Keepin' In Step

[ifyoucantstepanythingnice]

All Or Nothing - Milli Vanilli

So here was a surprise, I actually really enjoyed this one pretty much from beginning to end. I know there is no separating Milli Vanilli from the controversy, and this was one of the albums specifically caught up in the performance issues the group got caught up in. Perhaps I should take this as a performance by an unnamed super group then, and maybe it is so many varied voices that gave the music on the album such a unique appeal.  The sound is jarring, it jumps around a lot, but it somehow works. Each song is unique in tone and feel but I really can’t think of one that didn’t have its own fun flavor.

I’d hate knowing what I know to call this the album of the month, but really liked how this particular slushy got blended. It is the album version of one of those 90s paint splash folders and it is really hard to not have a bit of fun with it. This is actually one where I can say that the song that brought me to the album isn’t going to end up being the one I pick as my favorite. From the Rock/Hip-Hop blend of ‘Money’ to the almost comedic ‘Ma Baker’ this is certainly an interesting experience that I would honestly recommend if you have a few minutes to listen to something while cooking dinner or driving or something. I just noticed as I was writing this that they did go back to at least the first album and added a credit to the vocal performers so that was good to see.

Best Track - Money

[ifyoucantstepanythingnice]

Fore! - Huey Lewis and the News

When I was sorting through the album names that came up this month I felt there was one that was going to stand head and shoulders above the others.  There are a lot I’ve written about this month that had one major hit associated, with Madonna’s being the exception. While this isn’t the uber-famous Sports album, there are a lot of songs that saw radio play. ‘Jacob’s Ladder,’ ‘Doing It All For My Baby,’ ‘Hip To Be a Square,’ and ‘Stuck With You’ are all songs that the casual audience would be associated with. The international version even had ‘Power of Love’ on it, really an exciting album to have on the rotation to listen to.

I listened to this on a drive and it is definitely a crowd pleaser, top to bottom it is pretty enjoyable to put on even for a mixed audience.  It was easy to jam along with the major hits, I almost wish they were spaced out a little more it would have been like being at a concert feeling the ebb and flow of energy. Not that Huey Lewis is lacking in energy, the music definitely feels like a working man’s bar room. A jukebox playing after work, having a beer and telling a joke with friends as you wind down. This felt like a visit from a friend when I was able to finally get to it, and I’m grateful for it.

Best Track - Stuck With You

[ifyoucantstepanythingnice]

Let’s Get It On - Marvin Gaye

This was a month filled with a lot of albums that struck my curiosity. Most of the time it was because from the album you knew the one big hit and really had no idea what the rest of the sound was like. This was that feeling amped up by an order of magnitude, Marvin Gaye himself is synonymous with mood music but that is always presented as monolithic. You hear about his sound and style but it is always the big song, the title song of the album, that gets presented. There is no wrapping on ‘Let’s Get It On,’ the title alone knows exactly what it is and what it is about and it does the job very well.

So you go in knowing what to expect, and it is that for sure. I wonder if making the title track the first was strategic for what was being crafted here, because it is really easy for the rest of the album to start fading into the background. Marvin Gaye’s voice is powerful, but I would make it akin to the rolling ocean or the driving rain. This is music that is very easy to have on ‘while doing’ with whatever the associated verb is can really be anything, not just sensual. It rolled easily from one song to another, really only being jostled from my meditation when the album rolled over into a playlist upon concluding and no longer having Marvin Gaye’s voice in my ear was simply jarring. An interesting experience to say the least.

Best Track - Let’s Get It On

I know what I said, but sometimes there is a reason for it...

[ifyoucantstepanythingnice]

Gangsta’s Paradise - Coolio

There is a reason I wanted to go with albums for this exercise because only touching on the hits really doesn’t give you a clear picture of what an artist actually is. A sound is developed over time and not just dropped in 5 minutes on a radio play. I’m really glad I dug into this because Coolio has a much more mellow flow then the hit alone would lead you to believe. The first half of this album especially is really easy to jam along with and I happened to catch it during a long drive, perfect for a decent cruise. In fact there is an a track that fits along with that theme. Honestly I had feeling that this would compete for my favorite album in this month’s catagory.

That isn’t to say that the king doesn’t still reign. The title track hits differently then all the rest, but it doesn’t just stand out - it stands tall. My joy when it came on was unmatched for any other song I have listened to so far on this little experiment for mine making getting to this point its own reward. It is so hard to overlook how excellent the song is, and even though I was having a good time exploring the rest it was hard not to hit the repeat button. This album is top of the pile so far, but I foresee it having some stiff competition ahead.

Best Track - Gangsta’s Paradise

[ifyoucantstepanythingnice]

To You With Love, Donny - Donny Osmond

These have all been interesting, but I came into this with certain expectations that were striking when listening to the actual product. I am a product of the 90s and I have grown up with Donny Osmond having a certain sound, whether that be Mulan or his appearances on Johnny Bravo I have grown accustomed to his adult singing voice and really really enjoy his singing.  So when I saw a Donny Osmond album rolled in I was a bit excited because I would be giving myself a chance to listen to his music.

But the voice from the album was not at all the voice I expected, I had forgotten that he was a child star first and the immediate result was striking. Everything fits once one remembers all the facts and settles in, but this was the first time I was confronted with a musician that had two very different eras.  Most of the album was poppy love songs, almost what one would say they could expect from this effort and overall there was nothing really negative that I could drag onto here. An interesting artifact if nothing else.

Best track - I’m Into Something Good

[ifyoucantstepanythingnice]

Music - Madonna

I was kind of excited when I saw this made the queue. Madonna isn’t an unwelcome listen - ‘Like a Prayer’ is a very high tier song and I spent a good 1/4 of pandemic lockdown with ‘La Isla Bonita’ running through my head like an earworm. I guess one would say that this represented either a lesser talked about era for the musician, or if we are being harsh the start of a decline. Which is why I forgot that around this time there were actually three real live songs that saw radio play come off this album.  I don’t know if we can call this experimental, as I don’t know enough about who she was working with at the time and what her transition to this album sounded like - but the very dancy electronic beats weren’t what I was expecting, even with the title track in the lead. But that was what we got for almost an entire album. ‘Paradise’ was a strange but enjoyable track that reminded me of a cross between Daft Punk and a Square Enix video game’s credit music. This is of course contrasted further with the cover art for the whole endeavor - I may not post the covers of all the music I listen to for this blog but I kind of would have to with this. If you didn’t already know ‘Music’ and how that sounds you would get some severe tonal whiplash for about four songs waiting for something a little more Western to come over. But if you know enough about Madonna to know that a little bit of clash is something to expect then it shouldn’t really be a problem.

Best Track - Music

[ifyoucantstepanythingnice]

Wild Cherry - Wild Cherry

While my current selection process, admittedly, did increase the chances of diving into an album of only one hit, I was excited to come across one so soon. One of the reasons I chose to do full albums for this experiment rather than song recommendation or something along those lines is I feel you don't really get the whole story of the music a band or musician makes that way. Some of my favorite songs off my favorite albums never saw radio play.

To be honest, this was a lot of fun top to bottom. I couldn't help but move a little to every track on this self titled album. It had the energy of someone who felt a bit high on life. I loved the energy of the beat behind 'Get It Up.' I haven't listened to enough similar styles, perhaps there is a formula for getting a person to move but I was very happy with this first foray. I could see myself happily listening to more than the top track on the regular. That said, there is a reason you come here, and it really is king. You may, even in 2022 feel you have heard it far to much, but it felt like an old friend when I started this one up. I don't know if it is a high high recommend, but if you are curious I don't think you will leave mad.

Top track: Play That Funky Music

[ifyoucantstepanythingnice]

I enjoy writing, I enjoy expressing and sharing my opinion. I've actually tried a few of these in several formats but they keep petering out. But always an itch always follows shortly after, the desire to immerse myself in something and express my feelings on it.

My new idea is music, I'm actually really bad at music appreciation. Trying new music, being able to hear instruments, just expanding my horizons. The idea blossomed when a friend of mine posted the following video:

I found myself not being able to hear it, the common link. This has happened a lot of times when I hear people talking about music. I figured I'd start an experiment that will either expand my horizons or hopefully at least be enough fun that I will stick with it.

The experiment - I will listen to two albums a week and share my thoughts on them. Sometimes I will theme, sometimes they will be recommendations. I'll try to avoid repeating albums and I think the most important thing - I'm going to try to keep to the positive in all my reviews. This may mean some will be short, but keeping things light and casual may just be what I need to keep things going. So, end of preamble. What will I choose for my first? It has to be a heavy hitter. Michael Jackson's Thriller, or Led Zeppelin's IV? Almost as good...

Color Me Badd - C.M.B

So one thing I was struck by is just how this wasn't at all what I was expecting. I have heard of Color Me Badd before but honestly don't remember any of their radio play. I was expecting much more of a hip-hop influence due to them being largely a 90s band, and when the track starts playing you think that is exactly what you will get. But then the singing starts and you wonder if they accidentally left the smooth slider set to maximum. The energy doesn't match the expectation and you have to overcome the initial whiplash. Once I did though I have to admit I got into it, I don't think this will become part of a regular rotation but I'd be lying if 'Groove My Mind' wasn't an earworm. Also I feel there is a bit of influence here, if I try to imagine a band from a 90s teen sitcom I feel they will sounds a lot like this. Of course those that know more could tell me they were a part of the wave and not the beginning of it, see my mission statement from above. Overall this was fun enough and random enough that I feel it lends to a strong start to this. Hopefully I can talk with you all for a long time to come.

Top Track: All 4 Love