Just My Imagination

I have been suspect in my blogging of the classics lately, the Mowtown classics that is. Tonight I heard this song and the hooks sand in me deep. This song along with many of the other classics that made Mowtown Hitsville USA were often played throughout my house when I was a youngster. It's The Temptations and their smash Just My Imagination. A truly smoove classic indeed.

Off of their 1971 album Sky's The Limit, Imagination was the groups third song to reach number one on the charts, and there it stayed for two weeks straight. Considered their signature song, what grabs me is Eddie Kendricks' falsetto. That voice and the harmonies underneath are enough to give me chills every time I hear this song.

When the single came out, the group was on it's way to breaking up. Eddie Kendricks was on the verge of starting a solo career as he wasn't happy with the direction and leadership of the group by de facto leader Otis Williams. While things became discord within the group and Sky's The Limit was the last time Eddie ever sang with The Temptations, the facts remain that at one point in time, no one did it better than these five men. Enjoy!

Caught Out There

This was a powerhouse of a song, it was also lightening captured in a bottle. The right time, place, producer, song, and artist all merged together to create Caught Out There by Kelis. If there was ever a competition for woman's anthems, this song easily places in the top three all time. Produced by Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams aka The Neptunes, Kelis' sound was quirky, funky, and edgy.

Complete with blonde curls edged in pink, Kelis had the perfect attitude for this song. Her delivery was pitch perfect, and when she screams I hate you so much right now she was speaking not just for her, but for women everywhere that feel that way about their man every now and then. Released in 1999 Kaleidescope introduced not just her but The Neptunes to the world.

Caught Out There didn't do much climbing on the charts here, but in the Netherlands and the UK the song went top three and top four respectively. While it didn't top the charts here at home, it became that unforgettable anthem for women everywhere, and at one point there was no place you could go without hearing a female voice screaming I hate you so much right now. Enjoy.

Cissy Strut

I felt it was time to introduce to my blog one the second most heavily sampled bands in all of hip hop. While the first may be argued it's Parliament Funkadelic or James Brown and his band, no real hip hop head can deny that The Meters also helped lay the groundwork and built the foundation of hip hop. They were also pivotal in shaping other artists sounds and supplying them with a super tight rhythm section. Based out of New Orleans, The Meters played with the likes of Lee Dorsey, and Dr. John.

One of their biggest hits was the song Cissy Strut, which is one of my all time favorite tunes, period. It's just so funky and it's a lot of fun as well. The Meters claim to fame, at least one of theirs anyway is the double snare drum hit which is all over this song. The guitar licks along with the precision of the drums and that lazy bass line make this song great. When they throw in the organ though, that's when Cissy Strut really begins to strut.

The Meters, comprised of the Neville brothers, yes THOSE Nevilles were such a creatively talented group of musicians that the world may never know another group like then again. The group Galactic has somewhat picked up the mantle and for that, they get my utmost respect, but there will never be another group like The Meters. And if you like this song, look up their other classics, Look-ka Py Py and Here Comes the Meter Man. The beat on Meter Man is just SICK! Enjoy!

The Last of Us

It seems the world of video game soundtracks has become an ultra competitive field. From where I sit, I can see Steve Jablonsky or Hans Zimmer do the soundtrack to a video game, their sound and talents lends itself to that medium in almost uncanny ways. The one name I never expected to see associated with a video game score though was acclaimed guitarist and composer Gustavo Santaolalla.

Gustavo is an amazing composer who has been involved with the scores to movies like Motorcycle Diaries, Babel, Brokeback Mountain, 21 Grams, and his haunting and mesmerizing work on Things We lost In the Fire always gives me chills.. His music is both emotional and beautiful, full of yearning and promise, so when I saw that he was the man behind the music to the apocalyptic video game The Last of Us, I had to hear it.

This piece is the main theme of the game and in usual Santaolalla style, it is absolutely breathtaking. So much so that I felt the need to share it with those of you who may never come across this amazing offering. It's best to hear this on your big boy speakers as well, so you can get the full darkness of the music towards the end. This piece hasn't made me a bigger fan of his, it's just made me more appreciative of his talents. Well done Gustavo, well done.

Army Of Me (Masseymix)

BIG BOY SPEAKERS ONLY!!! I repeat, this is only for your BIG BOY SPEAKERS ONLY!!! Why, you ask? Because without your big boy speakers, you won't get the full impact of the drums or the menacing  rumble of this vicious bass line. And you know me, I want you to get the full effect of everything musical, plus this song deserves that much respect.

The song is entitled Army Of Me and it's by Bjork, the remix is by Masseymix and it's so damn awesome. I will include both the original version and the remix here. Just so you can hear and gauge the differences for yourself. I have always been a huge Bjork fan and while her original cuts don't really need remixing (like the original Army Of Me), whenever her music has been remixed, I have eargasms.

Turn these UP and let them work over you and enjoy being alive!!!

ORIGINAL VERSION!



MASSEYMIX REMIX!

Toccata and Fugue in D Minor

BACH!

Nuff said!

Wanna Fight

Wanna Fight is a powerful piece of music to a very integral moment in the movie Only God Forgives. It's by film composer Cliff Martinez and with every score, I am becoming a bigger and bigger fan of his. He's been film composing since 1989 and his scores vary so drastically in style and tone from one to the next that for me, when I looked back on his body of work I was shocked that he did certain movies.

Only God Forgives is heavy on synthesizers and Wanna Fight is the crown jewel in the score. When it started playing in the movie, it didn't just make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, it made me sit up. It sounds like something out of Tron by Daft Punk at first, but then the cathedral pipe organ chimes in. I wasn't expecting that at all and every time I hear it, I still love it.

The song mellows out somewhat after that, but it remains just as dark and foreboding. Then when the organ returns, it ramps up the intensity and the ONLY way to hear this song is, you guessed it, on your big boys speakers. I love Wanna Fight, and I think a smart boxer would use it as his music to walk to the ring to, he'd have his opponent beat before the first punch is thrown. Enjoy!

Snitch

I fell in love with Antonio Pinto's work before I even knew it. He did the score to a Nicholas Cage film that not many people saw entitled Lord of War. I thought it was gripping though I wasn't quite sure why. Then I saw the documentary on one of the greatest racing drivers to ever walk the earth, Ayrton Senna. Pinto did the haunting score for Senna and it was there that I noticed him. I've been a fan ever since.

Imagine my surprise to find out Antonio did the score to Snitch, the Dwayne Johnson vehicle based on a true story. While Antonio's music doesn't really fit the movie and it's dramatics, it's still beautiful music. Antonio uses strings and cellos in a way I have never heard before. This song, the main theme to the movie is so mournful, so yearning, and so beautiful that it gives me chills almost every time I hear it.

I went back to see Lord of War and to hear Antonio's work for that film and I was blown away and the menacing beauty of the score. He is an incredible talent and that was I listened to his score for the box office failure The Host, it was amazing. I look forward to anything by Antonio Pinto and after you hear this, maybe you'll feel the same. Enjoy.

On The 9th Day

I was looking for a completely different song to post, I happened upon this one instead and chose to share it. Why? Well someone very close to me had a birthday very recently and I thought she might find this song somewhat sexy. I think it's alluring, it's On The 9th Day by Ludique and it's percussion hot.

It's got a quirky pattern but it's easy to follow and once you get in it and wrap up in it, you won't be able but to sway those hips. It's an all instrumental track, which is how I like my lounge/trance music to be. Lyrics just mess it all up, don't you think? I like the break in the middle of the song where it's just the kick drum and the guitar. Images come to mind (and no I am not sharing those).

I hope this is enjoyed by all who read this, but I especially hope the birthday girl gets a kick out of this. Put this on your big boy speakers and move those hips for me and try to ignore the odd video :) Enjoy.