Mop Mop- Blue Soul
a little something from jazz band mop mop. they’ve put out some great stuff.
-the skinny miracle
George McCrae- I Get Lifted
you’ll need a fresh application of deodorant after you play this one.
-the skinny miracle
Zapp & Roger- So Ruff, So Tuff
i had no idea he was such a showman. he clearly knew how to have a good time.
-the skinny miracle
Kool & the Gang - Summer Madness
I was in the car with some friends on a beautiful night listening to the old school station. All of a sudden this song came on. A song we all knew well, heard it all the time, even remembered what hip hop artist sampled it. However, we could not remember who did this song. First guesses were Herbie Hancock & Roy Ayers. So i pulled out the shazam app on my iphone and up came Kool & the Gang Summer - Madness. I was like I guess this is right because in Will Smith’s “Summertime” he says the name of the song, but we all weren’t sold that it was actually them. Most of us are used to Kool & the Gang’s pop-infused funk like Jungle Boogie, Ladie’s Night, & Celebration, not a song so deep and funky as this. I’ve now realized that I’ve been sleeping on Kool & the Gang. I’m going to give the album Light of the World, which features Summer Madness a good listen.
So enjoy the summer days that are coming. I’m preparing for the best one yet
Sa-Ra Creative Partners v. Medeski, Martin, + Wood - Midnight Birds
This is a throwback to 2005, when Sa-Ra first started getting some buzz. There’s a land of demos tracks and remixes all from that time period. This is one of my favorites, it really captures there futuristic sound utilizing all types of synths. Not too much to say on this one, but… enjoy.
-schwing
PPP (formerly the Platinum Pied Pipers) f/ Karma Stewart - On A Cloud
Oh my goodness this shit is so funky! It is that hot fire. I gotta gotta gotta thank my show So You Think You Can Dance cuz the choreographers always use some great music. I mean…that show is where I discovered Adele and Duffy and I can’t even tell you how many other songs. But this…this right here…..WOOOO. This is about to be on constant rotation in my crib.
With the amazing horns pushing this song forward and Karma Stewart’s AMAZING vocals, this song is an electro-funk-soul junkie’s dream. PPP - where have ya’ll been all my life? I’m sorry if I’m late on the scene, but ya’ll better believe I’m hitting up Amazon RIGHT now to grab some albums.
Oh - by the way - Karma Stewart is a new artist so if ya’ll like what you hear, pick up her EP here. Enjoy!
-Calidre
Madcon - Beggin
When I first heard this track it I tried to figure out what artist it was because I just knew as polished and well put together as it was, it couldn’t be some cats that were new on the scene. So I was right…kiiiinda. Madcon is new on the AMERICAN scene, but have been staples in Norway and Europe for years. Active since 1992, they’ve been making the Norwegians nod their heads since they caught a break in 2002. International hit Beggin, which was released in 2008, finally got distributed to us early this summer.
Gotta say…I’m excited to catch up on this group. They might have just given me some hip hop to actually look forward to. Enjoy!
-Calidre
Madcon - Beggin
[Tshawe Baqwa:]
Oooooh-
Put your loving hand out, baby
I’m beggin
Beggin, beggin you
Put your loving hand out baby
Beggin, beggin you
Put your loving hand out darlin
Ridin high, when I was king
Played it hard and fast, cause I had everything
Walked away, won me then
But easy come and easy go
And it would end
[Yosef Wolde-Mariam]
[Tshawe Baqwa:]
Beggin, beggin you
Put your loving hand out, baby
Beggin, beggin you
Put your loving hand out darlin
[Yosef Wolde-Mariam:]
I need you, (yeeah) to understand
Tried so hard
To be your man
The kind of man you want in the end
Only then can I begin to live again
[Tshawe Baqwa:]
An empty shell
I used to be
Shadow of my life
Was hangin over me
A broken man
Without a throne
Won’t even stand the devils dance
To win my soul
[Yosef Wolde-Mariam]
[Tshawe Baqwa:]
Beggin, beggin you
Put your loving hand out, baby
Beggin, beggin you
Put your loving hand out darlin
[Yosef Wolde-Mariam:]
I’m fighting hard
To hold my own
No, I just can’t make it
All alone
I’m holdin on
I can’t fall back
Now that big brass ring
Is a shade of black
[Tshawe Baqwa:]
Beggin, beggin you
Put your loving hand out, baby
Beggin, beggin you
Put your loving hand out darlin
Beggin, beggin you
Put your loving hand out, baby
Beggin, beggin you
Put your loving hand out darlin
Beggin, beggin you
Put your loving hand out, baby
Beggin, beggin you
Put your loving hand out darlin
Macy Gray - I Try
Hmmmm…I don’t really know what to say about this post. This is a song that I love in all of its raw glory. I think my favorite thing about this song is that it gives you a peek into that place of weakness that all of us have. I remember when I was a teenager, I SWEAR that the guy I had a crush on was the only guy I’d ever truly “love”. And I would wear the shit outta this song.
I need you. Love me love me love me.
Then another boy came along. And another. And another. And guess what…I realized that it wasn’t really all that crucial. And that I would have crushes on LOTS of boys. And I’d get over most of them pretty damn quickly.
Interestingly, the older I became the more weight this song carried with me. Imagine truly finding that person that you just can’t get outta your system. Kinda like Ed. I don’t know about you, but Macy sold me! And I’m sure Ed would have enjoyed it as well. Enjoy.
Macy Gray - I Try
Games, changes and fears
When will they go from here
When will they stop
I believe that fate has brought us here
And we should be together
But we’re not
I play it off but I’m dreamin of you
I’ll keep it cool but I’m fiendin.
I try to say goodbye and I choke
I try to walk away and I stumble
Though I try to hide it it’s clear
My world crumbles when you are not near
Goodbye and I choke
I try to walk away and I stumble
Though I try to hide it, it’s clear
My world crumbles when you are not near
I may appear to be free
But I’m just a prisoner of your love
I may seem alright and smile when you leave
But my smiles are just a front
I play it off but I’m dreamin of you
I’ll keep my cool but I’m fiendin
I try to say goodbye and I choke
I try to walk away and I stumble
Though I try to hide it it’s clear
My world crumbles when you are not near
Here is my confession
May I be your possesion
Boy I need your touch
Your love kisses and such
With all my might I try
But this I can’t deny
I play it off but im dreamin of you
I’ll keep my cool but I’m fiendin
I try to say good bye and I choke
I try to walk away and I stumble
Though I try to hide it it’s clear
My world crumbles when you are not near
Me’Shell Ndegeocello - Faithful
Bitter is perhaps my favorite Me’Shell Ndegeocello album. For the most part the album seems like a private confession - quiet, breathy, sometimes dark, sometimes desperate and sometimes hopeful. Whichever track you’re on, you can’t help but notice the sincerity and intimacy of the track.
While Ndegeocello is known for her skills on the bass guitar (when it comes to the instrumentation on her albums), this album foregoes alot of the showmenship and instead leans on quiet piano chords and soul baring vocals. There’s a pretty sweet cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “May This Be Love” and an ode to beauty in “Beautiful”.
This song in particular is actually about Ndegeocello’s infedelity. No excuses, no apologies - just an acknowledgement of what it is. It’s hard for me to imagine that there isn’t some truth to the lyrics…it just seems too damn real to be “hypothetical” to me. I hope you enjoy the track - def pick up the cd if you can. It is really an underappreciated musical gem in my opinion.
-Calidre
Me’Shell Ndegeocello - Faithful
My daddy made no excuse
I believe my lies are truth
Why wont you eat what you are fed
When I touch myself I think of only you
And when I touch someone else
No one is faithful I am weak
I go astray
Forgive me for my ways
I hear voices and I cant stand to be alone
Cause emptiness is all I have ever known
Soiled by my lust I feel no shame
No longer forsaken when they call my name
Beautiful angels come to my bed
I am satisfied on their flesh I have fed
No one is faithful I am weak
I go astray
Forgive me for my ways
