When my cohort, Mr. Morse covered the Santigold/Santogold issue, he basically likened Mr. Saadiq to an “also-ran” and I need to set the record straight. In fact, if I attend the concert, it’ll be for Saadiq and not Ms. Gold (yes, I know that’s not her name).
When I first heard Raphael Saadiq this year, I was trying to figure out which soulful 50s singer I was hearing and not recognizing. When I realized it was someone newer to the scene, I had to pick my musical jaw up off the “neo-soul” floor. Sure enough, that wasn’t Joss Stone plucking some vintage track off some old vinyl to sing along with… That was a surefire contemporary collaboration. Huh.
Calling Saadiq “new” isn’t technically correct. He’s been in the music business for a couple decades. You might even recognize the name from blast-from-the-past “Tony! Toni! Tone!” Of course, calling him old-fashioned isn’t right either. He brings a completely fresh perspective mixing R&B, soul, sampling some things here and there, combining into a musical jumbo Saadiq himself has deemed “gospedelic.”
It’s been seven years since his previous and first solo release, “Instant Vintage,” which was fantastic in its own right, but honestly, “The Way I See It” is the true INSTANT classic. This is the album I want with me on a longish drive, whether it’s a trip up PCH or Santa Ynez, or just cruising around downtown, hands slapping the steering wheel rhythmically the whole way.
The album starts off with such a bang, I think I’ll post the first track here for your listening pleasure, along with a sexy one toward the end and the aforementioned Joss Stone wonderment.
If you don’t know Raphael’s stuff, I suggest you play these immediately and often… ADAM. And go see him open for santIgold @ The Bowl this Sunday. You might see me.
Raphael Saadiq – “Sure Hope You Mean It”
Raphael Saadiq – “Let’s Take A Walk”
Raphael Saadiq & Joss Stone – “Just One Kiss”
Browse Timeline
Comments ( 1 Comment )
[...] son of Afrobeat legend, Fela Kuti, is back with a new album and some new friends—Santigold and Raphael Saadiq—for the opening weekend at Hollywood [...]
Too Much Happiness » Afrobeat… Move Your Feet! Femi’s Back! added these pithy words on Jun 19 09 at 2:49 pm