In addition to being blessed with an uncanny and seemingly supernatural ability to reflect the times during which he lived, Curtis Mayfield's awe-inspiring music has also extended a wealthy inheritance to the soul children of the new millenium. While it may be difficult for younger listening audiences to fully empathize with the spirit of the turbulent era in which Mayfield rendered the majority of his dynamic compositions, the essence of these recordings effortlessly establishes common ground through such enduring themes as solidarity, empowerment, and love. Although he frequently addressed grave social injustices and bravely challenged the consciousness of the people, his lyrics were rarely cynical or nihilistic. On the contrary, his spirituality and deep love for humanity translated into uplifting songs that encouraged peacefulness, dignity, and pride.
As the leader and chief songwriter for The Impressions, Mayfield's poetic lyricism and musical eccentricities formed the foundation of the group's highly influential and distinctive style. Firmly rooted in the gospel tradition, Mayfield and The Impressions introduced the secular airwaves to three-part vocal trade-offs and a divinely inspired sense of moral authority which markedly distinguished them from many of their contemporaries. Additionally, they were unique in their reluctance to exemplify the typical trappings of pop superstardom. The Impressions were able to command the attention of music listening audiences without leaning on slick choreography, flamboyant outfits, or grandiose gestures to generate enthusiasm from the crowd. Rather, the cornerstone of their legacy has always been their brilliant craftsmanship and subdued eloquence.
Although my favorite Impressions record varies with some frequency, my needle is currently stuck in the groove of The Young Mod's Forgotten Story (Curtom, 1969). Although some music critics have argued that the album lacks a cohesive theme (apparently the title led some to believe that a definitive concept was at work), few would disagree that the majority of the songs themselves are of an extraordinary caliber. In exchange for a strong sense of continuity, The Young Mod's Forgotten Story offers a fairly balanced interplay between socially-conscious anthems and songs that explore love from many different angles. Furthermore, Johnny Pate and Donny Hathaway blessed the album with beautifully harmonious arrangements, which greatly impacted the impeccably smooth vibe of these recordings.
"Choice Of Colors" is the most well-known track on the album, having climbed to #1 on the R&B charts and #21 on the pop charts. Despite its popularity, the song was met with a degree of controversy. Mayfield's thought-provoking masterpiece posed some unsettling questions of the collective conscience, causing some to become so incensed that they pushed for the song to be banned on the radio. Also, when The Impressions were slated to appear on "The Joey Bishop Show" in 1969, one of the producers forbade them to perform the song, but Bishop himself stepped in and granted them permission to play it. Nearly 40 years have passed, but many of the questions that Mayfield asked on "Choice Of Colors" remain unanswered and continue to resonate.
From the love side comes "My Deceiving Heart", one of those deeply emotive soul ballads which would characterize much of Mayfield's work with The Impressions, in addition to being a staple of his solo material. Fans of his more strident, politically-charged fare may carelessly cast some of these tracks aside, but to do so would be to overlook a core component of Mayfield's essence as a human being, songwriter and musician. From the very beginning, when his lovely falsetto laments, "Oh I could die, so hard I've cried", he ushers the listener into a flurry of anguished emotion so heartfelt that it could literally evoke tears from a stone. Such is the substance of the most provocative soul music, and Curtis Mayfield pulled at the strings of the heart every bit as masterfully as he played his guitar.
If you find yourself checkin' for more from the quintessential soul group from Chicago, the Curtis Mayfield & Impressions: Movin' On Up: The Music & Message DVD features interviews and 22 classic performances. Highly recommended not just for those who love soul...but for just about anyone who has a soul.
Meanwhile, digdeeper to peep their discography and learn more about the group's formation and history...
I'm convinced that one day I'm going to stumble across this holy grail of deep soul on vinyl during one of my crate-digging expeditions. Buying the Sony reissue or purchasing the original for upwards of $100 on the internet somehow takes the joy out of the experience. At any rate, I'm grateful that one of my readers (thanks scizzorhandz) sent me a digital copy. I just want to hear it crackle and snap on my turntable at least once before...you know...I die.
Robinson was born in Tuskagee, Alabama in 1939, another artist who started out performing gospel before gravitating towards secular music. He recorded a few stellar singles for Okeh, but his collaboration with Willie Mitchell produced his sole full-length LP.
Willie Mitchell is, of course, the man who guided Hi Records through its most commercially successful period. In addition to Papa Willie's own solo offerings, the label boasted Memphis soul artists such as Al Green, O.V. Wright, and Ann Peebles on its phenomenal roster.
Mitchell's arrangements perfectly complement the raw emotive power of Robinson's highly impassioned vocals. Robinson clearly wrestled with a few inner demons, and he evidently was unafraid to purge the contents of his psyche and memorialize his despair on wax. "Don't Take It So Hard" is a prime example of this. Robinson seemingly had no fear of exposing his vulnerabilities, which in this case is related to being jilted by someone he describes as "the only woman I ever loved". When he speaks...and at times wails...at his friends for their lack of understanding, the bottomless depths of his pain and desperation are palpable to say the very least.
For anyone who loves gut-wrenching soul, this record deserves a truly enthusiastic nod.
Dig deeper...to hear "It's All Over", one of the sides Robinson cut for Strike Records.
Dirty Elegance's Finding Beauty In The Wretched LP was released in '07, but honestly, I wasn't feelin' it all that much in the beginning. A couple of months ago, I realized that I just hadn't been listening to it at the right time of day. It isn't a soundtrack for mornings when you're trying to motivate yourself to get through the drudgery of another day at your 9 to 5. It's not well-suited to parties or celebrations...not something you can sing to in the shower. This is a CD for nicotine-stained evenings, when you've had far too much to drink, and neither your head nor your bed wants to stop spinning.
Although Finding Beauty defies precise categorization to some extent, it's reminiscent of moodier material by RJD2, Massive Attack, Blockhead, and Portishead. The beats provide a heavy and gritty underbelly, rounded out by layers of speeches and vocalizations, sound effects, and beautiful melodies. Much of the music is haunting and dysphoric, making it a prime choice of material for the Zoloft generation. Strange as it may sound, I mean that as a compliment. As one introspective fan describes it, "Listen only when you are ready to see your soul staring back at you!"
The man behind Dirty Elegance is somewhat of an elusive figure (the only way to be, snitches). He resides in New York, but outside of that minor detail, he doesn't offer much in the way of a biography. Here is a quote from the DE website: "Dirty Elegance is not music. Dirty Elegance is not art or pictures or clothing, though the emotions which comprise the movement may be reflected through these creative mediums. Dirty Elegance is an idea. An idea that beneath the soot filled superficiality lies a classic greatness. A reinstating of something that once was valued but has since been forgotten. An idea that it is still beautiful, despite is nicks, cracks, and tears. That it may be resurrected if it is truly seen. And truly loved." Ummm...so yeah...interpret that as you will.
Finding Beauty In The Wretched is best listened to from beginning to end, because it sounds as if the artist idea intended for the project to unfold sequentially. "Angelic Remedy" comes towards the end of the CD, as the sonic journey begins to wind to a close. Its melancholic, downtempo beat is accompanied by the repetition of a sampled clip from a Malcolm X speech: "We love everybody who loves us. But we don't love anybody who doesn't love us." Whether that sounds appealing to you right now or not...I promise...at 3 am, it will all make perfect sense.
Candi Staton is yet another vocalist whose musical origins can be traced back to the gospel circuit. Blessed with the first name Canzetta at birth, she and her sister Maggie (along with Naomi Harrison) formed the Jewel Gospel Trio in 1953 when Staton was still a young teenager. The righteous threesome quickly gained popularity in the South, and were eventually granted the opportunity to tour with the likes of The Soul Stirrers, Mahalia Jackson, and The Staple Singers. In fact, it was Mavis Staples who originally gave her "Candy" as a nickname, telling her that she was too sweet to have a name that no one could pronounce.
Several years later, Staton left the group and got married. The marriage turned abusive and ended in divorce, however, and she once again turned to music for her livelihood. People have told slightly discrepant tales to explain exactly how Staton met Clarence Carter (who she also later married), but it's certain that he heard her perform in Birmingham, Alabama and asked her to join him on the road.More importantly, he introduced her to Rick Hall, owner of the Fame record label and studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Hall was equally impressed by her stunning vocals, and brought her in for her first recording sessions in 1968.
Staton's first four chart singles at Fame became the foundation for her I'm Just A Prisoner LP, easily one of the nicest soul records of all time. "You Don't Want Me No More" explores the heartache of a good love gone bad, and Staton's intense delivery will keep you hangin' on every note of her despair. She expresses her grief with such authencity that you almost wanna go shake down her dude and ask him what the fuck his problem is...or maybe that's just me.
In all, Staton garnered 16 R&B hits during her tenure at Fame. However, her commercial viability didn't truly peak until she became a beloved disco queen, releasing popular tracks such as "Young Hearts Run Free" and "Victim". Dance records and glitter aren't exactly my areas of expertise, so the bus stops here, soul children. There's whole lot more to Candi's enduring legacy, though, so by all means...dig deeper.
As much as I stay stuck in like...1969 (it's always the summer of love in my world, son)...I do occasionally find myself highly anticipating a new release. At the moment, what I want more than your mama's two front teeth is Menahan Street Band's long-awaited debut album.
Many of you will remember them as the group sampled on Jay-Z's "Roc Boys". As legend has it, their song "Make The Road By Walking" was discovered by Diddy's production team at some point in between their presumably lengthy cheesecake runs. Tommy Brenneck, the founder of the band, has been quoted as saying that Hov laughed at him when he asked if MSB could get a well-deserved shout-out on the joint. If that's true Jigga, you know Gloria Carter raised your ass better than that...
Anyway, MSB is what I consider a supergroup (such an idiotic fuckin' word), consisting of members from Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Antibalas, the Budos Band, and El Michels Affair. All of their tracks are recorded in Brenneck's apartment in Bushwick, Brooklyn on...drumroll, please...Menahan Street. Their Make The Road By Walking LP will be released on Daptone/Dunham on October 21st, and it will be available on vinyl for those who actually enjoy getting a little wax inside their ears. If "Home Again!" is any indication, this one's goin' down in music history as one of the best instrumental albums to be heard in the new millenium.
"Telephone Song" is a mindblowing joint that MSB recorded with the almighty Charles Bradley. It will be released later this month as a 7" (b/w "Tired Of Fighting"), and hands down, it's one of the best tracks I've heard all year.
As a final unsolicited pitch for the album, I'd ask you to be mindful of the fact that supporting the handful of artists who are still crafting authentic soul compositions is as crucial as saving any other endangered species on the planet. For every mediocre offering you've purchased because it was tauted as neo-soul, try spending your hard-earned dollars on these guys instead. That should help Brenneck make his rent on Menahan Street for at least the next few thousand years or so...
Note: These tracks are now only available in streaming audio format as per the request of Daptone's marketing team. They were kind enough to offer me free tickets to one of MSB's shows, but as a small label, they can't afford for this material to be leaked on the internets. I understood their position, and I hope you do as well.
Dig deeper... (Dunham's MySpace page, including a link to buy the album. Listen to all the amazing joints while you're there and thank me later)
Dammit Metal Face! Just as I was beginning to give up on you...this started leaking all over the internet.
After pissing off your fans with an assload of imposters and incurring the indignant wrath of your friend in Jesus, I was starting to wonder if you'd spend the rest of your life in windowless seclusion...fuck merely hiding behind a mask. Also, I don't know if it's just the quality of the weed on my block or what, but I couldn't get all that excited about that Unicron EP you did with Trunks earlier this year. Unless you're smoking high-quality special herbs, the whole thing just sounds borderline a'ight, cousin.
Now there are talks that you've dropped the initials from your moniker (Diddy style), and will be releasing a DOOM LP called Born To This on Lex Records in October. The LP allegedly features production by Dilla (2Pac style) and DangerMouse, while Ghostface and Raekwon are slated to appear as guest MCs, but apparently that might just be another figment of the imagination.
I'm on your side, Daniel Dumile. I think you might be in need of some hardcore psychotropic medication to help you reconcile that stupid superhero/masked madman image, but I won't front on your skills as a producer and MC. I'll be listening if Born To This becomes a reality, however you're insane in the membrane if you think I'm going to pay $16.99 for it. Your loyal fan base deserves a free drop or two, especially since you tricked them into paying to see your talentless henchmen make a mockery of their admiration. Retribution's a sumbitch, Danny boy.
In the meantime, I will be purchasing the Jake One LP that spawned this killer collaboration. For the unfamiliar, Jake One is a truly gifted Seattle producer who's worked with a wide spectrum of artists, including 50 Cent/G-Unit, Planet Asia, De La Soul,and Nas. His debut album, White Van Music, will be released on Rhymesayers Entertainment on October 7th. Featuring MCs such as Busta Rhymes, Slug (of Atmosphere), Black Milk, Prodigy (of Mobb Deep), Little Brother, Brother Ali, and Freeway, the album promises to generate some fourth quarter excitement at the tail end of a shamefully lackluster year in hip hop.
Daniel Edlen creates some truly phenomenal vinyl art. His pieces are handpainted acrylic on wax, so anything you purchase from him will be unique and original. He has a wide selection already available in his collection, but he will do other pieces upon request. He only charges $100 for each portrait; $175 if you want it framed. A discounted price is available if you ship him your own record of choice. Visit Edlen's amazing online galleries here and here. You can also catch his work on display in San Diego, Austin, Phoenix, Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades, or Tempe.
POLITRICKS:
Salon.com analyzes exactly what separates Sarah Palin from the "radical Muslim extremists" that she and John McCain promise to protect America from if they're elected. The answer: Lipstick.
Additionally, some hilarious (yet insightful) satirical pieces about the GOP's VP nominee are available via Welcome To The PalinDrome, SarahPalin's fictitious blog.
It goes without saying that the topic of health care is of the utmost importance in the upcoming election. HealthDecision ’08 offers an unbiased, side-by-side comparison of Obama’s and McCain’s healthcare positions and proposals. It's an interactive site, so once again you have an opportunity to vote for the candidate whose positions most closely resemble your own ideals. I don't care who you vote for (well actually I do, but...); I'm just hoping you'll make an educated and informed decision. We can't afford anymore fuck-ups in the White House, children...
LIFE:
Mekka Don's inspirational tribute to Bernie Mac, Isaac Hayes and lots of other heroes we've lost throughout the years. "Death Is Life" came to my attention via word from the homie Travis. Check out Mekka Don on MySpace:
None of us like paying taxes, but few of us can claim the sort of crazed ingenuity that Richard Mellor employed to attempt getting back all the money he's ever paid to the IRS. Mellor claims that the U.S. is a "fictional entity" and that he's not subject to their jurisdiction because he's a "citizen of heaven". No...seriously.
If you've never had an opportunity to see Before The Music Dies, you can currently watch it via Milk and Cookies. Narrated by Forest Whitaker, this incredible documentary features artists such as Questlove, Erykah Badu, Branford Marsalis and a host of other artists. Offering a fairly unbiased commentary on the state of the recording industry, this is a must for anyone whose happiness is contingent upon music's continued prosperity.
Word From Your Moms:
"It is not light that we need, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake."---Frederick Douglass
