd and keeping all the men entertained, but I was about to pass out from all the anticipation... Where was my Max!? Moments later, and not a pre-term delivery needed, alas the man of the hour was making his way onstage…

No girl can ever compare
To you my dear
Girl it's our reunion.

Watching him move across the stage was definitely a photogenic moment and at that instant, I wish I had a camera. DUH!? He looked so surreal in his white pants and fitted shirt and throughout the night, he rocked me back and forth to songs like Sumthin, Sumthin’, Welcome, Whenever Wherever Whatever, and one of my all time favorites - Suitelady (The Proposal Jam). As soon as that sexy sweet song started to play, I turned to look at my boyfriend wondering if he was going to top off this already wonderful night with a proposal for his ‘suite lady’. Hmmmm. Instead, he squeezed my hand, leaned in, and gave me a long, loving kiss. :sigh: If I wasn't feeling so damn nauseous, I would've jumped up and shaked-a-tail-feather right there in the aisles with all the other sistas. Still, all was right in the world that night and I had such a wonderful, beautiful, sexy, soulful time and naturally, later that night, so did my man! *wink* The days following that concert, I kissed and cuddled my man, thanking him over and over again for giving his ‘baby momma’ the best gift ever - the self-confidence and understanding that no matter how much I love Maxwell, I would forever be w/as his girl!

Since last we loved
No-one's come near....

Two years later, my then boyfriend became my husband. We married in 2003 and of course, Maxwell songs were in heavy rotation at the reception! O, and ya'll remember that little kicking bun in the oven? Well, he’s now an active seven year old with a little brother, who’s four. Lately, hubby and I don't get out that much anymore to attend concerts, but believe you me -- when Maxwell rolled back into DC for last years concert - I was right there once again, enjoying a reunion that was long overdue and grooving to old and new songs, such as Pretty Wings, Bad Habits, and Help Somebody from his upcoming album BLACK, which is set to be the first album in Maxwell's BLACKsummersnight trilogy.

We’re back together, hey
We’re back together, yeah
It’s our reunion…

Dearest Maxwell,
Happy Birthday bruh!! Many thanks to you for the sweet, sweet memories! Your music continues to be such an inspiration to me when I’m writing or driving or sleeping or getting dressed or just cleaning the frickin’ house. Hell, you were the reason I started this blog! The beautiful spirit that you so easily convey through your music gives me the motivation I need to continue towards my own dreams. I’m anxiously waiting to hear more tracks from your new album and enjoying your every tweet on twitter ~~because I have them ALL coming to my cell thanks to SMS, what bliss!~~. May God continue to bless you and keep you in His care.

Peace & Blessings...

Updated 5/23/09 8:52PM: I should've mentioned this earlier but in 2007, a different and older version of this story originally appeared in a fan appreciation book that was created just for Maxwell for his birthday. Also, if you watch this video, right at the 2:27 mark, you will see my lovely photo ~~and I can't stop freaking screaming about it because I'm such a goober for not seeing this video earlier-ugh!~~.... At any rate, Maxwell mentioned on his twitter that he would be ever so grateful if folks would donate to www.Haiti.org. Additionally, if you're just as excited as I am about the arrival of Maxwell's new CD, then you have to join Maxwell Fan Forum for all the latest info! :)