So that we can all put on our headphones and tune out the world for an hour...
Name one record, a personal favorite, that you wish more people knew about. Old or new, any genre, popular or obscure, doesn't matter -- just one record that you go back to again and again and that feels a bit like a secret, like "why doesn't everyone keep this in their back pocket?"
My pick today: Valerie June - The Order of Time
I could wax poetic about this record all day but I won't (at least not right now). All I'll say is that there is something really warm and rich and comforting about the record, and June has a knack for both the particularities of the mundane and the cosmic, both in lyrics and in music. Even where the lyrics are on the sadder end of things, every song here just seems to float and drift and it asks you to float and drift with it. And June's unorthodox vocals give it a quality both palpable and mysterious.
I find myself going back to it time and again since its release in 2017 and every time I wish more people knew about it.
I don't think there's a single track on here I ever skip but my favorites are probably the opener "Long Lonely Road," "Love You Once Made" (I've put that on repeat on more than one occasion, I wish it just hung out with the closing refrain for 20 minutes), the Escher-like "If And," "Astral Plane" and "Slip Slide On By."
I'll throw "Two Hearts" in there as a masterclass in building up a song gently and with so much subtlety that where it ends seems completely different from where it begins, and yet there's no pinpointing how it got there...
I could go on.
Just go listen to the whole album now. It's impeccably produced so put on some good headphones for it. Sink into it. Then come back and share one of your favorite records so I can stop doomscrolling for a bit...
6. "He dropped 2" In response to Reply # 2 Thu Jan-07-21 05:58 PM by DJR
Median’s Relief, in like ‘07. How Big Is Your World was on that album.
And then “The Sender” in ‘11. Both good albums. He was definitely a more creative MC on the first album, in terms of the concepts he tried and the types of songs he did. But they’re both enjoyable albums.
There’s an EP called “The Path to Relief” which I want to say was out a few years before the first album finally dropped, that is really good too, if you can find it. Last I knew, “Median’s Relief” was his only album that’s streaming.
10. "RE: Word thanks. I'll do some digging." In response to Reply # 9
Median’s Relief, I think 9th did 4 of them. Nicolay did 3, Khrysis did 3, Zo! did 1. There’s a few others I don’t really know on there.
The Sender - 5 9th tracks, 3 from Khrysis, then there’s some others like Fatin and S1. Similar production team to Charity Starts At Home, and this album also came out on FE Music around the same time as Phonte’s album. They seemed to be working heavily together at the time, as they were both featured on each other’s album a few times. Phonte and 9th were both “exec. producer” of The Sender.
The Path to Relief was all 9th beats other than 1 Khrysis and 1 Eccentric track.
The Sender, I have the CD and it’s on my phone, but I’m sure that’s relatively easy to find still even though it’s not streaming.
Was curious about the EP though - was wondering if that might’ve slipped through the cracks of time which would’ve been a shame. Some classic material on there. Peak 9th era IMO. Visionary, Doing Dances, Comfortable, Median Alleviates the Drama....SMH. So good.
12. "Damn man. Thanks for all this." In response to Reply # 11
Can't believe I missed or overlooked this. I was still following Phonte and 9th pretty heavy around that time so I have no idea why I wouldn't have heard any of Median's stuff.
31. "No problem, yeah I think Median’s releases went under the radar" In response to Reply # 12
It’s like he had a solid buzz after The Listening, as he had some classic songs on the NC State of Mind mixtape, and then had his EP. Then he was just off the radar for a few years before the album dropped. Then he seemed to be off the radar for years again, until he pooped back up with The Sender/Charity Starts At Home. It’s like he was never able to get or sustain any momentum. His projects are all good though.
35. "forgot about Chaundon, he was nice too" In response to Reply # 33
>I like EA Floe and Sean Boog too, but I could see where >everybody wouldn’t be feeling them. But I still like the >first and 3rd Away Team albums a lot.
I dug EA Floe's voice, just didn't move me with the lyrics
37. "RE: forgot about Chaundon, he was nice too" In response to Reply # 35
>>I like EA Floe and Sean Boog too, but I could see where >>everybody wouldn’t be feeling them. But I still like the >>first and 3rd Away Team albums a lot. > >I dug EA Floe's voice, just didn't move me with the lyrics > >
Yeah, I don’t disagree with that. I wouldn’t say his lyrics typically “moved” me either, but at the same time they weren’t bad. I liked his content though, and one thing they all had going for them to me, is they were just relatable and likable on the mic. And the beats were always there.
7. "Lol, Fresh Breath was a great one too" In response to Reply # 5
Probably my #3 joint off that album, after “Bright Individual” and “Special”.
As an aside, I saw on IG that Median was recording with Chaundon recently. Hopefully something comes out of that, but I was just glad to see that he’s making music.
30. "Yeah he only put out 2 1/2 projects, but never heard him on a bad beat" In response to Reply # 23
Agreed - Median’s Relief is just a really good album, to me. L.E.G.A.C.Y. - Project Mayhem is another strong album out of that crew from back in the mid 00s too. The great tracks on that one are really great. LB flew under the mainstream radar, and then the rest of JL flew under LB’s radar. But there’s a lot of great music that came from that crew.
3. "Nick Drake - Five Leaves Left / Bryter Layter / Pink Moon" In response to Reply # 0 Thu Jan-07-21 04:48 PM by Anonymous
These three albums never leave my phone.
It never fails that around late October, I just start playing them back to back throughout the winter.
Just love the simplistic, warm nature of the songwriting and compositions.
I know he has a pretty big cult following but I still feel his work isn’t praised enough.
You know those important scenes in great cinema where they use a great song to enhance the emotion? I feel like everyone of of his songs could be used for those purposes.
I refuse to pick just one. They’re all short albums so give them a spin back to back!
And to respond to your post, I absolutely love that album and agree with everything you said. I’ve tried to turn a few people onto that album and they always complain about her voice. *shrugs*
40. "thanks so much for mentioning drake" In response to Reply # 3
I haven't listened to these albums in at least a few years and they're absolutely perfect for right now. Complements the Valerie June record really well, too!
I agree that he falls in that weird space of critically-acclaimed yet curiously overlooked... he seems to go in cycles where he becomes a buzz name, interest bubbles, then dissipates for a while.
I think my favorite part of these records is they really reflect what you bring to them. You can hear deep sadness in them if that's where you're led; you can hear something more calm, meditative; you can hear happiness and wonder, too. It's tempting to project his life onto the music but I think, in this case, there is something to be said for really listening with that suspended for a bit.
Bryter Later is probably the least successful of the three, imo, even though it has two or three of my absolute favorites from his catalog. Can't choose between Five Leaves Left and Pink Moon, at least not today...
And glad you're on to that Valerie June record. If you haven't listened to her single from December yet, you should: https://youtu.be/b5QJ_nb-lLQ --- it's amazing.
good vibes. soft, dark, and warm. fall music. mayber winter music too. flows well (except for one part). some light house rapping that complements the instrumentals. i love the sound bank he uses. it's inviting and comforting. nothing is overpowering. works wonderfully as wallpaper music and rewards closer examination, a rare feat in music
I know they were well liked around here. And also know that their whole shtick was to kinda be the dusty, mysterious collective who dropped a quick but brilliant EP every year or so but man. This was such an insanely talented group of artists who should've (a) broken thru the mainstream barrier, and (b) should've continued making music beyond 2013 or whenever their last unannounced EP was.
There was so much potential there and I just wish more people would've/could've caught on sooner.
16. "Baby Rose - To Myself" In response to Reply # 0 Fri Jan-08-21 12:21 AM by Hitokiri
My favorite album of the last few years. The "cool kids" have known about her for a while and more and more meople have been coming around on it and her over the past few months. But I'm surprised a place like this has barely mentioned her. Her voice is the first thing you'll notice, without a doubt. But if you keep listening to the project, the arrangements are really understated and beautiful. The outro for Pressure for example is gorgeous. The final chorus of Over... man. My favorite tracks though have to be Borderline, Ragrets, and In Your Arms. And Sold Out is an excellent opener. It's a break-up album, so if you're not in the mood for that, you may wanna wait, but seriously, such a fantastic project. I'm such a fan I flew to NYC to see her live a few weeks before quarantine hit.
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"You can't beat white people. You can only knock them out."
The Ride Boys version is one of my favorite songs period, so this was a "ok now don't get too big for yo britches" moment but Tigallo pulled it off. adding D Brock was a nice touch, I've always dug his voice. but the kicker is at the end when they "preview" the 90s (which never happened, I think?) and they go into Intro's Come Inside and it's just perfection. Phonte is magic.
27. "me too, that's how it was fresh in my mind" In response to Reply # 26
and as much as I liked the version of Steppin' Out on just visiting, the version they did on Love The 80s was stank face funky. they should do the 90s. I have a remake of Jeff Redd's Giving My Love To You that I think they would kill if Zo! just added a little stank to my track
There was a period about 10 years ago I was kinda obsessed with all things P-Funk, and I started collecting all the off shoots of the group. Jerome Brailey left Parliament-Funkadelic due to management disputes with George to create his own band Mutiny. This song is definitely my favorite as it has some P-Funk elements (being on the one of course), but it also incorporates the sound of the early eighties. That chorus, which has Jerome Brailey *almost* sounding like Charlie Wilson, is haunting and beautiful all at once.
36. "This is great, thanks!" In response to Reply # 24
Went ahead and put on Funk Plus the One from the beginning -- vibing on it from the first chord blasts of "Will It be Tomorrow?" --- it's gloriously noisy and funky all at once, loving it. It's got a lot of Funkadelic in it but still distinct. Looking forward to listening through the rest.
I kind of feel like this year might find me going down some sidemen rabbit holes... I've been in mostly new music mode for a few years now but when I get to shit like this, it reminds me of how fun it is to find these gems, whether they're well-known stuff I just haven't heard or lesser-known items that become secret favorites. P-Funk side projects/solo offshoots would be a great place to start... I know some of the obvious ones but there's a lot of ground I haven't traveled there.
38. "gloriously noisy is a great way to describe it." In response to Reply # 36
I dig the entire album.
The Quazar (1978) is worth checking out too.
I had an idea for a post actually where I'd post the artist, and then people would post the side projects/bands that came from it. For example I'm JUST as obsessed with the Miles Davis tree (Herbie Hancock, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report). I think those connections are 1. great ways to explore new music but more than that 2. just VERY interesting stories.
I think he is in Canada's Top 5 MC's with Maestro, k-os, Shad and Saukrates. He's been on k-os albums but never gotten a lot of shine for his solo work which I think is incredible. He's currently working on his first album in 10 years which I'm really looking forward to.
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