I’ve been listening to a couple black female R&B | soul performers.
While far outside my then routine listening habits, I tried Erykah Badu’s debut album Baduizm (1997) based on strong reviews. It was a noteworthy hit back then, and it surely had enough unique content to keep my attention.
This week I was scanning through recent album releases at MetaCritic and tried Jamila Woods Water Made Us as the next album on their list.
Are these two clones? Are they mother and daughter? They have similar accents and awfully, awfully similar phrasing. I could be fooled into thinking one track was from the other singer. Both are solid performers in this genre. My guess is that Erykah entered a chrysalis to clone herself:
Of Norway = Fever Ray + Delerium, with a heavy dose of 4/4 electronica underpinning. I’m particularly fond of track 7, “It’s You”. As someone deeply steeped in the history of house music, its influence here is readily apparent, but with a thoroughly modern avant-garde electronica approach.
I’m trying to love it, but I’m finding it a bit uneven.
Of course I had to leave UP alone for 10 years and then come back to it to really appreciate it.
It also reminds me of many of the spontaneous improvs from the Keith Jarrett Trio with Jack DeJohnette and Gary Peacock. They recorded mostly standards, but their encores were often just extended ostinato type jams like this:
If you can get past Keith’s noises and focus on the Gary and Jack, there is some killer material from them. The sound is obviously less saturated than the newer GoGo recordings but I think there may be a lineage to trace with the repetitive, rhythmic, format.
This is a weird one. In my view the shoegaze genre arose with The Jesus and Mary Chain’s gentle noise pop of the 1980s. It reached its defining peak as a genre with My Bloody Valentine’s ode-to-noise-and-studio-effects Loveless (1991). A few other shoegaze bands made an impression on me, such as Lush and Slowdive, but I’d memory-holed the genre until happening across Slowdive again recently.
Now the weird: Drop Nineteens. They had a huge hit album entitled Delaware in Europe circa 1992. They were so big that Radiohead and The Cranberries opened for them! They opened for The Smashing Pumpkins, Blur, and PJ Harvey. To my ears Delaware sounds like a near carbon-copy of Loveless, which explains why their next non-copy album flopped and they went away for 30 years.
I’d never heard of the band until this week. They released a new album, Hard Light, in November 2023. It’s amiable shoegaze. I can’t say it’s original in any way, but a good example of the genre.
As one of the few people that bought ‘Delaware’ back in 1992, I can say that it was a big indie chart success, but in the grand scheme of things, wasn’t that successful outside of readers of NME and Melody Maker, who both hyped up the band for a while, before switching to other flavor of the month bands (as they tended to do). When Radiohead supported them, Drop Nineteens would have been more well known. ‘Pablo Honey’ hadn’t been released yet, and Radiohead were not an NME flavor of the month band, so no-one in the UK cared about them at the time.
I remember seeing the video for their single, ‘Winona’ on a TV show called ‘The Chart Show’ (which was one of the few TV programs to play videos from indie bands) and went out and bought the album. This might even be the Chart Show Indie Top 10 I watched.
Anyway, thanks for bringing it up. I went back to my CD shelves and found the album, and am listening to it as I type.
Yeah, the Radiohead and Cranberries references were partly tongue-in-cheek and certainly require the exact timing to interpret. Still, it shows how some hot bands are a flash in the pan while others stand the test of time. Delaware was never ever on my radar or in my memory, even as I listened to Sonic Youth, The Pixies, The Jesus and Mary Chain, and The Stone Roses in that period. I heard Loveless songs on the radio but did not buy it.
After Jane’s Addiction and Nirvana broke in 1990 and 1991, all sorts of independent, college, alternative, and experimental bands got a record deal and a shot at the big time. This is why I regard 1993 as the benchmark year for ‘alternative’ – after that the ‘alternative’ scene descended into post-Peal Jam commercial predictable male-only rock. I walked away and explored other genres in 1994.
A mix of Big Calm and Parts of the Process, their greatest hits. I was ill with a headache and it was just the right level of smoothness to get me through the morning.
Thanks for sharing your recent music favorites. It’s always interesting to see the eclectic mix that people enjoy. Your playlist spans various genres and eras, which is fantastic! Here’s a quick breakdown of your recent listens:
Rumours by Fleetwood Mac:
Classic rock at its best. The emotional depth and iconic tracks make this album timeless.
Crowded House (Deluxe):
A blend of pop and rock. Crowded House is known for catchy melodies and heartfelt lyrics.
Sessions from the 17th Ward by Amber Rubarth:
A more indie and acoustic vibe. Amber Rubarth’s Sessions offer a raw and intimate listening experience.
Famous Blue Raincoat: 20th Anniversary Edition by Jennifer Warnes:
A tribute to Leonard Cohen’s songs. Jennifer Warnes’ interpretation adds a beautiful touch to these classics.
Completely Hooked by Dr Hook:
A nostalgic trip to the '70s. Dr Hook’s hits bring back the feel-good vibes of that era.
Buena Vista Social Club by Buena Vista Social Club:
Afro-Cuban jazz brilliance. This album is a masterpiece, bringing the soul of Cuban music to the world.
All Out 80’s - Playlist by Various Artists:
A throwback to the '80s with a mix of pop, rock, and new wave. Perfect for reliving that era’s energy.
you can access these in (LINK REMOVED)
Your mix showcases a diverse range of musical tastes, and that’s what makes it special. Music is all about personal enjoyment, and there’s no judgment here—just an appreciation for the rich variety you’ve shared! Keep enjoying the tunes and discovering new gems.
Yesterday, I found out that Alvin and the Chipmunks have a LOT of covers, including “Funkytown” and “Stayin’ Alive”. And that “Stayin’ Alive” sounds a LOT like the original.
