I have been on a new music binge the last few weeks. Because I am a rockchick. And that's what we do. AND, I am going to share the fruits of my labor (and my many dollars that could have been spent on paying bills, but WHATEVER!) with the folks who read this blog, whoever you are!
OK. The last two CD's I bought were Matisyahu's
Youth and Prince's
3121.
Matisyahu (whom I will be seeing in concert this Saturday with a group of people, yay!) is a Hasidic Reggae genius from New York. I think I've mentioned him once or twice. His new album is so... pretty. It is a gorgeous, beat-filled lullaby from start to finish. My favorite songs are "Time Of Your Song," "Jerusalem" and "Indestructible," although there are at least 4 more songs on the CD that I love as well. "Time of Your Song" is a beat-box driven, melodic number. The beatboxing isn't shoved at you, it is made part of the song. You don't even realize half the time that those aren't drums, it's his voice. Matisyahu, aka Matthew Miller, is a MASTER beatboxer. Seriously. Beatboxing is obnoxious if it is tried by someone who doesn't have talent. He has turned it into an art form. I have NO clue how he makes some of the amazing sounds he does. Anyway, I digress. "Jerusalem" is the most heartbreaking song on the CD. It is about the Holocaust and tells the story poetically and powerfully. I cry every time I hear it. And "Indestructable" is my favorite. It has the most catchy, sticky chorus and the BEST 80's-inspired beat.
The other CD I bought (yesterday, on 3/21) was Prince's
3121. I've never been a huge Prince fan. I like the requisite stuff, "Little Red Corvette," "Kiss," "Rasberry Beret," "7," etc. I think he's very talented, but I don't consider myself a fan. Or at least, I didn't.
Until Now.
3121 is FUNK. I use that both as a noun, verb and adjective. The CD is funky, it funks and it IS FUNK. It is
so much fun. Prince is a guy who knows how to get wallflowers off the sides of a club and onto the dance floor to gyrate and sweat and sing along to the lyrics. (The CD is named after Prince's house number for his purple mansion in Minneapolis. I would love to see it.) The title track opens the CD and I KNEW it was a winner from the first track on. My favorite track is #9, "The Word." It's going to be a huge hit, I can see it coming. Lots of great instrumentation and lyrics, although the song is religious. I still think it will get major exposure. Mark my words, YOU WILL ALL BE SICK OF "THE WORD" BECAUSE IT WILL GET SO MUCH AIRPLAY. You heard it here first. The rest of the CD is great, although there are some rough patches. I like his dance tracks a lot more than the ballads. He tends to go cheesy on the ballads, and I like him at his hip-shaking, body-rockin', foot-tappin' best. But that is my only fault. I think he should go the Madonna route and do an entire album of upbeat dance tracks with the style he is using now. It would KILL!
OK, so that is my music review. On another note, I have recently managed to get back into contact with two of my old best friends from middle and high school: Nicole Spaeth Thomas and Kristy Towne. It's so weird that I reconnected with them within days of each other. I was inspired to do it because someone I knew in high school called me out of the blue (haven't talked to her in 12 or 13 years) and apoligized for the way our friendship broke up. It was so weird. But it inspired me to reach out to people I have lost, and it worked.
Pass it on!
OK, time to go eat something.
Amy
After all, there's no point in showing off on the drums if there aren't hot chicks around...
