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Tag: James Brown

  • The Sunday Seven: Talkin’ Loud & Saying Nothing

    Hey Mikey. Sorry I deleted your comment. Oops!! (he mentioned “I Can’t Drive 55” by Sammy Hagar as one of the other courtroom videos from the mid-Eighties. See, man? I’m giving you your props.)

    It’s been…hmmm…about two weeks since I last bought a CD, which is fairly major stuff for me. I went record shopping in Cambridge yesterday, though, although I was tempted to break my streak and buy Eddie Murphy’s “So Happy” on CD (which would actually give me the entire Eddie Murphy non-comedy collection on compact disc…yes, I’m lame), I ended up picking up a few records, including Talking Heads’ “Fear of Music” (which only cost $1 and I already own on CD, but the dualdisc won’t burn onto my computer), LaBelle’s “Chameleon”, Spandau Ballet’s “Greatest Hits” (because I misplaced the CD), and this little gem.

    I’ve seen pictures of Mike Sembello performing “Maniac” on TV, and he looks like this burly, heavy-set dude. So why the hell did he decide to come out with what might be the gayest album cover in history? Beats me.

    Anyway, the current tally on the iPod is currently over 17K. Let’s get right down to bidness.

    Track One: “Say You Want it All” by Amel Larrieux

    Those of you not familiar with the name may remember Amel Larrieux as the voice behind the R&B duo Groove Theory, who had a Top 10 hit in 1995 with “Tell Me”. I’m surprised it wasn’t a bigger national hit because they played the shit out of it in New York City. Anyhow, she only made that one album with GT partner Bryce Wilson before going solo. To date, she’s released three pretty good albums of new material in addition to one collection of standards that I really haven’t devoted a lot of time to. This song is pretty standard midtempo neo-soul, with the addition of a peppy horn section, and it comes from her second solo album “Bravebird”. If you cross Sade with Erykah Badu, you’d have a pretty good idea of what Amel sounds like. Good stuff.

    Track 2: “Talkin’ Loud and Sayin’ Nothing” by James Brown

    Can’t go wrong with The Godfather, who was also the master of catchprases. “Say it Loud-I’m Black & I’m Proud”, “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag”, that line “I don’t know karate, but I know ka-razy!!” from “The Payback”. We miss you JB. Hmmm…I wonder if we can find that Eddie Murphy “singers” skit on YouTube. Well, I’ll be…

    Track Three: “Better Days” by JOE

    R&B singer Joe Thomas, who until recently used only his first name professionally, has actually been in the news recently. Apparently, he’s been accusing his former labelmate R. Kelly of sabotaging his career by calling radio stations and telling him not to play Joe’s songs for fear that Joe would take some shine away from him. While I wouldn’t put that past Kells, didn’t he give Joe two of his “Loveland” leftovers for one of his albums? Wouldn’t that almost be self-sabotage, then? Regardless, Joe, despite being somewhat inconsistent, overall is a much better listen than Kelly, capable of writing songs that are nuanced and melodic. This is the title track from his somber 2001 album, which took some inspiration from the 9/11 tragedies. It’s a pleasant midtempo song with an uplifting message, and it also starts with a quote from The Five Stairsteps’ “Ooh Child”, adding to the song’s optimistic feel.

    Track 4: “Territorial Pissings” by Nirvana

    And now for a COMPLETE change of pace, let’s go with one of the most frenetic offerings from “Nevermind”. Two things come to mind when playing this song. One is, did Nirvana really kick-start the whole alterna-rock changing of the guard, or did R.E.M. do it six months earlier with “Out of Time”? Second, this song opens with a sarcastically sung snatch (ooh! alliteration) of The Youngbloods’ “Get Together”, making it the second straight song (ooh! alliteration) played that references another song in it.


    Track 5: “Selena” by Wyclef Jean feat. Melissa Jimenez

    True story: Wyclef Jean’s “Carnival 2: Memoirs of an Immigrant” is actually good (much better than you’d expect from ‘Clef after a trio of solo records that went from OK to terrible to OMIGOD this sucks!). Unfortunately, this belated tribute to the Tejano superstar is…oh, about 13 years too late and is one of the weaker songs on the album. I think I’ll be unchecking this. Actually, there’s a pretty neat breakdown in the middle of the song that elevates it to average status. I won’t be unchecking it, but it’s still one of the weaker tracks. Still, check the album out. You might be surprised. Who else can get Paul Simon on a rap record?

    Track 6: “Tell Me What You See” by The Beatles

    This is definitely one of the more incidental songs on the “Help!” soundtrack, although even incidental Beatles songs are pretty good. Some interesting organ playing on this (shades of “Louie Louie”!) and some pretty harmonies too.

    Track 7: “Sulky Guy” by Elvis Costello

    The man who was originally Declan MacManus ranks as my favorite Elvis (hell, if I had that name, I’d change it too), and while I can’t place what album this song may have originally come from (I burned it from a compilation), it sounds late Eighties/early Nineties, right in line with songs like “Handle With Care” by Traveling Wilburys (only slightly messier and garage-y) or “My Brave Face” by Paul McCartney (a song that Costello co-wrote). My two questions of the evening to close this edition of the Sunday Seven out.

    1) How in the name of Jeebus did Elvis Costello snag Diana Krall? That’s almost as bad as Janet Jackson and Jermaine Dupri!

    2) If Lenny Kravitz and Elvis Costello did a duet, would you be able to tell who was singing what??

    …and that’s all folks! Till next week!!

  • 2007 American Music Awards: Random Thoughts

    To show you how much I’ve been keeping up with this stuff, the only thing I knew about this show before hand was that Jimmy Kimmel was hosting. Hopefully there will be an Adam Corolla appearance.

    • They just announced that Fergie was the hottest female pop star. That Fergalicious got me suspicious, check it out.
    • It’s not Thanksgiving, but I’m thankful that I don’t have HD yet. I bet Fergie is even scarier in HD.
    • Actually, I’m probably just as thankful that I don’t have a stereo receiver, because she’s singing Big Girls Don’t Cry live. She misses me like a child misses his blanket.
    • Now it’s will.i.am’s turn and the crowd goes completely quiet. Dude, you have to sell more than a handful of your solo record to be solo on this show.
    • The dude is trying to be James Brown and maybe if James were drunk, or had half of a right leg, he’d come close.
    • Nicole Schwarchenegger is out next and she could be naked on stage and I wouldn’t care because I’ve pretty much seen everything in that Blender spread. And I don’t like the song very much.
    • Now that was as flat an opening as I’ve ever seen.
    • I just found out that Souja Boy is on this show. Someone needs to kick his ass.
    • Speaking of Soulja Boy, he just did the Soulja Boy dance with Jimmy Kimmel, Jordin Sparks, and Kelly Pickler. I just heard the words, “Superman that ho” on the Disney owned ABC. They should be ashamed of themselves.
    • Carrie Underwood is giving out the Best New Artist award, but before she gives it out, she claims that Tony Romo had a minuscule penis and kissed like a walrus.
    • Daughtry wins by the way.
    • That boy band, Rascal Flatts is performing tonight as well. I mean, that country group.
    • The single greatest man on earth just took the stage. His name is Ryno Seacrest.
    • Adam Levine has a great voice, but if you were to point to one guy who would be proof that white guys shouldn’t shave their heads, you’d point at him.
    • Ashanti (remember her?) just presented the Male R&B award, which Akon won, and he said that T-Pain deserves this “reward”.
    • Some young cats named the Jonas Brothers are out (and the lead singer bailed trying to get to the mic). Ah, I remember them from about 15 years ago when they had blond hair and were called Hanson.
    • They introduced someone presenting as a, “number one rapper from Brooklyn” and nope, it wasn’t Jay-Z. It was FABO. I’d call that trickery.
    • Beyonce is in the audience. The Dreamgirls Soundtrack better win the soundtrack of the year. Dammit! High School Musical 2 just won. Maybe Beyonce can float some naked Vanessa Hudgens pictures out there. Wait, she already did that?
    • I really hate it that Rihanna loves Ne-Yo too.
    • Carrie Underwood just won the award for Best Female Country Artist, but this time, Faith Hill wasn’t around to give her the gas face.
    • I wonder how much they paid Beyonce to sing Irreplaceable with Sugarland? Especially the honky tonk version?
    • You know it’s a popularity contest when Daughtry beats out John Mayer in any sort of category.
    • I’m not surprised to see that Celine Dion is out here singing live. She knows she has a record to sell. But why is Lenny Kravitz out there singing live? When’s his record coming out? And where’s Denise Huxtable?
    • Who knew that Sean Kingston was really Keenan from Keenan and Kel?
    • Dancing With The Stars has really turned the clock back on Kelly Taylor. The woman looks almost fantastic enough to be married to Brandon Walsh now.
    • I’m the biggest MJ fan in the world, and I can still give Chris Brown props for his dancing. Now he just has to get that making songs that people want to hear part down.
    • Will Miley Ray Cyrus ever be able to be anything but Hannah Montana?
    • Carrie Underwood just won the very prestigious T-Mobile Text-In Award. I mean, I think Elvis Presley won that one back in ‘65.
    • Did Daughtry win again? I don’t think he’s thanked Randy or Paula yet.
    • It’s reggae night with Alicia Keys!

    I Don’t Worry ‘Cause Everything Is Gonna Be Alright

    • Carrie Underwood is cleaning up tonight. Tony Romo is in the locker room, staring at Terrell Owens’ naked backside. I wonder who’s having the better night?
    • Usher just presented Beyonce with the International Artist Award. Well, that’s what got her up there to perform with Sugarland.
    • You know, Mary J. Blige is blatantly stealing from Off The Wall era Michael Jackson with her new song Doin’ Fine, but you won’t find MJ in those stunna shades. Maybe that shade of lipstick though.
    • In 2007, how can Bone Thugs-N-Harmony win any sort of award? And more importantly, how can an award where Pretty Ricky and the Shop Boyz are also up for the same award, get on the television broadcast? You’d think that one gets presented right after Kirk Franklin wins his award that they gave out at the morning breakfast buffet.
    • You know that pop music sucks when Queen Latifah sounds ten times better live than Fergie, and the Queen wasn’t rapping.
    • Uh oh. Jay-Z’s in trouble. Rihanna just beat out Beyonce for Best Female R&B. And Rihanna thanked Jay, while Beyonce didn’t. Hmmmm.
    • Daughtry has the best selling album of 2007? Jeez, and here I thought it was Bone Thugs-N-Harmony.
    • I can actually fast forward through their performance because I only heard it at the end of every single elimination episode of American Idol. Where’s Daniel Powter when you need him? Having a bad day?
    • Fergie didn’t win an award all night that didn’t have to do with her having a resemblance to a toothy animal, and she wins the big one for the females. And she even thanked Tad Hamilton.
    • Nope, no Adam Corolla tonight.

  • The Godfather Is Gone

    James Brown has died after complications from pneumonia triggered problems with his heart. Brown, who had more than his share of problems with the law and never claimed to lead the life of a choirboy, was a massive influence on hundreds of well known performers. In a somewhat ironic twist, Brown’s death was announced the day that Eddie Murphy finally got to do more than a three minute version of his JB impersonation in the hit movie Dreamgirls.

    Musicians can be measured by chart success or how they impacted others. Jimi, for example, was hardly Mr. Hot 100. Neither was Led Zeppelin, but I somehow doubt either would be denied a place in popular music’s pantheon. Brown brought us both, and for all his personal demons, was still out there kicking out new music, well past 70 years of age.

    God rest you, JB.

    Spinning In The CD Player Tonight: I didn’t want to play any song that said “I feel good” so a little loop of his massive comback on the Rocky IV soundtrack, Living in America. If you haven’t seen the film, try to catch Brown’s performance taunting a Russian boxer during the song Livin’ in America. It was the time of Springsteen’s Born in the USA and The Scorpions singing about the wall coming down, but the Godfather of Soul put it to a faux Commie boxer.