A superb aspect of A Tribe Called Quest was how their albums were sewn together with flow, sequence, theme and overall impact always in mind. By now, they’re surely a hip-hop group many love and many proclaim on high ground above, but that’s mostly due to the fact that they simply might be the best hip-hop group of all time. Their albums possessed an unmistakable drive where each MC fed of each other’s energy, bite and spirit to amount for amazing moments. On Midnight Marauders they reach tremendous highs with a semi-concept album about the musical capabilities in night. It might be their best album, maybe, but here’s some finer moments.
The grimy and dark beat that flows throughout “Midnight” is a timeless loop that will forever remain sublime. It’s the kind of steady bump that supports the MCs on top of bubbling waves. It’s a supportive cast throughout and it shines all over this album; there was always chemistry within the group. It’s what really made A Tribe Called Quest so good, and there’s tons of evidence here.
The next-to-last song, “Lyrics to Go,” is maybe, the best song on the whole thing! It’s got this twirling guitar and pensive keyboards, resting on top of stamping drums. Q-Tip’s production values shine the most here; but the way the group jumps in and out, the turntable scratches, the background loop: all genius. The beats sound entirely within their scope and time, the early 90s in New York and the MCs ebb and flow through some memorable lines. – Bryan
It feels so unfair when some of the greatest talents a generation has known leave us all too early. You can't help but feel robbed of all the amazing music that could have been. And in a way that's kind of selfish, and maybe some people have hard time dealing with the selfish ways of pop music fame. It would be foolish to try and explain as if we knew the issues Whitney Houston faced in her day to day life. What I can comment on though, is the shear talent enveloped in the beautiful women that was Whitney Houston. In a way it's no surprise Whitney became the superstar she did when you think about the women in her family. Her mother Cissy, a singer herself and cousins Dee Dee and Dionne Warwick, as well as Aretha Franklin, her god mother! Singing in churches as a youth, Whitney had no shortage of inspiration. And that inspiration led her to an amazing career. Instead of rambling on about the loss we all shared this weekend, I'll just share some of her best work-nick
The second half of this album is definitely much more indebted to Legend’s love of soul and pure R&B balladry. A lot of the songs take advantage of either Legend’s tremendous voice or piano-led melodies and often, both. And while the first half of Get Lifted was more beat-heavy and much more driven, the second half is where the soulsters really fell in love with John Legend. It’s also where Legend solidifies his getting high theme and how it’s a high one can reach through happiness, living life to the fullest, or even just basking in the warmth of love. Not so much a concept album but moreso, a frame of mind that maintains current throughout, this second half is arguably as good as the first.
And so forget the piano, a great example of the mushiness on Get Lifted is with “Stay With You.” From the Snoop Dogg-featured, murky / transition into hope “I Can Change,” the strong piano and Legend’s soaring vocals on “Ordinary People” are towering and quite dissimilar. The latter embraces the humanistic and humble thoughts collected into a magnificent change of pace. But here, on “Stay With You,” Legend has moved past the bitterness of 'used to loving her' and the cheating ways into a love-searching, affectionate and poignant declaration of romance. His voice is front and center again but this time, much more passionately devoted and one of the finer moments of the album.
But perhaps, the highest peak comes on “So High,” where Legend elegantly pinpoints exactly what he means when you're so high, walking on cloud nine. The ballad here is reminiscent of Boyz II Men if you’re old school and it’s enveloping with a soft electric tinge of guitar, the subtle piano and patterned beats. It’s romantic sure, once again in stark contrast to the harsh words found on the first half; here the emphasis is on riding the rising high to a new surface where everything feels soft and gooey inside. Legend is surely in love here and singing about the magical moments of love once they truly ‘hit.’ A modest debut, it’s a great starting point and an awesome hit of soulful vibes to enjoy for sure. I’m glad I got to re-visit it all over again. – Bryan
There was a time Arcade Fire wasn’t popular. This seems like such a hauntingly long time ago. It’s not haunting so much as in it’s spooky but moreso, lingering, their place in music now. I mean, they headlined both Coachella and Austin City Limits last year; forget that, they won the Best Album of the Year Grammy for The Suburbs recently. Sure, it’s arbitrary that last award but it's semi-HUGE for an ‘indie’ band. But there was a time, back in 2004, where they weren’t as massively well-known and adored. Back a time when they were still a modest band with grand impressions and sounds but not so much the audience.
With Funeral they really mastered some of their most magical moments. I remember getting the album in the haze of December 2004 and immediately hooking into the bookends. It starts with a frenzied attack of melody, guitar, driving drums and Win Butler’s amazing vocals. I remember first hearing this song and feeling a wave of emotions run through me while the song continued to swell into an incredible rush of sounds. I must’ve played this song the most out of any other song, I fell in love with it upon first listen and now, it might be my favorite song by them. There’s big crashing cymbals, spectral synthesizer and pulling keyboards on top of rolling drums and guitars - it was an exceptional way to start an album and a lot of what really made Funeral so special was the downright flawless sequencing, beginning with “Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels).”
With “In the Backseat,” there’s a song that ends with a beautiful female vocal in Régine Chassagne. I love the way it’s about passing around in the backseat where you don’t have to worry about a thing in the world. You can simply enjoy the view, you don’t have to even speak, you don’t have to concentrate, and you can simply forget it all. The metaphors run wild with everything from life passing you by, to finding a comforting love where you can simply bask in their nurturing care and escape from the wrath of the real world – it’s all up for interpretation. What I do know is the way the music quietly and subtly grows before the drums explode is sheer genius: there are both passing waves before the clash of water comes, revealing her voice to the backdrop of flourishing strings and wind instruments. "I’ve been learning to drive my whole life," she belts at the end: I’ve been trying to just find a way to conquer it all, let me relax. It’s a remarkable calling and with music that pairs it so justly, so fairly – like a perfect blend of musical expression and emotion – there wouldn’t be another way to end Funeral.
I’m lame for barely mentioning this album now but it’s been a terribly challenging day (emphasis on the terrible!) and I got to blast it through my headphones just right now. It’s sort of nostalgic in a sense that I really wrapped my head around it enough to let it live with me for years and years. This is a tremendous band and many, I’m not sure if I’m included, consider this their best album. Surely I wont leave the entire middle eight songs go unmentioned; I hope to write more on it soon. Until then. – Bryan
I remember getting The College Dropout some time in March of 2004 and simply shredding my copy with so much replaying. I had a copy that was pristine and well-kept but I played it so much that it all rotted away. I even had a small DJ gig at the university where I would play music on the third floor of the union to like the fifteen or so people hanging out there. We had these little turntables where you placed the CD inside and got to maneuver it on the top as if you were spinning a record. I must've played “Jesus Walks” a surefire fifty times that semester. I loved the way Kanye could make the song sizzle with controversy and there was a fantastic male voice towards the end, powering the chorus. That man was John Legend and he came out with this album right after Christmas that year. Here is the aforementioned song because it is bad ass.
I remember buying Get Lifted and really digging the soulful textures Legend was honing in on. Influenced by everyone from Stevie to Aretha, Legend is a full-bodied singer that has tremendous range and dynamics. This album was mostly forgotten – it didn’t even get nominated for the 2004 or 2005 Grammys, but not until the 2006 Grammys, how foolish right? – as is with most stuff, it took people forever to finally ‘get it.’ Either way, I had a CD copy of it and it was my personal copy until I gave it away and never bought another copy since. I recently got it on vinyl and while the nostalgia is mostly impossible to ignore, it’s nowhere nearly significant to even care about more than a mention. It’s an album I definitely missed with some stellar Kanye West production sprinkled in.
The first proper song is perfect to begin. On “Let’s Get Lifted” the basis is simple, let him take you on a fantastic ride where everyone can get lifted. Sure, it’s about getting higher than before but it’s not a literal feeling and more of a rush of energy, a rush of excitement, a rush of blood to the head, kind of. I like the laid back drums and the way Legend sings to the calm of his own flow: lush and rich. His voice has always been strong but I like how he sings, sort of raps and more as the star on this album. The song is typical West with vibrant flows but Legend makes it both melodic, driving and sweeping.
I’m mentioning the first half here because it’s where all the West-produced stuff appears. I can maybe write about the second half later because it’s definitely a bit dissimilar. On “Alright” the value comes in the way it’s like a strong, confident smoothness that prevails throughout. There’s piano, rumbling synths and tapping beats that pop and crack at the right time. Legend is basically drawing attention to his swagger and warns that whatever man that wants to mess with him, “You better tell him he don’t want it me.” The lyrical content on this album ranged from cheating females to cheating males to strong, empowered males, to a confidence no matter what the situation is and Legend is definitely an assertive weapon. I don’t even have the second album by him as I stupidly gave it away too, I gotta ‘get with it’ myself because that one has my personal favorite Legend song. Maybe soon. Ha. – Bryan
It’s been a weird day and a half to be honest. Last night I found myself running/jogging home from off near the loop for a brisk thirty minute stride. I feel…well, wait a minute that’s for the journal. Haha, I feel, well, I’m not sure, a bit up against it. But well, Ive been wanting to share some thoughts on this album for a while, here they are.
I used to have this old phone that I got simply because it was the newest RAZR, a black thin one, and it came with a, gasp, 2 GB SD card! I had some cheap headphones to use and this was a great way to put some nice music on while I headed to school, work, or whatever else it was that needed to get done. I remember finding out about this here album, Grizzly Bear’s Yellow House, and getting a few songs downloaded onto my nice new phone.
As I used it more and more, I didn’t really grasp the nature of the music I was trying to hear. And as sweet as I thought the phone was, it really was, just a flip phone, that was easy in my pocket – I thought it was so awesome to have some easy way to play music too. I heard “Knife” and never really understood the greatness of it until I finally got the CD like a month later, but I distinctly remember hearing the song about 60 times overall and who knows how many more now. It wasn’t the phone that mattered but it helped to finally get me into Yellow House.
There’s something so real about the lyrics and the way they paint this picture of sad heartbreak and betrayal. The song itself stretches into a little over five minutes of swelling chords, scaling guitar and stunning vocal harmonies; the words themselves are succinct and very well, to the point:
“I want you to know, when I look in your eyes With every blow, comes another lie.
You think its alright (x4)
Can't you feel the knife? (x4)”
Theres a piano melody towards the end, after he’s asked if he/she can feel the knife. It’s about how you can look someone in the eyes and they’re lying right back? The second part, I’m not sure if he's asking or simply pointing out the obvious. Part of me says half and half but I mean, obviously they (the person causing the harm) think it’s nice. The knife doesn’t come until the end but by then, it's already done damage. The way it starts, with a tapping nature; I love the way he sings the opening lines, especially the first one: so yearning, so demanding. He's wanting to ensure he/she knows how mean and wrong she did him. It's surely a kiss off song and the one that got the album huge.
As I'm writing this, I realize how entirely too safe it is to write about this song so I'm gonna include "Easier" as well. By now I'm really in love with a few songs and then I finally buy the vinyl and it's my first time hearing it. Rumbling and soaring through the sounds, the drums charge through and it sounds amazingly spectral and all-encompassing at the same time. They flash from heavy, string-laden, classical frames into pulsing, driving pop/rock frames that both contrast and compliment each other. And it really boasts the dark and chilly and scary house they recorded in and which the album is named after; with still, a warm coating resonating over all of it.
Sure, Grizzly Bear is huge now, I guess. Who knows how popular they really are. But man, I love it enough that the year it came out I threw it on the as the ‘sixth best album that year’ but I mean who, besides arbitrary me, cares. What I do know is they sound spectacular on this album. - Bryan
I usually have a different sort of routine but I'm trying to break free. I've been called a task man before; too often so.
I remember really swooning for music by my high school years. Through the awkward transition of elementary-middle school-high school and adjusting to a different method of listening, I really fell hard for music by my freshman year. I still remember playing sad Kid A on my discman and confused people asking "why such depressing music?" What was my response to be other then 'yea of course' hahaha.
So as the years passed I got heavier into the spectrum of music. By my junior, senior year I'm delving into both new and old releases like Sea Change, stealing CDs off my dad (hello Talking Heads) and also finding the more undisclosed and undiscussed music of bands like Spoon. For example.
By 2005 I'm full blown music addict. Buying CDs weekly, and by this time, I've got a record player. So I start buying heaps of vinyl. I remember nothing was gonna top Gimme Fiction that year. I'm in college taking 19 hours of classes and on top of the world. Madly in love here too, but small detail there. I remember thinking an album like Black Sheep Boy is depressing damn it, and that's amazing too, damn it. I was always very pretentious when it came to music.
By this point I have lists of albums ive ranked, albums I need to buy (on vinyl and /or CD), etc. Ive also really begun to notice the lists printed annually by music mags that showcase their top albums of the year. I continue reading about The Woods and how it is to be the last album by the band Sleater-Kinney. I never much consider getting it; back then I would buy a lot more CD instantly. Whereas now, everything is so accessible so quickly through streams and even legal links, back then buying The Woods even as highly touted as it was, was a risk. It sounds foolish now, so downright stupid of me right?! I agree, it is/was. The whole lists and no Sleater-Kinney by then? By 2005 they had amassed a discography some can only dream of, by then they had already conquered so many hearts and ears and fans. I was way late to the party already by 2005.
But no, it took me a year, another year, I kept seeing it out at stores. I had it listed. But did I ever take a listen on some website at least? Nah. Did I even try to hear a bit of it? No. I was just too enclosed in whatever 2006 brought (hello Yellow House forever) and still knifing in the back for classics (Stevie Wonder catalog is alive). It took me to finally find it USED, probably in early 2007, at an old CD store, that doesn’t even exist here in EP anymore to finally buy it. Even then, I had it with like four other CDs (surely it was some kind of buy three get one free deal) and was wondering which four to take. I can’t even remember what else was there, who knows if it’s as good. But The Woods entirely blew my mind. I remember playing it a lot then and have never stopped. I eventually got all their previous stuff, yes I know, so late.
The album is filled with tremendous songs. Here is “Wildnerness” because I love the way her voice sounds when she yells, when she sings, hell when she breathes. The way the band just flows off their obvious chemistry (this word sounds cliché but truly: The Woods is perfect Sleater-Kinney) and their chemistry as a band is what makes them so special in my opinion. Sure, they all knew how to just shred their instruments, and yes, they are amazingly talented, but together, WOW. And on this song, they simply groove and shake and roll to her beautiful yells.
This song, “Modern Girl,” is basically the off-ball choice. It’s safer and just unlike much of what The Woods is about. But it’s hard to know what it all means. Here the guitars sound sort of Spoon-esque in terms of both, gloom and minor tendencies, but again, her voice is stellar. These songs all sound like one massive lulling of noisy, tenacious, free-spirited rock that is beautiful in every possible aspect. And i especially enjoy how it still has some fuzzy sound at the end. This album just glistens with heartfelt energy and it’s everywhere.
The singer of this band is oh so famous now, Carrie Brownstein.
But I mean, The Woods kills it on every level. I especially love the way they open the album, "the fox," I’ll put it here too. It’s just so full of sound and dissonant harmony. I remember when I very first heard it, I blasted it and my ears were ringing when it ended. I think that’s the point though. Noise rock purists laugh when they hear this is noise rock but come on, it’s loud as hell right? And that’s the way it should be. Music is intended to be played loud and embraced, not just quietly in the distance. Sleater-Kinney place the noise at the front, for you to blast it loud, enjoy it, and then listen to the rest of the album at that same loud volume, it’s pure bliss. – Bryan
A superb aspect of A Tribe Called Quest was how their albums were sewn together with flow, sequence, theme and overall impact always in mind. By now, they’re surely a hip-hop group many love and many proclaim on high ground above, but that’s mostly due to the fact that they simply might be the best hip-hop group of all time. Their albums possessed an unmistakable drive where each MC fed of each other’s energy, bite and spirit to amount for amazing moments. On Midnight Marauders they reach tremendous highs with a semi-concept album about the musical capabilities in night. It might be their best album, maybe, but here’s some finer moments.
