Vinyl of the Day: Funkadelic - Maggot Brain

Vinyl of the Day: Funkadelic - Maggot Brain

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• Wednesday, January 10, 2018

     I was fortunate enough to snag this album this past weekend while shopping in Amoeba. It's not something I had actively been searching out for, but it was something I'm happy to come across. When I popped into the soul selection of the store, the goal was if something screamed out at me I would  buy it. Little did I know it would be Barbara Cheeseborough, on the cover of Maggot Brain screaming at me while digging for records.

      Can we talk about an album cover that matches the record so well? This album is timeless. Every time I put it on I can help but shake my head in disbelief at how well it aged, and how I find something else to love about it. It kicks ass. I mean George Clinton is a genius, (and everyone involved is as well of course) the production is superb. I cannot fathom that when this album came out, there were people who were critical of the record. Usually, I would suggest a couple of tracks to listen to but this is something I find is best played from start to finish. No skipping, no interruptions, just an album played how it was meant to be.

     I would describe this album best as funk-rock. It's so much more and very difficult to pin into any one genre. Weaving in and out of each song you'll hear multiple guitars, a keyboard, a cow, a fox and a variety of percussion instruments. I'm not even kidding, 'Wars of Armageddon' holds a mixture of those sounds and some. My favorites from this album, if I had to choose, would be 'Can You Get to That' and 'Super Stupid'. This album like I said this is timeless.  I would love for a another pressing of this to be re-released with something that reflected how crazy this album is. Maybe like a spatter or marble design would be perfect, something similar to the multicolored label it comes with. If this were released today, it would be applauded as innovative and fresh. Its sound is distinct, and I'm happy to have it added to my collection finally.

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Amoeba Muisc

Amoeba Muisc

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• Tuesday, January 9, 2018

Ladies and Gentlemen, I was fortunate enough to take a trip to Amoeba Music this past week. Let me say that it lived up to the hype. Before this mini-vacation, I had asked some ‘Vinyl Me, Please' members, which record store I should visit while in LA. The verdict was unanimous:

Now usually when I walk into record stores I pretty much have the same experience. (I will state this is not all the time, but it does happen more often than I would like.) When I've shopped in some stores, the vibe is usually super pretentious, and I'm so uncomfortable I just leave. I've spent 24 years as a black woman; I know when I'm not wanted somewhere. I will say that Amoeba was none of those listed.

Walking into its Sunset Boulevard location, I initially was impressed by size waking in. The size is comparable to like a BJ's or Walmart. The fact that I was handed a map steps after walking in showed me that this was not your typical neighborhood record shop. I came with a group of friends who had no interest in shopping for Vinyl. The good thing is that the store holds more than just records. DVDs, CDs, Cassette Tapes, Posters, Candy, Dogs, iPhones, Coffee Beans, Ect. I may have fabricated the last few items... but in a store that big I wouldn't put it past them. The crowd inside was just as eclectic as the items the store held. I loved the fact that everyone inside was looking for something different. But you could see that they would find what they were looking for inside the same store. Twenty minutes in, I spotted my friends gushing over their DVD collection, leaving with a bundle of disc.

About two hours later, my friends had to pry records out of my hands. I had now spent well over $200 and still didn't want to leave. I felt as though I had only experienced one-fifth of everything that store had to offer. It looks like a place that takes days on end just to eventually see every crack and crevice. Anytime I'm back visiting Amoeba I will be sure to:

•  1) Bring more cash because their collection of records is so extensive, you'll want to leave with EVERYTHING
• 2) Spend an entire day just browsing. I feel like I did not get that much time to take in as much as I could have.

My goal this year is to check out more record stores. Anytime I travel to a new city or place I'll be popping into crate dig and feel the vibes. I know you guys are also wondering what I spent 200 dollars on in Amoeba. Being a record collector, you guys know that could range anywhere from 4 to 10 albums. Later this week I'll be uploading a haul of all of the records I got while in LA! Can't wait to show you guys.

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Album of the Day: Fabolous & Jadakiss - Friday On Elm Street

Album of the Day: Fabolous & Jadakiss - Friday On Elm Street

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• Wednesday, January 3, 2018

January 2, 2018

I preface this with saying I will not accept any slander regarding this album.

 

 

It's day three of the new year, I'm doing really well with this an album a day challenge. *Pats self on back* Today I was going to listen to Gucci's El Gato... but after track two it was looking like it was something I would have to come back to. Nothing wrong with the album, just something I wasn't vibing with at the time. After closing that out and looking for what would be my album of the day, I stumbled on to Fab and Jada’s 'Friday on Elm Street'. Now I had listened to The Breakfast Club interview when these two were promoting the record. A lot of doubt was cast because we had been waiting so long on this to drop. To be honest I had forgotten that they were even still going to release a collab. Me being a longtime fan of Fab and a supporter of any underdog, this was the album I was going to rock out with today.

 

Track one 'F vs J Intro' they set the mood and start the track with horror movie ad libs. This beat can be best described as if a rapper went to a morning radio show to spit a freestyle, they gave them a beat and added an organ to it. Now imagine that and go listen to the track. Was I accurate? Moving on past the first 30 seconds of the track, Fabulous and Jadakiss take a couple bars to introduce themselves as their horror film counterparts. On paper, this album sounds like a terrible idea. Two ol’ heads get together for a collab album and rap as Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees. But as an album, it worked out in their favor. I never had any doubt about these two MC’s ability to spit bars, I was just nervous as to how they could pull this off. After finishing the first track and continuing the rest of the album, most of my worries were put to ease.

 

Some of my favorite tracks:

•            Soul Food (A song my mom and I can both bop to)
•             Principles  
•             Stand Up (Remix)

 

In 2017 there was a lot of rap with substance (Jay- Z, Vince Staples & Kendrick) and well as rap without it. No shade, I’m not going to list it but we all know the rap tracks from this past year without substance. This album is for the people who needed to fill the void between the two. Yes of course there’s political and social commentary (‘Talk About It’ & ‘Principles’) on the album, but mostly it’s a throwback to an era when rap lyrics were more focused on wit. In Soul Food fab drops:

We all need a little culture/A little time away from bird ass niggas and vultures/I tell you what you need to hear and not try to insult you/I'm too old to kid you, I gotta adult you/Listen, the shit is getting outta hand/Like fumbles in football, I humbly put y'all/In y'all fucking place, that's my OCD/I give a bitch a little bit, but it's mostly D

Also later in the song Jadakiss spews:

Do something and stop stalling, that's silly (haha)

The bul over there just drawlin', that’s Philly (woo!)*

*(That’s in no way a hot line, I just get really hype because he references Philly slang)

 

That’s a track you bob your head to the entire time because the beat and lyrics are equally fire. The one pull back I’ve heard regarding this album is the fact that it’s past due. If this had dropped after Loso's Way in '09 or '10, I guarantee that would have been a banger. But just because it was released after it was supposed to be, doesn’t take away from the fact that it’s a solid record. On the track 'Theme Music' (which samples Marvin Gaye's 'Far Cry') they take a moment to touch on the fact that this "that theme music, some back on your deen music". Essentially calling this album somewhat of a throwback. It’s definitely not the greatest that was dropped of 2017. But it’s still a great record, refreshing and something that is pleasant for any rap fan to listen to. I believe it’s their sort of “Don’t sleep on us” record. If you haven’t taken a listen yet I suggest you do.



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Album of the Day: Charli XCX - Pop 2

Album of the Day: Charli XCX - Pop 2

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• Tuesday, January 2, 2018

GOOOOD MOOORNING & HAAAPPY NEW YEAARRR!

My goal this year is to listen to one album a day. Last year sucked and I missed out on so much music, because I was just busy or lazy. This year I refuse to let that happen again. I'm back on that New Year, New Me bullshit that everyone else succumbs to. Yeah I know... It's the first of the year and optimism is high. I'm going to ride this wave as long as I can and see how far I get listening to an album a day. Waking up January 1st I was dehydrated and starving, and wanted something that would possibly put me in a better mood. I looked on to Charli XCX's Mixtape Pop 2. I've heard nothing but positive things about this project. I figured why not start my year with something that would uplift me.

Starting off with the opening track Backseat, and I'm like damn this is fantastic. This track alone is a foreshadowing for the structure of the entire album:

• Bomb ass collabs
• Bomb ass beats
• Avoiding the real world, dealing with crippling sadness, and being alone.

We see all of this repeated throughout the entire album. At this point I'm in my kitchen New Years Day, eating leftovers wondering if this really the album I am to start this year with. I was looking for something to uplift me but definitely picked the wrong one to do so. Turns out I picked the right one. When you take a moment to look at the lyrics, there's some real shit she's singing about. On the last song "Track 10" she takes an honest look at being with someone just to feed her own ego:

Sorry, I'm a little scared
But no one ever really cared
I took you for granted
Just a big misunderstandin'
I just wanna spend the night
Fuckin' in your bed tonight
Watch a little TV
I love it when you need me. 

Essentially that's dating in a nutshell in this generation. To be honest I had to face the realization that I picked the perfect album to start the year off right. One that's fire and off the bat better than what you're expecting it to be. Hopefully this is the path my 2018 goes down. No being with someone to feed my own ego of course. But a year of being honest with myself, and having a good time doing so.



Some stand out bangers that you can dance alone to when no one else is watching are:

• "Out Of My Head"
• "I Got It" (w/ Brooke Candy, Cupcakke and Pabllo Vittar)
• "Delicious" (w/ Tommy Cash)
• "Porsche" (MØ)

Props to her for the collabs, they're all perfection. I personally, would love to have her added to any and every song that's dropped in 2018. Also can someone do a remix of 'Delicious' and Arctic Monkey's 'Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High'? Bc that's a club mix classic waiting to happen. From start to finish this mixtape is a work of art. It's what I wish pop would be in the future if all artist took risk and where true to themselves. She's a great example of an artist that has crossed over to the mainstream yet maintains musical integrity. I guess that's why she released this as a mixtape. With the release of an album, I'm guessing an artist would have restraints and just a whole bunch of nonsense they would have to deal with. With a mixtape it seems like there is more freedom, and she took plenty of creative risks that worked out for her. With a cluster of artist she carves out her own path in pop. If I had listening to this when it originally dropped I would have raved that it was the perfect tape to end 2017. Instead I'm am late to the party praising it in the new year.
Better late than never right?


I'm very happy I started off my year with this gem. It makes me insanely optimistic for everything else I'll be listening to this year. Thanks for reading and I'm excited to be with you all on this ride this year.

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