Simplicity and wordplay are the keys to this song being as good as it is. “Hopeless” is a neo-soul journey-person summit, of sorts. The song was written by Van Hunt, a musician who, despite possessing googobs of talent. was maybe a little too far left for the mainstream. It was performed by Dionne Farris, who… Read More “Hopeless” by Dionne Farris (1997)
You might get the idea that Musiq Soulchild (sometimes known as plain ol’ Musiq) is a bit pretentious, what with the stage name and the way his song titles combine words, but his gift as a singer/songwriter actually is the way that he can explain complicated emotional situations in a way that’s relatable to everyone.… Read More “Halfcrazy” by Musiq (2002)
Jill Scott might be a little self-absorbed, and that’s not (absolute) shade. She looks regal, her music sounds regal, and there’s a confidence that permeates through her that you don’t find in a lot of artists. I’ll take away points just because she (very sweetly) tried to son Chaka Khan for appearing as her opening… Read More “Golden” by Jill Scott (2004)
I finally learned how to make an accent mark! Fun! …which is the title of this juicy album track from TTT’s 1993 album Sons of Soul. The back-to-basics “Neo soul” movement of the ’90s really took flight with this and Me’shell NdegeOcello’s Plantation Lullabies, which was released that same summer. “Fun” is a deep cut,… Read More “Fun” by Tony! Toni! Toné! (1993)
“Fortunate” is as straightforward a pop song as Maxwell has ever done. Quite possibly, this is because “Fortunate” is one of the only Maxwell songs that doesn’t boast a writing credit from the artist. “Fortunate” comes from the pen of R. Kelly, was recorded for the soundtrack to the movie Life (co-starring Eddie Murphy and… Read More “Fortunate” by Maxwell (1999)
Imagine yourself on a tropical island. A breeze is blowing by, all you can smell is clean ocean air and the faint scent of fruit. Feel the sand between your toes. Inhale deeply. Then imagine that all this is happening, and Maxwell is singing to you, while a band plays a lilting, vaguely Hawaiian-sounding tune… Read More “Drowndeep: Hula” by Maxwell (1998)
Invincible, the last studio album Michael Jackson made in his lifetime, is pretty fuckin’ messy. But “messy” doesn’t necessarily mean bad, and there were 6 or so gems buried in the album. “Butterflies” was one of those gems, and could’ve been a blockbuster…had it been properly promoted. Mike was looking for ways to update his… Read More “Butterflies” by Michael Jackson (2001)
…it’s always nice when two entries blend together seamlessly. The Stones’ chart-topping classic “Brown Sugar”’s got a killer riff, a snarling vocal from Mick Jagger, and lyrics that some consider highly questionable. As for me, I consider the times and consider the context, and give the Stones a pass. Are the lyrics racist? I don’t… Read More “Brown Sugar” by The Rolling Stones (1971)/”Brown Sugar” by D’Angelo (1995)
There were hip-hop love songs before “Bonita Applebum”, and then there was “Bonita Applebum”. In my opinion, it was the jam that began to set ATCQ apart from the other Native Tongue groups. The Jungle Brothers could’ve maybe done a song like “Bonita”, but they didn’t have Q-Tip’s voice or production. De La’s love songs… Read More “Bonita Applebum” by A Tribe Called Quest (1990)
Mista came at the tail end of the R&B vocal group era, popping out of Atlanta and scoring a mid-chart hit (#13 R&B) with this song. The young men of Mista hailed from Atlanta, and were the beneficiaries of the Organized Noize production sound. “Blackberry Molasses” had a very similar sound to TLC’s “Waterfalls” (the production team’s… Read More “Blackberry Molasses” by Mista (1996)
Five Star Jamz 