Hello Music Club, 2020 June
This month’s Hello Music Club was super delayed. It’s been a big month and we are on day 105 of stay at home and the days turn into weeks turn into months. Lordy.
Great mix of music this month. Put it on, float away and demand justice for Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and all the innocent who have been killed before them.
Jordan MacKampa
Foreigner
2020
This is the album I have been waiting for, for 2020. Beautiful, makes you want to dance and sway and sing every line at the top of your voice. It is raw and honest and a beautiful insight into an immigrant living in a foreign land that becomes one of your homes. Foreigner (the song) is truly beautiful and a perfect title track to a really golden album.
I also get a super strange Chris Martin from Coldplay during Parachutes feel at times with his voice. Having a song called Parachutes doesn't help my crazy idea.
Jordan MacKampa is touring (hopefully) the UK, Europe and USA from September. Get your tickets cause even if he can’t come, it would be good to let him know that we were all excited to see him
Leon Bridges (featuring Terrance Martin)
Sweeter
2020
It’s going to be super hard for Leon Bridges to every release something that doesn't instantly end up on Hello Music Club. This track uses more electronics and beats than other tracks and usually, I find that when an artist move into electronic beat backgrounds it feels empty. This track with the saxophone and the smooth groove really just is stunning. Love this.
Can’t wait for another full Leon Bridges album soon but I am also super digging all the collaborations he is doing at the moment.
Black Pumas
Colors (Acoustic)
2020
I didn't think this song could be more beautiful. This acoustic version strips the song down to it’s bones and adds so much complexity to it. Listen and love.
Black Pumas
Fast Car & Fire.
2020
There are some songs that people shouldn't cover. Tracy Chapman’s Fast Car is one of them. People butcher it and really just turn it into a wank session. They try to hard, they give it “their all” and ruin the beauty of the song. They try to make the song about them and their “abilities”. They ruin an amazing song. The Black Puma’s break that rule, they strip it back (like their own acoustic version of “Colors”) and showcase the song, which in turn, showcases their strengths.
It is a strong contender for the one and only good cover of Fast Car.
Dizzy Fae
Free Form Mixtape
2018
I don’t remember who sent this to me, or who was playing this and came up on my “See What Your Friends Are Listening To” Spotify thing (yeah I use that — I’m watching you!). This album starts out super deep and you think it is going to be a mix of Enya and Grimes and then boom, Johnny Bravo comes on and you wanna shuffle a little. This album is a roller coaster. Super interesting.
BbyMutha
Muthaleficent
2020
BbyMutha is fierce. So much swagger, so much fire. Each time I listen I hear another line that just stands alone as a perfect little dis or statement. Really rad.
Ian Isiah
N.U.T.S
2020
This track slaps you in the face with groves. I hear moments of Prince, but really I just want to hear more and more Ian Isiah. Can’t wait for his album.
Kojey Radical
Cashmere Tears
2019
If you remember last month I posted Jarreau Vandal and on the first track was Kojey Radical and so I looked him up and really loved this 2019 album. It feels like London. I wanna ride the tube with my headphones on and bob my head to this one.
DJ Q, Gaidaa, TofuBeats
All In
2020
Gaidaa was also on that Jarreau Vandal track and it seems on Spotify she only has a bunch of singles. This is one was released this year and has a nice Artful dodger backbeat feel with really great vocals. Great song.
Joshua J
1998
2019
As you can see, I went down a Dutch African music hole (Gaidaa & Jarreau Vandal) and Joshua J became one of my fav finds for the month. This album sways! This is his debut, super personal and devine.
Put it on and listen. Beautiful.
Wendell Harrison
Organic Dream
1981
This is a Yin The Güney suggestion. Wendell Harrison is “an important force in Detroit” (says Spotify). A clarinetist and tenor saxophonist this album is a great way to wrap up June 2020’s Hello Music Club. Have a listen, it just feels right.
Well, that was June 2020. Hope all are well, your head is bobbin’ and your feet are shuffling
Yours in rock and/or roll
Waxamillion Dondalinger
