Monthly Archives: July 2008

Stylin’ On You.

Thursday: July 17, 2008 Posted: Darien Victor Birks Category: Soul 1 Comment

Artist: The Stylistics
Title: Self-Titled
Year: 1972
Label: AVCO
Format: Vinyl LP (Original)
Flwrpt Rating of this Record: 4.5/5.0

Front

Review
This is the groups first release right here. They came straight out of the gate on a mission, a mission to make HIT after HIT after HIT! And that they did. Very strong debut effort that gives a little bit of everything, nice instrumentation and production, lyrics, and last but not least…the classic falsetto vocals provided by none other than lead singer Russell Thompkins, Jr!

Like most soul albums of the time, this is a LOVE album, full of LOVE ballads. If you can dig ballads, then you’ll get into this LP.

Check out the sound!

Betcha By Golly Wow

You Are Everything

Stop, Look, Listen to Your Heart

Design
One of my favorite covers ALL-TIME! Check out the composition, the headline, the foreshortening of the image, the strategic placement of each individual…notice that there’s no eye contact in this photo, which creates a certain level of drama. I love the foreground, middle ground and background approach taken by the photographer. This was an intentional move to make listeners aware of the importance of each individual member, the leaders are up front, the back ups are towards the back. Plain and simple.

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Additional info on The Stylistics

Chaka On The Drums.

Wednesday: July 9, 2008 Posted: Darien Victor Birks Category: Video Leave a comment

My buddy AL put me on to this great video of Chaka Khan rockin’ out in a maaajor way…on the DRUMS!!!

Such a talented woman.

Best viewed here <~~~~~

True Meaning Of GospOUL.

Monday: July 7, 2008 Posted: Darien Victor Birks Category: Gospel, Soul 1 Comment

Artist: The Rance Allen Group
Title: A Soulful Experience
Year: 1975
Label: Truth (Stax)
Format: Vinyl LP (Original)
Flwrpt Rating of this Record: 3.5/5.0

Front

Review
Another powerful delivery by the Rance Allen Group. There are certain tracks on this LP that I like more than others by far, but overall it’s a nice album. Kirk Franklin has absolutely NOTHING on the Rance Allen Group, these guys fused youthful, soul-inspired music with gospel back in the 70′s. They were trying to reach people by creating gospel music that sounded like typical secular music of the time…but their message was primarily spiritual-focused. A Soulful Experience is just that, it’s an experience.

The song that makes this album a winner is “Talk That Talk”, basically the message is about people who talk about what their gonna do, yap yap yap, but NEVER follow through on what they’re talking about (we all know a few people like this). Don’t talk about it, BE about it. Rance Allen, as well as the rest of us real people, can’t get with those types of folks. PERIOD! He’s just keeping it extra real on that one.

Anyway, this is a good listen, so if you catch this in the crates, pick it up.

Check out the sound!

Talk That Talk

The Painter

Design
I’m not necessarily diggin’ the threshold application to the photography. It creates a major contrast that, quite honestly, does nothing to help the cover at all. The nicest touch to the cover is the red heart over Rance Allen’s chest. Otherwise this cover is very boring.

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Additional info on The Rance Allen Group

Listen to Karriem Riggins.

Saturday: July 5, 2008 Posted: Darien Victor Birks Category: Video Leave a comment

Karriem Riggins murders his set during a Stonesthrow tour this spring. He actually spun better records than Madlib this go-round. Which is TOUGH to do.

Props to Karriem!

Best viewed here <~~~~~

He’s Cooooooornbread.

Tuesday: July 1, 2008 Posted: Darien Victor Birks Category: Funk, Jazz, Soul 4 Comments

Artist: Blackbyrds
Title: Cornbread, Earl & Me (Original Soundtrack)
Year: 1975
Label: Fantasy
Format: Vinyl LP (Original)
Flwrpt Rating of this Record: 4.25/5.0

Front

Review
I have had this record for a while now, but didn’t get deep into it until one night while watching the DVD (courtesy of Latia), I noticed that the movie had a pretty nice score! I told her, as we watched the film, “Bay I’ve got this record…but I don’t remember it sounding this good!”, I couldn’t wait to give it a second listen.

The second time around listening to the record, after seeing the movie obviously, I fell in love with it. Honestly, it’s a different sound for the Blackbyrds, a sound that I wasn’t expecting on my initial listen. But it’s great, it’s refreshing, and the vibe definitely fit with the feeling and the plot of the movie.

There is so much great material on this LP, I decided to post tons of clips! Enjoy…

PS: Go buy this movie, it’s really good! (For what it is). Also, this is Lawrence Fishburne’s first movie, he was like 12 years old or so. But whatever you do, don’t read the back of the cover like my girlfriend did, the back cover spoils the entire film, lol! (Plain ol’ bad descriptive writing)

Check out the sound!

Cornbread

Wilford’s Gone

The Gym Fight

Mother/Son Talk

Riot

Candy Store Dilemma

At The Carnival

Check out the vid!

Best viewed here <~~~~~

Design
It’s a soundtrack cover, with no concept or theme…other than being urban. Not much to say here, it’s pretty generic. However, I DO like the frilly type on the cover. The photography is pretty bad though.

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Additional info on Blackbyrds

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