What Are You Listening To?

[Tiggi]

got the email alert thing in my inbox tiggi in regards to 'otis redding' but its not here???
the answer is 'no', otis cant be beaten, i rate him as the greatest 'male' soul singer,just ahead of wilson picket and marvin gaye. i meant, 'cant beat aretha' as a female soul singer.

Wrong location, mate...

The post referred to was a dreadfully witty riposte to your post on the "What Did You Buy ?" thread.

[Tiggi]

Beach (Now-deceased founder member of this forum) used to maintain that most of VM's output was Jazz. I never agreed with this, and with this album containing Jazz, Blues, Soul, & R&B tunes, I think the closest fit is Soul.

Wonderful live 2-disc set from the early '70s, with Van backed by the Caledonian Soul Orchestra, complete with strings and brass. For me, VM is ever-dependable, but this captures him quite early in his career, near his peak, and there isn't a bad song on the album.

[krazycore]

Cyne - Haze

really awesome.. hiphop forever!

[Music Head]

from my library (vinyl)



Think I've stated before I'm not a huge fan of live albums. There are exceptions, but this is not one of them. The classic Withers tracks are just not the same. They are good here, but the same songs would have scored a 3 on the studio albums. No 3's here. A lot of banter between songs, setting the songs up, which is fine. In fact that is at least as interesting as the songs themselves (check out track 4, 6 and 9). Best thing for me ends up being a little known rather long track called Harlem/Cold Baloney, in which he gets some tremendous audience participation going. A 13 minute track, and if you're not into it by the end, in the music sense of the word, you have no soul. Of course there is no clip for that.

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - Let Me In Your Life

Best Track - Harlem/Cold Baloney

1) Use Me - **
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3hBYTkI-sE
2) Friend Of Mine - **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCJN7ktNO1w
3) Ain't No Sunshine - **
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIdIqbv7SPo
4) Grandmas Hands - **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5W-xtHYXE7A
5) World Keeps Going Around - **
6) Let Me In Your Life - *
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yjenyrm-Wo
7) Better Off Dead - **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MnU7R1dIyQ
8) For My Friend - *
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N__ShjmYHCY
9) I Can't Write Left Handed - **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4RyYtkifTM
10) Lean On Me - **
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaVXfHZv50Y
11) Lonely Town Lonely Street - **
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAncvyAk5Vw
12) Hope She'll Be Happier - **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMC-HvTiV4Q
13) Let Us Love - **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tGfz6nBBMg
14) Harlem/Cold Baloney - **

3's - 0
2's - 12
1's - 2

Grade - 1.9

[Music Head]

from my library (vinyl)



Still some hits to come at this phase, but this covers the early hits and their best years. Formed in Chicago in 1958, the group would go through several lineup changes, but the near original of Curtis Mayfield, Fred Cash and Sam Gooden worked the best for me. They were actually started as a doo-wop group which included Jerry Butler, who left early on for a legendary solo career. Very unusual r&b album in that all but two of the tracks were written by Mayfield. A hit didn't take long to come with Gypsy Woman in 1961. Chart wise most of the hits were on the r&b side, with the biggest crossover being It's Alright which went to #4 and is my favorite. There is nothing bad on this album. It peaked at a dismal #83, but there was that british invasion thing going on,

I LOVE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - Sad, Sad Girl And Boy

Best Track - It's Alright

Say it's all right (it's all right)
Say it's all right (it's all right)
It's all right, have a good time
'Cause it's all right, whoa, it's all right

We're gonna move it slow
When lights are low
When you move it slow, it sounds like more
And it's all right, whoa, it's all right

Now listen to the beat
Kinda pat your feet
You got soul, and everybody knows
That it's all right, whoa, it's all right

When you wake up early in the morning
Feelin' sad like so many of us do
Hum a little soul
Make life your goal
And surely something's got to come to you

And say it's all right (it's all right)
Say it's all right (it's all right)
It's all right, have a good time
'Cause it's all right, whoa, it's all right

Now everybody clap your hands
Give yourself a chance
You got soul, and everybody knows
That it's all right, whoa, it's all right

Someday I'll find me a woman
Who will love and treat me real nice
Then my woe's got to go
And my love, she will know
From morning, noon, and night
And she's got to ...

Say it's all right (it's all right)
Say it's all right (it's all right)
It's all right, have a good time
'Cause it's all right, whoa, it's all right
Now everybody clap your hands
Now give yourselves a chance
You got soul... [fade]


1) Gypsy Woman - ***
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Wd4tlX5t-Q
2) Talking About My Baby - ***
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0O0wuuh-Tlg
3) I'm So Proud ***
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5MvpbKI3i4
4) Keep On Pushing - **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfGsTx3xtdI
5) Never Let Me Go - **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8VndCV2G7k
6) It's Alright - ***
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMWlhErzOPo
7) You Must Believe Me - **
8) Sad, Sad Girl And Boy - **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5K2na3R3ypA
9) I'm The One Who Loves You - **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGNkcYwTywQ
10) Minstrel And Queen - **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFpz3ll3C3Q
11) Grow Closer Together - **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbSPilxuOR0
12) Amen - ***
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3-iBfP-Pfo

3's - 5
2's - 7
1's - 0

Grade - 2.4

[CRAZY-HORSE]

CHI-LITES "CHI-LITES" 1973 (vinyl)

this is the first time ive heard this album in something like 15yrs,far too long between airings,so i wasnt sure if i'd still appreciate it after all this time, but thankfully i still do,in fact i probably like it as much as i did back in the day because it doesnt 'date'. i only discovered this band back in the early '80s after hearing The Jam's version of 'stoned out of my mind', so i had to pursue the original version.
Jam version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0zblGFfQE0 (audio)***
this album is soothing. unlike the rough sounds of 'stax' and 'atlantic' soul or the churn 'em out hit machine of motown, this album is warm,summery,passionate,styish and as sweet as sugar!...its sophisticated soul music at its best!
their sound lies 100% in the great falsetto vocals of lead singer Eugene Record, it one of those albums that has a feel of familliarity from the time the needle hits the plastic.the music is drenched in good beats, horns and strings. UB40 covered 'homely girl' on one of the 'labour of love' albums http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bd8tFL4tZOg **
after this album was released a couple of original members left but the band kept on churning out the R&B/Soul hits until the end of the '70s. the band went back to its original lineup in 1980 and had several minor hits in the '80s. Eugene Record eventually left the band in 1990 to pursue a solo career, IMO probably 10-15 years too late as music had changed so much by then. the group still tour the US today but without their distinctive falsetto vocalist.
album reached #89 in US, no UK entry. 'stoned out of my mind' #30 US, not released in UK, 'homely girl' #54 US, #5 UK, 'i found sunshine' #47 US, #35 UK, 'too late to be forgotten' #10 UK, not released in US.
the thing that amazes me is that i couldnt find any 'live' links for these tracks,just audios.

I LOVE THIS ALBUM

best track: i found sunshine
worst track: marriage license

tracks:

1....homely girl ***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqE4PF1zDFo (audio)
2....go away dream ***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdCywJAyjJU (audio)
3....too late to be forgotten **
4....i found sunshine ***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIPFzRPd7W8 (audio)
5....i never had it so good ***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0liUPQMCjlg (audio)
6....marriage license **
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YtuEteS9...re=related (audio)
7....i forgot to say i love you**
8....one man band**
9....bet you'll never be sorry**
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2N56-AeyeU (audio)
10..stoned out of my mind ***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x74D4VTnmnU (audio)

3s-5
2s-5
1s-0

rating 2.5

[Music Head]

don't have any Chi-lites

will check some of this out in the morning

when watching tv with the wife, she catches on when I slip the ear-phones on

[Music Head]

don't have any Chi-lites

will check some of this out in the morning

when watching tv with the wife, she catches on when I slip the ear-phones on

listened to them all.
all good, favorite has to be Homely Girl.
I must confess I was not a big fan of this style of music when it was popular.
But when you compare it to what gets called r&b today, it is all superb.
thanks bud

[Music Head]

from my library (vinyl)

Stevie was near his peak in popularity around this time. This is around his 20th album so his career had already been made, with numerous grammys on his shelf. From here on out would just be icing. Stevie wrote all of this and is said to play most of the instruments, althought other credits are listed. Guest vocal appearances by Paul Anka, Deniece Williams, Minnie Riperton (ah, remember that songbird), and the Jackson 5. Two excellent tracks of the singles Boogie On Reggae Woman and You Haven't Done Nothin', which has to be my fav as it is social commentary. For the clip I included for that, the audio is not great, but the live performance is fantastic. Stevie at his best. A couple of duds here to, but overall, a very nice album. It went to #1 here, with a #1 single of my fav and a #3 for Boogie On. The album received a grammy for Best of the Year along with the Best Male Pop Vocal, and Best R&B Vocal for Boogie On Reggae Woman. And a #5 charting in the U.K. A stunning career indeed.

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - They Won't Go When I Go

Best Track - You Haven't Done Nuthin'

We are amazed but not amused
By all the things you say that you'll do
Though much concerned but not involved
With decisions that are made by you

But we are sick and tired of hearing your song
Telling how you are gonna change right from wrong
'Cause if you really want to hear our views
"You haven't done nothing"!

It's not too cool to be ridiculed
But you brought this upon yourself
The world is tired of pacifiers
We want the truth and nothing else

And we are sick and tired of hearing your song
Telling how you are gonna change right from wrong
'Cause if you really want to hear our views
"You haven't done nothing"!

Jackson 5 join along with me say
Doo doo wop - hey hey hey
Doo doo wop - wow wow wow
Doo doo wop - co co co
Doo doo wop - naw naw naw
Doo doo wop - bum bum bum
Doo doo wop

We would not care to wake up to the nightmare
That's becoming real life
But when mislead who knows a person's mind
Can turn as cold as ice un hum

Why do you keep on making us hear your song
Telling us how you are changing right from wrong
'Cause if you really want to hear our views
"You haven't done nothing"!
Yeah

Jackson 5 sing along again say
Doo doo wop
Doo doo wop - oh
Doo doo wop - co co co
Doo doo wop - sing it baby
Doo doo wop - bum bum bum
Doo doo wop - um
Sing it loud for your people say
Doo doo wop - um um um

Doo doo wop - stand up be counted, say
Doo doo wop - co co co
Doo doo wop - ow
Doo doo wop - bum bum bum
Doo doo wop - ah hum

1) Smile Please - **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eR6PKtgEL_w
2) Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away - **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIE6unjkXmc
3) Too Shy To Say - **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_j-MxKALFU
4) Boogie On Reggae Woman - ***
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDxRTITqEvU
5) Creepin' - **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gkqGCnK-nw
6) You Haven't Done Nothin' - ***
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DclVLRhlX3g
7) It Ain't No Use - *
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBVD24d7V5E
8) They Won't Go When I Go - *
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Or6Kgo3UsrU&feature=fvst
9) Bird Of Beauty - **
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdWbuiVkMmA
10) Please Don't Go - **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf71XpAot8I

3's - 2
2's - 6
1's - 2

Grade - 2.0

[Thraak]

[video=youtube;XRupzS7Q5gY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRupzS7Q5gY[/video]

Anyone ever heard this guy before? Just discovered him on youtube. Brazillian soul/funk/bossa nova singer/songwriter active from 70s-90s. This is a pretty epic live performance of one of his more funkier tracks called 'Sossego' which was originally released in 1978.