For my final month of #MWE, after doing it for a year, I wanted to celebrate, again, Black History Month; it’s vitally important that we lift up Black art in a culture that is so eager to just consume and toss it away. It was also important to me to spotlight queer artists, as they’re so often shoved to the side: ergo, Deep Dickollective, Brittany Howard, Tracy Chapman, Tyler, the Creator, Tony Washington of the Dynamic Superiors, and the month (and year)’s closing pair of Jermaine Stewart and Keith Barrow, both of whom died of AIDS and must not be forgotten. Pick Hits: Total’s debut, EWF, Howard’s amazing cross-genre record, my first listen to Monk, Bo Diddley’s ’62 live record. Musts to Avoid: the homophobic X-Clan and the nothing-much J.J. Fad.
And now for the next stage of my #MWE project. Stay tuned.
- X-Clan, To the East, Blackwards (1990): Their samples and self-contained prod are great, their pro-Black lyrics often exciting, and Brother J’s a solid rapper. But they really love to use “sissy” as a slur, and fuck that homophobic noise; there’s no defense for that.
1b. Deep Dickollective, BourgieBohoPostPomoAfroHomo (2001): These homohop trailblazers are proudly Black & proudly queer, turning spoken word into hip hop w/great turn-of-century prod. And they’re important: James Baldwin on the LP cover tells you everything. Art that bangs. - Nomcebo Zikode, Xola Moya Wam’ (2020): Her debut album is wall-to-wall smooth-grooving South African house with a pop flair. It’s consistent and pleasant, if a bit samey; Zikode is, however, a solid singer. Good as background, but little stands out.
- Earth, Wind & Fire, Faces (1980): The epitome of the phrase “firing on all cylinders,” my god. This double might be EWF’s most consistent, pleasurable album – it never stops. The ballads are gorgeous, the horn-soaked uptempos sheer ebullience, the harmonies heavenly.
- Weather Girls, Success (1983): The tip-off is the cover of “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa [sic] My Hair”: this is a B’way version of a (barely) post-disco LP. The arrangements, and most of the songs, are bad. Even camp classic “It’s Raining Men” is pretty dumb.
- J.J. Fad, Supersonic (1988): Just-ok electro & freestyle beats from Dr. Dre/DJ Yella back up so-so raps from this female trio. Yes, the title track is a blast, but much of their debut simply retreads it (in the case of “Eenie Meenie Beats,” literally). There’s not much here.
- Cleve Francis, Tourist in Paradise (1992): Strong debut country LP firmly in the (then-huge) Clint Black pocket, w/a little Vince Gill. Some songs are stellar (“Feathers,” “Those Were the Days”). But Francis is Black, so – good job, Nashville. He should’ve been a star.
- Monica, After the Storm (2003): When a singer’s as great as Monica, she rises/falls on her material. Exec prod Missy Elliott generally steers things right here, but 2nd half is clogged w/too many mid-tempos and ballads. “So Gone,” “U Should’ve,” “Knock” are highlights.
7b. Norman Brown, After the Storm (1994): A smooooth soph album from one of smooth jazz’s most stellar guitarists of the past 30 yrs. Apart from covers of Janet, Luther, and Isleys hits, he wrote everything here – self-prod, too. The non-vocal heir to George Benson’s throne. - Brittany Howard, Jaime (2019): Expected a Chapman/Raitt folk/blueswoman record, to my profound surprise got something more akin to an Ndegeocello LP, unbeholden to genre restrictions & jumping from jazz to synth to rock to… The songs! The experimentation! The soul! Wow.
- Starring Sammy Davis Jr. (1955): Kinda supper club, kinda jazzy, kinda Sinatra-in-pop-mode, Davis’s debut album – the first by a Black solo artist to top the Billboard chart – is solid if not exceptional. Hammerstein, Rodgers/Hart, and even Weill get turns.
- T.S. Monk, House of Music (1980): Thelonius’s son puts together, essentially, his own version of Sister Sledge (albeit w/just 2 women), and it’s pretty good. He himself only shows vocally in a major way on the deathless “Bon Bon Vie”; this is mostly post-disco, um, disco.
10b. Thelonious Monk, Brilliant Corners (1957): I mean. Monk, plus Sonny Rollins, plus Max Roach? Well, yeah, chances are you’re gonna get a justifiable jazz classic-slash-landmark out of it, & that’s just what this is. Monk’s compositions (4/5 here) are incredible, too. - Deniece Williams, This Is Niecy (1976): Backed up by EWF’s core (& co-prod by Maurice White), what’s surprising is how this debut doesn’t sound like them. The horns here are jazzy not funky, & the sound is more relaxed, swinging soul. Impeccable vocals of course.
- Warp 9, It’s A Beat Wave (1983): Classic-sounding electro/early hip hop that I suspect was a bit ahead of its time in ‘83; there’s some proto-freestyle here, too. Mantronix definitely heard this. The production is deceptively complex, very forward-thinking.
- Carolina Chocolate Drops, Genuine Negro Jig (2010): This bluegrass/string band led by Rhiannon Giddins has impressive chops & an interesting breadth to their song selection on their 3rd LP. But I never ever want to hear anyone performing “Hit ‘Em Up Style” in any style.
- Mighty Clouds of Joy, Kickin’ (1975): A glorious slapping slab of mid ‘70s soul that also happens to (mostly) be gospel, this is pure joy on record. Disco smash “Mighty High” pumps; no weak tracks to be found here. At times this is very reminiscent of peak O’Jays.
- The Dynamic Superiors (1975): This Motown 5-piece, fronted by openly gay (!) Tony Washington and his impossibly high, gorgeous falsetto, should’ve been bigger. On their Ashford & Simpson-written/prod debut, they stand up against any male R&B vocal group of their era.
- Dianne Reeves (1987): Prod by cousin George Duke, this shows them clearly going for the Anita Baker Rapture pocket – and largely succeeding. Reeves is more a jazz singer, but she can pull off soul as well, and Duke certainly knows how to prod it. Smooth, lively, lovely.
- Nona Hendryx, Female Trouble (1987): A very mixed bag. Ballads a no-go (she doesn’t have the subtlety req’d), and on more “rocking” selections (“Drive Me Wild”) she tends to get shouty. But hit “Why Should I Cry” (Jellybean Johnson co-write) and “I Know” simmer perfectly.
17b. Patti LaBelle, I’m in Love Again (1983): Her big comeback is solid, w/ some significant standouts; the Siglers and K. Gamble do v right by the diva on the title track, “Love, Need, and Want You,” and esp R&B #1 smash “If Only You Knew,” which – key – she under-sings.
17c. Sarah Dash (1978): Without either her former bandmates Hendryx’s personality or LaBelle’s voice, Dash rises/falls on her material. Unfortunately, on her debut, it’s not much. “Sinner Man” is fun-enough disco, but most of these songs – mostly ballads – are flops. - Bo Diddley’s Beach Party (1962): 37 minutes of the hottest rock’n’roll you’ve ever heard in your life, live!, made by just 3 ppl on 2 guitars, drums, maracas, and vocals. This is astounding. Bo Diddley was, at his peak, undeniable, a true force of nature.
- Total (1996): Post-TLC, post-MJB femme R&B, with Total giving vocals/attitude to spare, this firmly hits my musical pleasure centers, w/Puffy & his Hitmen, Saadiq, and the Neptunes on writing/prod. If you like the slick Bad Boy ‘90s style – & I do – you’ll love this.
- Tyler, the Creator, Flower Boy (2017): First of all: his self-prod, damn. There’s boom-bap, there’s ‘60s samples, there’s thick synths, it all coheres 100%. Most of the guests make total sense. & his lyrics/rapping – this is the LP where Tyler becomes truly great. (& comes out!)
- Barry White & Glodean White, Barry & Glodean (1981): Made at Barry’s commercial nadir, this duet LP w/his wife (ex-Love Unlimited) is pretty great, but a little out of time; he hadn’t yet adjusted to the ‘80s. Lush R&B w/heavy orchestrations, though: what’s not to like?
- Tracy Chapman, Crossroads (1989): Oh, the dreaded sophomore slump. The reasons why are simple: the songs aren’t as good as those on her debut, and the prod (by Chapman and David Kershenbaum) is overdone. (Also, the muted trumpet on “Born to Fight” is horrific.)
- Jeff Parker & the New Breed, Suite for Max Brown (2020): The Venn diagram where progressive jazz meets post-rock is this 6th record by a longtime member of Tortoise. It swings a little more than I anticipated (that’s a yay), and the playing is lyrical and smart.
- Mariah Carey, Me. I Am Mariah… The Elusive Chanteuse (2014): It’s definitely too long, for starters. But it’s also pretty damned good. (Not as good as 2018’s Caution, but still good.) Usual mix of ballads, guest rappers, interesting prod choices, whistle tones and… Mariah.
- Fishbone, It’s A Wonderful Life (EP) (1987): “I never thought Santa Claus would be such a sleaze!” The 4 originals on this holiday EP range from synth-y ska (“Iration”) to punk funk (“Just Call Me Scrooge,” the best) & while none have become standards, none are boring.
- Koko Taylor (1969): Her 2nd album, prod by Willie Dixon, is great: sexy and assertive blues with a heavy dose of late ‘60s soul. (Sometimes this sounds more Stax than it does Chess.) “Love You Like A Woman,” “Twenty Nine Ways,” “Don’t Mess”: what a singer, what a woman.
- Madvillain, Madvillainy (2004): Madlib’s prod sometimes excels, but he enjoys excerpts of dialogue, etc way too much. (& scratchy records: we get it.) MF Doom is a perfectly fine rapper; I don’t get the cult around him. This mostly makes me wanna listen to Wu-Tang.
- Keith Barrow, Physical Attraction (1978): On the disco material, Barrow tends to sound like a second-rate Sylvester, but he excels on balladry. “If It’s Love…,” “Free to Be Me,” and esp “You Know You Want to Be Loved” are gorgeous late ‘70s soul. His falsetto is so pure.
28b. Jermaine Stewart, Frantic Romantic (1986): His soph LP is lightweight dance-pop prod by Narada Michael Walden & Jellybean Benitez; Stewart isn’t much of a singer, but he does have personality. Ballads aren’t his strong suit, but “Clothes Off” is forever a gem.
END.
Oh Manchester, So Much To Answer For 