D’Angelo and the Vanguard, Black Messiah released mid-Dec is a contender. I love Voodoo by D’Angelo. Its a soul classic and deserves to be compared to the greats Marvin Gaye, Sly Stone et al. I think this may be better. Its an eclectic mix as its lists of collaborators would suggest but D pulls it together into a coherent work. I’ve waited 14 years for this and so far I am not disappointed. A highlight in a horrific Xmas, more on that later!
Can we forget about the Mercury? Probably not but I fear this may descend into a critique of the Mercury decision rather than critique of a piece of music. Anyway, let’s have a roll and see how this works out?
For me, this is an album of 11x 3 min pop tracks (no song under 2 min 50, none over 3 min 51). I am sure we will debate the word ‘pop’ as I think at least one of us will struggle with that definition? I would argue that you can’t have as many hooks in one album of 3 min tracks and it not be a ‘pop’ album. It doesn’t matter that the group choose to deliberately sabotage their own ‘pop’ credentials in dark, dystopian, discordant, choral chants, nose-diving bass lines and berating beats.
This isn’t easy listening. Having said that I found it effortless to get into (not bragging I just think this ticks loads of my boxes). But I understand that most people find the opposite to be true. I’ve recently gone back (album released in Jan 2014) and read loads of reviews of this album and most say that it is difficult to penetrate but massively rewarding when you do. I always bang on about ‘when’ I can listen to music and this is a distracting listen that really requires you to engage in its finer points. Background music this is not. Tunes to play while working? Nope. Driving, public transport etc, Yep. I listen to it most when training.
Much has been made about the multi-cultural make up of the band which all feels a little ‘Mercury’ to me until you start listening to the lyrics and picking through the subject matter. ‘Ak47 take my brethren straight to heaven’ is pure hip hop cliche in an LA accent but it appears more impactful and evocative in an African (Young Fathers = Liberian, Nigerian. Scottish) accent and preceded by the imagery conjured up in the opening verses of ‘No Way’, the albums opening track. If you like this album then I would suggest spending some time with the lyrics of these tracks.
http://genius.com/artists/Young-fathers
I think this album avoids the ‘worthiness’ which it could have created with its multi-ethnic (Scottish included) influences and a lyrical topics. It feels like all of the constituent parts (ethnic background: check / socially conscious lyrics: check / eclectic influences: check) make for a cliche-ridden horror show but at each opportunity to fall into that hipster trap is swerves either lyrically or sonically and avoids the cliche. As if sat in the studio they felt it a track was getting a bit too nice so they chucked in a massive tribal rhythm and discordant drone to scare off the ‘wrong crowd’.
Who does this sound like? Anti-Pop Consortium, TV on the Radio, Shabazz Palaces, New Flesh, Saul Williams … New Fathers?As mentioned before this ticks loads of my boxes and I love all of the artists listed above (Shabazz excluded – sorry David may be I need to try that one again?).
So, similar to FKA Twigs, at the point of winning the Mercury, they’d only sold 3,000 units. Its now at least 3,004. But does this matter? Sales does not correlate to quality. Just look at the Cinema Box Office.
Brothers, your thoughts?
Gorgeousbassandspringybeats
I think we do. Can we get over the Mercury hype? Do we need to if its justified?
I am very impressed with this album. Shall we do this as next album of the month? I can save my shortlist for my next go.
Brother David – do you remember the New Flesh album?
Brother Nolan – do you remember me endlessly playing Anti-Pop Consortium whilst on mushrooms?
All of the above plus much more is in this album.
A few months ago I introduced you to Shamir’s Northtown EP. Here’s a new track and video. Love this guy.
Sit still, I dare you.
Have a listen to that … then this ….
then this …
All over the shop or eclectic? I don’t really care. I really like each of these tracks. Have a go with headphones as the production on these tracks is awesome.
… doing some very interesting things
Its all a far cry from where he’s come. I love it when an artist that you adore does something different and it comes off.
I am very excited for a new album. ‘Put your back in 2 it’ is still on constant rotation in Casa Story though it does get banned from time to time as it makes me so tearful still!
What do you do when no music that you love finds you? You have to go and find it. My lack of loving new music really started to depress me. But I found this EP last night and love it. It does what all good EPs should do, leave you hungry for more. 4 bangers and 2 ‘fillers’ isn’t bad when it sounds this good. Put the up tempo tracks on, turn it up and I’ll give you a tenner if you can sit still and not smile. The filler tracks are real growers too.
His voice is brilliant!
http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/19425-shamir-northtown-ep/
http://pigeonsandplanes.com/2014/06/listen-to-northtown-shamirs-impressive-debut-ep/
Happy summer Brothers,
As I have stated before I have been struggling a little for inspiration recently for our albums. Todd Terje was a great album but it was new to me and I think that these albums should be something that we love and share. I had a number of new, well reviewed albums that I was considering but am glad that you directed me to something that I do actually love.
I have a long history with Mr. Banhart, Venezuelan-born, California singer-songwriter;
(For Guys sake) – a number of years ago I seperated from my then wife, found a little one bedroom flat that I paid for on top of my mortgage and horrible legal bills. I had no money, no TV but the most intimate time of my life with music. I had not before or since listened to so much music and in doing so discovered loads of artists that I still love now. Yes, this period has been romanticised in memory and therefore any music I loved then was loved through musical-rose tinted glasses … but I count Devendra as an artist that I really got to know during this time. Back then, he looked like an annoying hippie-cliche but I had no knowledge of this due to no TV no personal computer (10 years ago I think). He wrote mainly solo acoustic songs about odd things. 2 minute tracks that amused as much as they offered musically. 2 albums ‘Nino Rojo’ and ‘Rejoicing in the Hands’ mark this period and his prolific output.
It all went a bit down-hill into odd pastiche and silliness.
Much of this love of pastiche and silliness is on full display throughout Mala. However, the songs are strong and pull the listener through. For me the questions that you will need to answer before committing to liking this (or not) is (1) does it overcome a tag of ‘novelty’ (2) do you care enough about how he got to this album without the history with him that I have. We forgive artists we love for many errors and in doing so loose a frame of reference, the objectivity to truly critique.
I was going to have this as album of the month ages ago but held back because of the above but recently have listened to this album loads. Partly as I’ve driven 1000s of miles and partly due the weather. This is a great summer album.
It is, without doubt all over the shop, there is soft-shoe-shuffle, 50’s crooner, German-House pastiche all interlaced with his historically standard acoustic solo fare. For me what ties this together is Devendra’s charisma, humour and the fact that the songs are strong, regardless of their ‘genre’ and never out-stay their welcome.
Enjoy. Listen without prejudice. Play it a few times and it will dig in. I find it great driving music or general pottering music.
This makes me want to do sex
thisisnothappening.net 