D’angelo the “Black Messiah” is back!

The greatest comeback of 2014
It took D’angelo 14 years of silence, between “Voodoo” released 2000 and his latest release “Black Messiah”, rush releases in December 2014, actually it almost passed us by. The album was rush released without any huge PR campaign, no big boards, no social media leaks. It´s just here in yer face, right here – right now – and it´s a helluva great comeback – a classic album from day one!

It´s the first to be credited to D’angelo And The Vanguards. His new band, and what a band!

“Black Messiah” sounds like a continuation of “Voodoo” taken 14 years into the future, without loosing it’s inspiration from the big ones from the past. “Black Messiah” shows the path into the future of nu-neo-soul. This is DEEP SOUL!

As earlier releases by D’angelo the shadow of Prince is found all over the album, but on the “Black Messiah” album we also get a large slice of George Clintons psyched out space funk. Guitars ripped off Ernie Isley of the Isley Brothers and Eddie Hazel, even Jimi Hendrix here and there. The funk of Sly Stone, the political soul of Marvin Gaye and the political lyrics and falsetto of Curtis Mayfield. And we’re not forgetting Prince, because this album has also a track, just like “Voodoo”, that is more Prince than Prince has been the last years. «Another Life» is this years «Untitled (How Does It Feel)» both tracks is some of the best tracks Prince has never written, the track you have to double-check the liner notes twice a day!

D’angelos third album is embracing a huge handful of genres but is without doubt a soul album that’s instant funky,  dry like the deserts of Sahara and sweat like a long hot summers night at the same time, groovy as hell, smooth like butter, juicy jazzy, latin and sitar flirting rock and gospel bomb; Sometimes all at the same time!

The return of D’angelo
D’Angelo has had some tough years, his much written a about weight problem, his problem with coping with his own  success and his almost fatal car crash while on drugs, that almost killed him!

Musically Frank Ocean has almost been there on the fantastsit “Orange”, Beyonce has dipped her toes in the same eksperimental water with her self titled latest album, Miguel almost made it, Prince and his 3rd Eye Girl has tried, and revitalised the sound of Prince! But It’s cool to see how D’angelo collects all the loose threads from the aforementioned to create his third album. With “Black Messiah” does D’andelog dare to show his music colleagues how real soul should be done in 2014. The album and sound of “Black Messiah” will be a blueprint for how soul should sound in the future, without loosing it’s roots in the past!

The albums mighty production sounds 50% improvised and 50% produced. Everything sounds right. It’s a living proof that there is still place for the sound of D’angelo in a world were we questions the future of the album – and physical formats. This is album music, as album music should be released and listened to – at a whole, as a story, as a part of history – from first track – untill the finnished last track!

With their deep soul album «Black Messisah» shows D’angelo And The Vanguards that they live up to the album’s title as a saviour of soul music and that the long wait was worth it!

All of a sudden 14 years didn´t sound so long time ago. What perfect way to end the year!

LISTEN TO “BLACK MESSIAH” ON SPOTIFY – OR DOWNLOAD IT ON ITUNES HERE!

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The Ballad(s) of Jimi Hendrix

When I say Jimi Hendrix? Whats the first thing that pops into your mind?
I, myself, think things like – guitar hero, legend, how would he sound today, guitar playing with his teeth, “All Along The Watchtower” a song he made his (sorry Mr Bob Dylan) to name but a few things I thought about!

That´s not the only thing I think about when someone mentions his name – i immediately start to hum for myself “Hey Joe” or “Little Wing”. His ballads – because it has to be said, I have a weak spot for his ballads, if they can be called that. His slower songs maybe? No, I call them ballads even if they are not like contemporary ballads with acoustic instruments and sitting-by-the-fireplace-on-the-beach-with-friends-and-sing-along-all-night songs!

Jimi played his ballads like he played his rock songs;
With enormous energy. His rock songs he could make his guitar sound like a machine-gun (see: “Machine Gun”), he could make his guitar speak (see “Still Raining, Still Dreaming”), he could make his guitar sound like a train (See: “Third Stone From The Sun”. There was no limits to what Jimi Hendrix could do with his six stringed friend (which was a right-handed guitar, but he played left-handed). He could played rock and hard rock, he played psychedelic tracks, and he played jazz and the blues. Jimi could and did play both the rhythm guitar parts of his songs + all the guitar solos – without no one even noticing and thinking about that all guitar sounds on the song were made by the same guitar player. Like I said earlier, there was no limitations!

What this blogpost is about;
Jimi Hendrix ballads, because he was (also) a fantastic performer when he slowed down a bit. When he dared sit down (at least that what it sounds like he did) and really feel the songs. When Jimi played ballads his voice became more focused, he sounded relaxed, he showed his smooth(er) side – he dared show his soul – his blues.
Even in his ballads, Jimi Hendrix and his band had this restless thing, that makes his ballads more jazzy and funky than your average ballad. With a drummer, Mitch Mitchell, that played as funky as James Browns drummer, Clyde Stubblefield, at times – and with  bass and guitars that sounds like they want to speed things up and really wants just to party hard(er). But still they manage to tie the knot together and make some of the best songs ever written and played by a Guitar God and his band.

The search for Jimi Hendrix ballads;
I have lost count how many times I have done searches in record-stores (back in the days when we went there to find music – these days they sell more movies and games than music) for an album that collects all Jimi Hendrix ballads. When we got internet i´d done numerous searches from time to tome through the years  – to see if anyone have released a record with Jimi Hendrix best ballads. But I have to say; without any luck. I repeat; No one has never ever released an album with all of Jimi Hendrix best ballads. No record company, no playlist. (Take note Jimi Hendrix estate!).

It could have been done easily – if someone with a CD-burner (are some one still using these?) and some good photoediting/design skills and a good copy machine – to make their own “Jimi Hendrix – The Ballads” compilation with CD-cover et all. That would have been bootlegging or piracy and not to forget an unofficial record. That´s something I don’t support! I would love to have an original CD or LP with Jimi Hendrix ballads. A albums that had been compiled and approved by his estate and record company!

Since we have streaming services for music, like Spotify (I prefer Spotify as my music streaming service) and Last.fm to name a couple of these. It´s easy to make your own playlist or mixtape. I did manage to make my own Jimi Hendrix ballad album, so left me introduce to you:

Jimi Hendrix “The Ballad(s) of Jimi Hendrix”
Some of you might guessed the title of the album by the header of this blogpost?

About this homemade album; When I did compile this mixtape I first concentrated on the official Jimi Hendrix albums, the albums he gave out before his all to early death in 1970, then I sorted out the best slow jams from his posthumous albums.
Jimi Hendrix gave out the following albums during his lifetime; “Are Your Experienced?” 1967, “Axis: Bold As Love” 1967, “Electric Ladyland” 1968 and a greatest hits album (with the singles he had released so far) “Smash Hits” was released 1968 (before “Electric Ladyland” was released). His first posthumous album was called “Cry Of Love” and was released just in short time after his death.

Jimi also become only 27 y.o., like his music colleagues( starting with the letter J) from the same time, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison to mention a few). Jimi Hendrix was said to be killed in his sleep by a mix of 9 sleeping pills and some wine.

Back to the album I compiled;
I managed to squeeze in 21 tracks, in a little more than an hour (2 short CDs)
21 Jimi Hendrix ballads that goes from short instrumental intro, to only acoustic guitar, a little trip into the blues and soul of Jimi Hendrix, A few instrumentals, A great amount of songs using the weather as metaphors, great songs about (lost) love and a couple of acoustic/unreleased tracks.

The song count goes as follows
4 tracks from “Are Your Experienced”
4 tracks from “Axis: Bold As Love”
3 tracks from “Electric Ladyland”
4 tracks from “Valleys Of Neptune” (“Cry Of Love”)
1 track  from “First Rays Of The New Rising Sun” (“Rainbow Bridge” (soundtrack)
1 track  from “Valleys Of Neptune”
2 tracks from “Blues”
2 tracks from “South Saturn Delta”

The track list goes as follows, in order from eldest to newest albums.
If you use other services than Spotify, here’s a little guidance of which tracks to use to compile your very own Jimi Hendrix “The Ballad(s) Of Jimi Hendrix”

Side A (or CD1)

1. Hey Joe
2. May This Be Love
3. Wind Cries Mary
4. Red House
5. Electric Ladyland
6. Burning of Midnight Lamp
7. Moon Turn The Tides
8. Little Wing
9. Castles Made Of Sand
10. One Raining Wish

Side B (or CD2)

1. Bold As Love
2. Drifting
3. My Friend
4. Angel
5. Hey Baby (New Rising Sun)
6. Belly Button Windows
7. Sweet Angel (Unreleased track)
8. Midnight Lightning
9. Crying Blue Rain
10. Hear My Train Coming
11. Once I Had A Woman

Listen to the whole compilation of Jimi Hendrix “The Ballad(s) of Jimi Hendrix here!

Do you know or miss any Jimi Hendrix slow jams in the playlist?
Which Jimi Hendrix track is your personal favorite?

Finally! Frank Ocean “Channel Orange”

I was so looking forward to R. Kellys new album “Write Me Back”! And then comes the long awaited “Channel Orange” Frank Ocean all of a sudden out on iTunes (nordic).

You can download Frank Oceans “Channel Orange” from iTunes (nordic) by clicking this link!

I knew Frank Oceans debut was supposed to come out in the stores the 17th of july – but a random search on iTunes today and there it was – one whole week before I was expecting it!

I got freaking goosebumbs all over – because this was a album I was really looking forward too! It took me two seconds to hit the buy button. A few short minutes later I had it in my hand – or more correctly in my iTunes account!

Hit the PLAY button and as I knew – because I had the “Nostalgia Ultra” already – a album I really loved. The mixtape has already been played to death, if it was a real cassette mixtape – But thank God it was also digital download and it still sounds as fresh as it did the first time I heard it about a (long) year ago!

I write this blogpost as i listen to the album – have now listened to less than the half album – track 7 of 17 – and I can already say – R. Kellys made a great album – but Frank Ocean has made the soul album everyone should own! His voice is as amazing as ever, and the album has classic album written all over.

The album includes, just like the legendary mixtape, interludes and sound bits – samples and sounds like a concept piece. His voice I sounds like a mix of Stevie Wonder, Prince, the earlier mentioned R. Kelly, Al Green – but most of all – Frank Ocean! Soulful, laid-back, smooth, funky! And while writing this, when coming to track 9 “Crack Rock” a drum sample from Jimi Hendrix “Little Miss Lover” appears. A track that has also been sampled uncredited by Prince on his “Graffiti Bridge” album track “Tick, Tick, Bang” (this was released before they had to credit the samples I guess). Another Prince reference!

The 10th track – the first official single off the album, the track “Pyramids” a 9 minute 3 part epic song. The second track on the album “Thinking About You” has been released on youtube, featuring first song Frank Ocean sings in falsetto and his voice is really smooth and fluid.

On the 11th track even John Mayer does and appearance on guitar. A track called “White” and it´s a little piece on only 1:16 minute, other guests is Andre 3000 of OutKast fame, Pharell Williams of the Neptunes and N.E.R.D, Earl Sweatshirt from Frank Oceans crew The Odd Future Crew, and Tyler The Creator , Lala Hathaway (Daughter of late soul legend Donny Hathaway).

Samples used on the album is Mary J. Bliges “Real Love” is sampled and replayed and a sample from “Fear And Loathing in Las Vegas” and audio clips from “The Last Dragon”, and other samples.

I don´t think there is more I can say about this album exept It is not being released many albums of this really great quality! A full complete album that should be listened to from start to end!

I have heard the full album and can only say one thing; If you prefer digital downloads as i.e. iTunes, or the real thing such as CDs or on Vinyl (hope it comes in that format)

You should own it! I repeat YOU SHOULD OWN THIS!