Every Erykah Badu album release feels like a reunion with a long, lost friend. I was in my sophomore year of college coming into my own when her Grammy-winning 1997 debut, Baduizm, dropped and changed R&B forever. She changed it so much, they created a new genre for her music—Neo-soul. With each subsequent album--Live (1997), Mama's Gun (2000), Worldwide Underground (2003)—Erykah developed musically to sights unknown to us kids that missed the Motown era.
Now the Dallas-born, Queen of neo-soul has returned with a new CD, New Amerykah, which dropped February 26—Ms. Erykah's birthday. Yesterday I popped it into the CD player in the car during my morning commute, ready to once again have every emotion bestowed upon me and start selecting “my cuts” off the album. Yet all I could say was “What the hell! Is this Electric Circus part II?” Grant it, Badu has always been for the esoteric but this doesn’t even seem to appeal to her loyal listeners. While that’s not necessarily a bad thing, the album just isn't as engaging melodically as her previous platinum-selling releases. The album, which has the throwback feel of Parliament-Funkadelic coupled with chaotic Trip-hop, New Amerykah’s melancholy mood beseeches your tolerance and maturity. Gone are the homegrown analog tracks that we’ve grown accustomed to (or at least what I thought was authentic); These tracks were made in the digital world.
I could go on and on about why this just isn’t, but while writing this I have skimmed the tracks on New Amerykah a couple of times. And while this isn’t something for “Tyrone” nor does it make you look for an “Orange Moon,” I’m sure there is something in this message for me. It’s just going to take some time for me to find it.
Bonus:
I have attempted to give a track by track synopsis and review of the album. The highlighted songs are the only one's that I am NOT taking off my IPOD.
Amerykahn Promise: Very 70’s, fight the power vibe. To be honest, the beat was so annoying I didn’t even listen to the lyrics.
The Healer/Hip Hop: I don’t particularly like the track and I can’t listen to it more than once a day (if that), but it’s a true ode to Hip Hop and all of its magnificence.
Me: As usual, she keeps it real when talking about love. In the song she states “Had two babies, different dudes…and for them both my love was true.” This song is HOT!
My People: I couldn’t listen to the whole track…sorry.
Soldier: Real mellow, yet tight, track. This song has a strong message and I think everyone will be able to relate to it.
The Cell: Not very audible, but I heard “Mama hopped up on cocaine,” “Code white stands for trouble,” and “the Po-Po” so I know it’s speaking about something that while not forgotten, hasn’t been mentioned a lot in music today.
Twinkle: Again, another one I couldn’t get pass and didn’t listen to the lyrics.
Master Teacher: The track was a little too busy for me and drew my attention from the lyrics. I will have to listen again on some other day and some other time.
That Hump: Not really something I could get with. Again, didn't really listen.
Telephone: Okay, now this is why I fell in love with her Baduizm back in 1997. This song my favorite and from what I read, it’s inspired by a story J. Dilla's mother told Badu. In his final days, Dilla would float in and out of coherence, having real conversations with people no one else could see. One of these people, as Dilla told his mother, was ODB. Dirty was telling Dilla that when he gets to the other side not to get on the red bus, although it was inviting. The white bus would be the one to pick him up. In the song she says "Telephone! It's Old Dirty. He wants to give you directions home." The song not only gives us further belief in the everlasting life that we were so promised if we believe, but she made me view Dirty in another light.
Honey: This is a hidden track on "Telephone." This track doesn’t flow with the rest of the album, but it’s the reason I bought this.
Now the Dallas-born, Queen of neo-soul has returned with a new CD, New Amerykah, which dropped February 26—Ms. Erykah's birthday. Yesterday I popped it into the CD player in the car during my morning commute, ready to once again have every emotion bestowed upon me and start selecting “my cuts” off the album. Yet all I could say was “What the hell! Is this Electric Circus part II?” Grant it, Badu has always been for the esoteric but this doesn’t even seem to appeal to her loyal listeners. While that’s not necessarily a bad thing, the album just isn't as engaging melodically as her previous platinum-selling releases. The album, which has the throwback feel of Parliament-Funkadelic coupled with chaotic Trip-hop, New Amerykah’s melancholy mood beseeches your tolerance and maturity. Gone are the homegrown analog tracks that we’ve grown accustomed to (or at least what I thought was authentic); These tracks were made in the digital world.
I could go on and on about why this just isn’t, but while writing this I have skimmed the tracks on New Amerykah a couple of times. And while this isn’t something for “Tyrone” nor does it make you look for an “Orange Moon,” I’m sure there is something in this message for me. It’s just going to take some time for me to find it.
Bonus:
I have attempted to give a track by track synopsis and review of the album. The highlighted songs are the only one's that I am NOT taking off my IPOD.
Amerykahn Promise: Very 70’s, fight the power vibe. To be honest, the beat was so annoying I didn’t even listen to the lyrics.
The Healer/Hip Hop: I don’t particularly like the track and I can’t listen to it more than once a day (if that), but it’s a true ode to Hip Hop and all of its magnificence.
Me: As usual, she keeps it real when talking about love. In the song she states “Had two babies, different dudes…and for them both my love was true.” This song is HOT!
My People: I couldn’t listen to the whole track…sorry.
Soldier: Real mellow, yet tight, track. This song has a strong message and I think everyone will be able to relate to it.
The Cell: Not very audible, but I heard “Mama hopped up on cocaine,” “Code white stands for trouble,” and “the Po-Po” so I know it’s speaking about something that while not forgotten, hasn’t been mentioned a lot in music today.
Twinkle: Again, another one I couldn’t get pass and didn’t listen to the lyrics.
Master Teacher: The track was a little too busy for me and drew my attention from the lyrics. I will have to listen again on some other day and some other time.
That Hump: Not really something I could get with. Again, didn't really listen.
Telephone: Okay, now this is why I fell in love with her Baduizm back in 1997. This song my favorite and from what I read, it’s inspired by a story J. Dilla's mother told Badu. In his final days, Dilla would float in and out of coherence, having real conversations with people no one else could see. One of these people, as Dilla told his mother, was ODB. Dirty was telling Dilla that when he gets to the other side not to get on the red bus, although it was inviting. The white bus would be the one to pick him up. In the song she says "Telephone! It's Old Dirty. He wants to give you directions home." The song not only gives us further belief in the everlasting life that we were so promised if we believe, but she made me view Dirty in another light.
Honey: This is a hidden track on "Telephone." This track doesn’t flow with the rest of the album, but it’s the reason I bought this.
3 comments:
This was a very thorough review! I appreciate your realness. And while I only sampled the cd on Amazon, I to was less than thrilled w/the outcome of this album. While I don't expect artist to stay in the same place they started and I recognize that they may be going through an evolution that I can't relate to, I expected more of a connection with this album. I anticipated that I would get the same thing I get from my girl Jilly from Philly, something different something new but something I can connect to or say wow, you opened my ear to something I wouldn't have heard before. This just lost me! I will listen to it in full again but I guess I got to put on some crochet pants, lights some incense and put on a big ass afro wig to get into it.
I'll let ya'll know!
Mae,
Im laughing at the crochet pants, lights, incense and afro wig comment...
That comment is hilarious! Yeah, ask Common about the crochet pants. LOL
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