Tuesday 13 July 2010

Stevie Wonder's "Songs in the Key of Life"




After running off a rapid-fire string of hits and a shelf full of Grammy awards in the early Seventies, Stevie Wonder signed an unprecedented $13 million contract renewal with Motown Records — and then he made them wait. And wait and wait. Two-plus years passed after 1974's Fulfillingness' First Finale, an eternity in R&B. But when he delivered Songs in the Key of Life, a double-album with a bonus EP included, there was no doubt that the wait was worth it. It topped the charts for almost three months, and featured more true classics than even most great artists write in a lifetime. Celebrating childhood ("I Wish"), jazz ("Sir Duke"), and the beginnings of life itself ("Isn't She Lovely"), or reflecting on more serious issues like poverty “Village Ghetto Land”, and the desire for racial equality ("Black Man"), Songs in the Key of Life was a powerhouse — a rare moment when a master was faced with a new level of pressure, and responded by taking his game to new heights.


Tracklist:

Volume I
01. Love's in Need of Love Today
02. Have a Talk with God
03. Village Ghetto Land
04. Contusion
05. Sir Duke
06. I Wish
07. Knocks Me Off My Feet
08. Pastime Paradise
09. Summer Soft
10. Ordinary Pain

Volume II
11. Isn't She Lovely
12. Joy Inside My Tears
13. Black Man
14. Ngiculela - Es Una Historia/I Am Singing
15. If It's Magic
16. As
17. Another Star
18. Saturn
19. Ebony Eyes
20. All Day Sucker
21. Easy Goin' Evening (My Mama's Call)




Wednesday 7 July 2010

The Roots - How I Got Over










I recently acquired this album, and was instantly hooked. Three observations have since come to mind that I would like to briefly discuss, each one on their own usually being an indicator of a special album. How I Got Over by The Roots amazingly ticked all three boxes, which trust me, seldom happens.

1) Brand New Retro – An album that upon listening to for the first time instantly feels like something that you have owned for ages. Moreover, you can actually imagine playing it in the future, and looking back on ‘now’.

2) Allthewaythrougher – An album that you play from first to last track, and like or love every single track inbetween.

3) Thoughts of somebody past – an album that you associate with an old friend, knowing for sure that they would like it too. In this case – a special shout out to Jayman (Jamie Adam – The Ambassador of Phat Beats, and fellow Equation). Jah Love!


The Roots - How I Got Over

01. A Peace of Light - The Roots, Amber Coffman, Angel Deradoorian, Haley Dekle 1:50 02. Walk Alone - The Roots, Truck North, P.O.R.N., Dice Raw 3:54
03. Dear God 2.0 - The Roots & Monsters of Folk 3:51
04. Radio Daze - The Roots & Blu, P.O.R.N., Dice Raw 4:16
05. Now Or Never - The Roots & Phonte, Dice Raw 4:34
06. How I Got Over - The Roots & Dice Raw 3:36
07. DillaTUDE (The Flight of Titus) - The Roots 0:42
08. The Day - The Roots & Blu, Phonte, Patty Crash 3:44
09. Right On - The Roots & Joanna Newsom, STS 3:36
10. Doin' It Again - The Roots 2:24
11. The Fire - The Roots & John Legend 3:41
12. Tunnel Vision - The Roots 0:40
13. Web 20/20 - The Roots & Peedi Peedi, Truck North 2:46
14. Hustla - The Roots & STS 2:56