[Severian]

^^ THAT SAID... There's nothing on A Seat at the Table that comes close to the perfection of "All Night," which is without question Lemonade's highlight (as I've been saying since the album came out.) "All Night" is a tremendous, powerful, soulful pop song with a timeless quality to it that transcends trends and topical references. It's almost like a "Let it Be," or a "You Can't Always Get What You Want" in that sense.

It's classy, it's happy, it's sad, there's a universality to it that isn't present on most of Lemonade's songs. It throws back to Motwown, to Phil Spectre, to Tina Turner, to fucking Outkast for christ's sake! It's the most perfect pop song of 2016. Funny (and infuriating) that out of all the tracks on the album, it has probably received the least attention.

I don't think I've read any reviews of Lemonade that even mention "All Night" specifically, except to note how the album ends on a reconciliatory note. Meanwhile, "Hold Up" and "Formation" and "Freedom" are fucking everywhere. That's sad, and it kinda posses me off. I feel like you'd be an idiot not to think "All Night" was the high point of Lemonade, and yet the rest of the world barely seems to have noticed the song even exists.

[Severian]

AAAAAnyway. I'm not pissed that Lemonade got more attention than A Seat... Solange was selected as NPR's album of the year, and was at or near the top of pretty much every list, right next to her sister. They're very different albums, but I'm not attached enough to either of them to be mad about which one gets more attention.

Ultimately, both records are really just timepieces for modern R&B production and songwriting teams. Neither Beyoncé nor Solange was the primary artistic force behind their respective albums. They were just the face, the voice, and provided inspiration for the storytellers. When it comes to music like that, music that is so removed or detached from the "artist," I can only get so attached. Here's nothing wrong with letting other people produce, record, engineer and mostly write your songs... but it results in a less personal form of music. I would hesitate to attribute any of ASATT's observations directly to Solange Knowles, and it's not super appropriate to treat her as the source of the intellectual properties of the music. To say "Solange made a protest album" is only partially accurate. In truth, Solange participated in the creation of a "protest" product, which she put her name on.

Sorry to be that guy, but there is a certain part of the artistic puzzle that is missing from BOTH releases. This is not John Lennon sitting at a piano writing "Imagine" here. It's something much different. I'm not saying that what it is is BAD... as long as the music sounds good to you/me/us, who cares, right? But I will say that its missing a layer of from-the-gut, personal artistic expression.

[Severian]

Originally Posted by noisereductions

Black Star is fantastic. So is Black On Both Sides.

Honestly, so is The Ecstatic. That was a major turnaround after The New Danger and True Magic. I barely remember those albums really, but I feel the urge to hear Ecstatic fairly regularly. I never put that one on the shelf like I did with Black Star and BOBS.

If I remember correctly it was, like, my #3 Album of '09? No present access to my list archives (lol) but I'm fairly sure it was too 5.

Fuckin' "Auditorium" y'all!

[noisereductions]

people hated The New Danger and True Magic, but I seriously listened to the heck out of those albums. I mean - kind of gimmicky. TND was like his "rock" album. (Basically what Weezy did w/ Rebirth) And TM was basically just a major label mixtape. But I dare say I loved them both at the time, and at least still like them a lot. They were kind of ballsy moves at the time. Even if they weren't classics.

[Severian]

Also, fucking "Priority."

[Severian]

Originally Posted by noisereductions

people hated The New Danger and True Magic, but I seriously listened to the heck out of those albums. I mean - kind of gimmicky. TND was like his "rock" album. (Basically what Weezy did w/ Rebirth) And TM was basically just a major label mixtape. But I dare say I loved them both at the time, and at least still like them a lot. They were kind of ballsy moves at the time. Even if they weren't classics.

I bought and played both of them to death too. Honestly, I thought the New Danger was good at the time. True Magic I don't remember much, but I would not have played it if I didn't like it.

It was kind of weird though that these two albums were distributed so heavily. At the time you had to go to a well-stocked Best Buy AT LEAST to find Black Star or BOBS, but there were copies of TNG and TM at, like, Fred Meyer and shit. I thoight that was odd. Anyway, I haven't listened to either album in forever, but I doubt they deserve the bad rap they generally received.

[TheDom]

Re: Black Star - that album is a fucking masterpiece and it's a shame they didn't do more albums like that. The beats and their flows compliment each other so perfectly. Verse after verse I'm always like "there'a no way the other one can follow that" but they always do. They were hungry as fuck. Thieves in the Night is my favorite track by far. Every time it's on I have no choice but to sit and listen to what they have to say.

Re: Beyoncé and Solange - I was in love with Lemonade at first but it didn't hold up (lol) for me. I watched the video once and haven't thought about it since. There are a batch of songs (The country one, the one with The Weeknd, the jack white song, sorry I'm bad with names) that I can't get all the way through any more. I agree with whoever said the anger was "theatrical" and honestly it's a little hard to take seriously sometime.

Another difference between the two is I feel Solange's album comes straight from her. It sounds like she's singing to you and not at you like a lot of Lemonade. When I hear Lemonade I hear a great pop record but it's not coming from a singular voice. It really does sound like an album a lot of people worked on, which of course it is, and it leaves me feeling like I'm being tRicked in a way (I'm not sure if that makes any sense i hope y'all can see where I'm getting at). Solange's album sounds a lot more honest to me, like I'm hearing someone creating music from their heart and telling the truth. I think a look at songwriting credits for the Solange record proves that. Also her performance on SNL was the shit.

[pepper_green]

Anthony Fantano reviewed Trout Mask Replica! couldn't tell if he liked or loved it. somewhere inbetween. don't no why im posting this. maybe because he reviews a lot of modern hip hop and then he throws something like this in the mix. what a great way to turn ignorant people on to the Captain. TMR is one of the best albums ever. of fucking course. Safe as Milk and Lick is close behind.

[pepper_green]

still absorbing Black Star. like it but hasn't quite soaked in. it's classic material no doubt. very 90's very Nas like.

[Severian]

Originally Posted by pepper_green

still absorbing Black Star. like it but hasn't quite soaked in. it's classic material no doubt. very 90's very Nas like.

Glad you're enjoying it.

I thought I recommended this to you years ago, when you were using a different username. It's weird, but all along I was sure you knew of and liked this record. Kind of a trip to learn I was mistaken.

[pepper_green]

oh yea dawg. it grooves and bangs like a classic. should have came across that I was still absorbing the lyrics. the hooks and catchiness gets me first then i play catch up with the rhymes. but, yea enjoying it.

[Severian]

Originally Posted by pepper_green

oh yea dawg. it grooves and bangs like a classic. should have came across that I was still absorbing the lyrics. the hooks and catchiness gets me first then i play catch up with the rhymes. but, yea enjoying it.

Yeah, catchy as hell.

"One, two, three! Mos Def and Talib Kweli! Black star shine eternally! Best alliance in hip-hop, right ooooon"

Lolz

[Severian]

http://www.complex.com/music/2017/01/kendrick-lamar-kanye-west-so-appalled-throwback-video-freestyle

!!!

[Severian]

New Lupe Fiasco album, DROGAS Light coming out Feb. 10.

 

It's Lupe, so I will buy. Loved Tetsuo & Youth. Here's hoping it doesn't suck.

[Rob Instigator]

good to know

[louder]

Originally Posted by Severian

http://www.complex.com/music/2017/01/kendrick-lamar-kanye-west-so-appalled-throwback-video-freestyle

!!!

He did a freestyle over "Monster" too. Kendrick really loved this album I guess. Can't blame him.

[louder]

Anderson .Paak announced an album of his band (The Free Nationals) in 2017. I guess it's gonna be an "Anderson .Paak & the Free Nationals" project, in the same vein as "Bob Marley & the Wailers" and "Prince & the Revolution". Excited.

 

[louder]

He's gonna be featured on Flying Lotus' upcoming album too. And him and Pharrell said they're planning to get in the studio together. This year is gonna be huge for the dude, happy for him.

[louder]

New Sampha and Syd (of The Internet) albums in February 3rd. And Big Sean is dropping the same day too.

Listen to Syd's dope lead single: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNIOrsxsa0A

Syd wrote and produced Fin, which also features production from MeLo-X (who worked on Lemonade), Hit-Boy, Haze, Rahki, and the Internet’s Steve Lacy (on “All About Me”).

[louder]

New SZA single is finally here too (listen on Apple Music),

Loved it. She seems to have progressed a lot since 'Z'.