I’ll admit that I’ve never been the world’s biggest Whitney Houston fan. She’s held my interest for 2 or 3 songs per album, though, and I certainly won’t deny that she’s in possession of an amazing voice. A voice that, to my ears, has gotten better as she’s aged. Her last two studio albums, “My Love is Your Love” and “Just Whitney” found her tackling material that was a bit more mature and substantial than the likes of “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” and those God-awful Michael Masser ballads that she started her career singing.
Whitney Houston in concert, 2007 (Photo: JKevin01)
As anyone on the planet Earth knows, Whitney’s career has been derailed by all sorts of drama: the tempestuous marriage to Bobby Brown and subsequent divorce, problems with various substances that left the former model looking like the sister of Pookie as played by Chris Rock in “New Jack City”, the fact that her daughter Bobbi Kristina is already going to need YEARS if not decades of extensive therapy. However, over the past year or so, Whitney has made several public appearances (usually in the company of her label owner/Svengali Clive Davis) and has looked damn good. While rumors of a new album have been floating for quite a while, we finally get our first taste of the scheduled-for-November release with “Like I Never Left”.
And the verdict? It’s a pretty good song, with a mellow, summery vibe. It’s not a blow-the-doors-open huge single, but Whitney’s in fine voice, the song doesn’t try too hard to align itself with current trends, and Akon (by some strange act of God) turns out to be a pretty decent duet partner. If he can do do this for Whitney, there might be hope for that Akon/MJ collaboration after all.
As I stated in February, I decided to stop buying actual CDs and buy all my music through iTunes. Let me update you on my iTunes journey.
The month of April saw me purchase three full albums through iTunes. The first was Diddy’s anti-bitchassness group Day26. The album was standard R&B fare and earned Diddy another number one record, but failed to set the world on fire. But what does these days? Marketed as a new New Edition, the boys from Making The Band put together a few songs that worked like Silly Love, the first single Got Me Going, the dreamy Co-Star, and hard hitting Exclusive.
Next was Mariah Carey’s not so fulfilling E=MC², which should’ve been titled The Emancipation of Nick Cannon. Just kidding Nick. Actually, I’m impressed that the dude had it in him. Before, I remembered him most from giving the movie audience that serious drumming face in the movie Drumline, but now he’s the guy that put that ring on Mimi’s finger. Though I didn’t like the album much and thought it was smack dab in the middle of her career works, iTunes did give me one extra song that wasn’t on the CD version. Though, I’m not sure if it was a truly bonus or not because it was the track 4real4real featuring Da Brat and though she might’ve been cool in 1994, the words “featuring Da Brat” might be the worst marketing in music today. Ok, that was wrong of me. But actually, at least we know that Da Brat is still working. Also included with the extra song was a digital booklet (iTunes version of the physical CD booklet) and the Touch My Body video, which is impressive for how well a late 30s Mimi looks.
The third full album was the best of the bunch. Before I even tell you what it is, I have to ask, “Who is the most consistent music group in the game today?” You probably wouldn’t answer The Roots, but if they aren’t the most consistent, they are close. Their latest gem is called Rising Down and it’s probably the best album I’ve bought all year. From the killer Rising Up, with Chrisette Michele on the hook to the Talib Kweli assisting I Will Not Apologize, there’s not a bad song on the record. While they might not have the one or two head turning tracks on this album like they usually have, it’s still just damn good. Also included as an iTunes bonus is their duet with Fall Out Boy, Birthday Girl, which was vetoed off the original album and as first single for not sounding Roots enough. I kind of dig it, but I understand where they’re coming from.
I also bought a bunch of one off songs. If you remember, April was the month of “Idol Gives Back” and instead of donating money, I bought a few tracks including Carrie Underwood’s George Michael cover of Praying For Time, the group version of Rihanna’s Don’t Stop The Music (my kids can’t get enough of this one), and Snoop Dogg’s Can’t Say Goodbye featuring Charlie Wilson. On that same day, I also purchased Bon Jovi’s Bad Medicine and Fuel’s Leave The Memories Alone with the latter being the theme song to the Nature Boy’s Ric Flair retirement. I just had to throw one wrestling reference in.
Lastly, I purchased Digital Underground’s silly song Kiss You Back. One day, it was in my head and I decided to get it so I could hear it a few times. Without iTunes, I would’ve had to find a used copy of Sons Of The P, and that wasn’t going to happen without making a trek to a used record store some 30 miles away.
The next edition of “No Plastic” will feature the return of some Boston boys and a man on a mission to get some grown assed respect.
Uh…hmmm…I don’t have a witty comment with which to start this thing off. I will say that the 80GB iPod I have now had for almost a year is approaching capacity, so I’m starting to uncheck songs that I’m sort of lukewarm on. Y’know, if, like, anything from Mariah Carey’s “Unplugged ” album comes on shuffle, I’m gonna skip it anyway, so why have it there in the first place?
Anyhow, you know the rules…7 songs, completely random fashion. Current tally: 16,794 songs (I have no idea how many of them are unchecked).
Track 1: “(They Long To Be) Close To You” by The Carpenters:
Actually, the first time I heard this song when I was a kid, it wasn’t Karen Carpenter singing it, but Diana Ross. Miss Ross hosted a TV special back in 1971 (it featured The Jackson 5, Bill Cosby and Danny Thomas), and she performed a rendition of this song on the show and it’s soundtrack. Her version has nothing on The Carpenters’ version, however. This is as good as 70s easy listening pop got. Karen was truly a great emotional singer, and you can’t beat the harmonies here (especially on headphones…fucking wow). I must admit, it’s so cool listening to this song without a video to latch your memory on to, because that way I can mentally picture a flock of birds buzzing around Karen’s lover when he pops up and giggle a little.
Man, I know it’s a cliche, but this woman’s voice breaks my heart every time I hear it.
Track 2: “Tasty Love” by Freddie Jackson
For those of you who weren’t riding the quiet storm in the mid-Eighties, Freddie was not a member of the famous singing family, but a New York City balladeer who basically went on to become a poor man’s Luther Vandross. Actually, for a period in the Eighties, he was BIGGER than Loofa, and if memory serves, he had more #1s during the decade than not only Mr. Vandross, but Michael and Janet as well. This smoove ballad was the first single from his sophomore release, “Just Like the First Time”, an album that spent a mind-boggling 26 weeks at #1 (that’s half a year, folks) on the R&B albums chart. Sort of funny to think that Freddie was the guy riding the top of the charts during a period when so many albums with less chart success have gone on to be more influential in the long haul-Janet’s “Control”, Anita Baker’s “Rapture” and Run-DMC’s “Raising Hell” among them.
I met Freddie in person six years ago, and I’d be surprised if he and Mr. Vandross didn’t have at least one other thing in common. That man was sweeter than a box of chocolates. Check him out with that woman in the video. They’re probably drinking Riunite on Ice. And he’s probably thinking about her hot younger brother.
Track 3: “Plantation Lullabies” by Me’shell Ndegeocello
The very brief (1:14) instrumental title track from the debut album by one of the most underrated R&B artists of the Nineties, and the best female bass player in history (granted, she’s at the head of a very small field). I love this album to death, although many others listen to this album and are a little freaked out by her militance (is that a word?).
Track 4: “Run Riot” by Def Leppard
Although I wasn’t familiar with the song, I recognized it as Def Lep within 5 seconds…those guys (and producer Mutt Lange) had a pretty damn recognizable sound back in the Eighties. Joe Elliott’s voice sounds a little higher than usual on this song, almost like he’s channeling AC/DC’s Brian Johnson.
Slightly related aside: I was at karaoke with friends a year or so ago, and someone decided to sing “Pour Some Sugar on Me”, a song I’d always enjoyed despite not paying a hell of a lot attention to the lyrics. As the song’s words flashed on the screen, I’ve gotta admit I was a little taken aback by how a song with such absolutely silly lyrics could have become such a big hit.
Hmmm…I wonder why “Hysteria” and “Pyromania” are not available on iTunes?
Oh, I saw their new video on VH-1 Classic recently, which features Tim McGraw. Definitely two great tastes that do not taste great together.
Track 5: “Magazines” by The Hold Steady
I actually just bought the latest Hold Steady album, “Stay Positive”, a couple days ago. I wound up buying their last album, “Boys & Girls in Amerca”, thanks to a ton of press hype and truth be told, it’s a pretty good record. This is my first taste of anything from the new album, and it sounds like…the last album. This song chugs along in a manner very similar to “Born To Run”-era Springsteen, although lead singer Craig Finn, despite being a good singer on his own (and pretty hot besides) doesn’t have half of The Boss’s charisma. Or Danny Federici on organ. Or Clarence Clemons playing the sax.
Track 6: “The Coolest” by Lupe Fiasco
Considering I went absolutely gaga over the Chicago rapper’s debut album, “Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Lquor”, his second album (“Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool”) has left me strangely lukewarm. I don’t think it’s bad. It just hasn’t grabbed me the same way. Maybe I haven’t given it the chance it deserves. Maybe it’s a grower? Maybe it’s just not as good. That said, Lupe’s one of the most talented new emcees out there, and the fact that this album was certified Gold is one of the few things that makes me feel good about being a hip-hop fan nowadays.
Track 7: “Now at Last” by Feist
I’m proud of myself for discovering Feist at least a few months before she became a star (thanks to the iPod commercial and that annoying-ass video). She reminds me of what Norah Jones would sound like if she took more drugs. Maybe it’s just because she’s Canadian and all of the Canucks I’ve met in person have a sort of warped, offbeat personality behind those square, polite exteriors. This is a pretty straightforward piano ballad. It could have been recorded in 1936 or 20006. If you haven’t checked her out, please do so, and check out her debut album, “Let it Die” before you pick up her more recent “The Reminder”. It not only contains this beautiful song (having her and Karen Carpenter bookending this setlist is strangely appropriate), but she does a killer cover of The Bee Gees’ “Love You Inside Out”, which was actually the song that introduced me to her.
Till next week, I’m shufflin’ off (oh, STOP! The jokes are KILLING me!!)
