An Album A Week Keeps The Blues At Bay

Your fave chronicling albums you've never even heard of. Maybe.

[noralbums]

In keeping with an unofficial theme...

Dear friend,

I promise I’m capable of talking about things other than funky reverb, but not until I let you know about this AMAZING update, or should I say, fun fact that blew my mind earlier this afternoon.

I doubt you’d nerd out as much as I did about the fact that many well known actors were bona fide hip hop musicians in the 60s and 70s. They would either sample established beats or harmonies and arrange them differently, they’d cover popular songs, or create completely new music out of their discoveries and experiments. Imagining a suave, perfectly coifed, James Bond looking gentleman in a recording studio playing around with instruments, acoustics, and arrangements of popular music from that era just seems strange, and almost comical to me. I guess it makes sense to not build up a person’s name or previous personas for the sake of the music -- Leonard freaking Nimoy released an easy listening album as Dr. Spock in the late 60s (oops, bad example, but you get the idea :P) -- but, upon learning that this man

Who, coincidentally, is the same person as this man

“Ducky,” the cute but whip smart medical examiner from NCIS had also released a tiny, not quite LP but not full album of music, I actually lost my shit. Like spit out my drink and laugh-cried for a minute. 

David McCallum’s his name, being a Renaissance Man is his game. Besides being a memorable TV, film, and stage actor from the 60s onward, McCallum is also a successful and influential musician. Along with legendary composer/arranger/Ren Man himself David Axelrod, McCallum released a whole bunch of instrumental work that you’d be hell bent to not hear on a regular basis, even today. Check out this track. The first few seconds represent one of the most recognizable openings and samples in all of recorded hip hop history. Here’s looking at you, Snoop, Dre, and other beaterific beat makers. Some of their most dank tracks are thanks to Ducky’s pounding and floaty take on the music of his day. 

I’d recommend an album, but it wouldn’t do any justice to this kind of discovery to be quite honest. I’d listen to the entirety of Axelrod’s discography from roughly 1966-1970 onward to get a feel for this (as I did this week lol). I know, not a huge departure from the Ohio Players from a few days back, (by that I mean I’d listen to this indefinitely, though I’m just discovering this myself!), but I couldn't pass this up. Happy listening and sampling!

[noralbums]

Dear friend,

Full disclosure: this find, this letter, the inspiration for this blog, is all thanks to Spotify’s Discover Weekly feature. I try to listen to at least half of the recommended tracks at least half way through, and sometimes I’m all about them, and other times I can’t be bothered. I’m typically surprised by how true to form the playlist usually is to something I might create for myself or someone else to enjoy. It definitely begs the question of how a music streaming service with no real knowledge of the scope of my tastes comes up with these suggestions, but I guess I should lay off the conspiracy theory that someone who knows me personally is curating this playlist and just go with it. 

This week’s album rings true to my adolescent – and let’s be real, current– gravitation towards late 60s/early 70s R&B with a healthy helping of soul.  

My knowledge of The Ohio Players was limited to their funk/disco songs like “Fire,” “Love Rollercoaster,” something I’d play for a repetitive, but groovy dance party or a long workout to cut into the sweating and burning of exertion. I also find that I listen to this kind of stuff if I’m trying to do nervous, busy work and avoid being productive and/or focused. (Just being honest.) 

“Observations in Time” is a precursor to those kinds of syncopated dance hits, with a few hints of the band’s future glory sprinkled in each track. I’m impressed by the album’s ability to balance soulful melodies, rollicking arrangements, lush vocals – all of which are tied together neatly with the undeniable explosion of funk. I could write a five paragraph explaining why I feel this way, but instead I’ll share that their rendition of “Over the Rainbow” is probably the most sensual one that I’ve ever heard. I used to think of that song as so incredibly p u r e and wholesome, but I’m now taken to a very different place from where Dorothy thought she was going, if ya know what I mean hehehehehe. I’m incorrigible. 

To the Spotify bot who bridged the gap between myself and this album, thank you, thank you, thank you. Cyber security, when done in this way, is something that I can maybe get behind. I hope you can get behind this album too.

[noralbums]

An intro post of sorts...

If you’re reading this then you’re probably a dedicated Fan or a dedicated Creep (maybe both?), either way I’m glad you’re here!

This brainchild of a blog is an attempt by me to listen more, appreciate more, and hopefully learn more. Each week I’ll listen to a new album that I haven’t before and I’ll share my thoughts as though I’m recommending them to a friend. 

I realize this isn’t anything groundbreaking or ~new~, but to me it represents a way to organize my thoughts about at least one thing each week, as well as tap into a part of myself that I feel has been lacking for a while. Feel free to take this epistolary journey with me. I’ll be grateful for the company!