Fragile Rock

All better!

Thanks to everyone for the get-well-soons and tips for fighting this nasty cold I had. In the end, it took a few gallons of orange juice, a whole box of green tea and seventeen sips of Robitussin to get over it. Meh.

Today's post is brought to you by an oft-overlooked singer from the same era -- and songwriting team, for that matter -- that brought you Control and N.E. Heartbreak. The career of Detroit's Cherrelle will probably be remembered best by her duets with Alexander O'Neal, specifically "Saturday Love" (you know the chorus: "Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sat-ur-daaaaaaaaaaaay...") Cherrelle had moderate success in the '80s, with all of her LPs released during that time selling at least gold (remember when people sold 500,000 copies of their album?).

Unfortunately, Cherrelle -- whose cousin Pebbles would later create and manage TLC -- never really attained the same amount of success of her peers; some believe it had a little bit to do with her live performances, which some say would've been so much better if only Cherrelle knew how to dance as well as her choreographed counterparts at the time. Others say she's been on a decline since leaving the Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis camp in the early '90s. Being that as it may, she still put out some great music, with her latest album being released in 1999.

This is one of the few records in my stash that I actually didn't buy; I got it from my mama's collection when I first started pillaging record stores around 2001-2002, and even then didn't actually use it until four or so years later when I flipped "Stay With Me" for Dream, Interrupted's "I'm Not Ready". Fragile would sit in my bin until a year or so later, when I decided to blow the dust off of "I Need You Now" to create "Hurt No More", which made its way onto the never-ever-ever-ever released instrumental album, Dream, Extinguished.

But more than making beats, albums like this remind me a lot of my childhood, when life was carefree and R&B music was still actually of quality. Good luck finding any songs these days that don't reference "humps", "grinding", or "poppin' that coochie". Yeesh. Get a room! Fragile isn't very expensive; cop it from your local mom-and-pop or on eBay for a couple of bones. (download)

All Betts Are Off...or, How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb

60 dollars on eBay? Oh, word? Get it while the getting is good, folks.

Does anyone -- for the love of God -- know the quickest way to diffuse a cold/flu/whatever it is that I have? Besides a bullet to the head, of course. I tried that. (download)

Perfect Timing

Thanks for sliding me that, err, Marilyn Monroe link, Cosmo. Couldn't have come at a better time! Looks like I've found my newest screensaver.

Speaking of great timing, enjoy this library record from French composers Roger Bourdin and Yan Tregger, released in 1980. In the meantime, let's see if I can put my new screensaver(s) to good use (nudge, nudge, wink). Tim, Fritz and Mr. Anonymous, I see ya! Thanks for supporting the site guys. (download)

Big Mama

Blah blah blah, blah blah blah blah. Don't really feel like typing much today, no one really reads it anyway. Enjoy! (download)

Drop Bombs Like...

After receiving numerous requests for this album, I decided "what the hell" and pulled this gem out from the crates. Hard to believe that this underrated record from 1980 fetches a whopping $120 on (import) compact disc since going out of print several years ago. I was fortunate enough to find it on vinyl when I first starting using samples in '02, and even then I was surprised that it cost me like $18 at the time (methinks the dealer cheated me 'cause the vinyl can still be found on eBay for under $10, if you know where to look). Even though I've always been a fan of fusion jazz, the main reason I picked this record up is 'cause one of my heroes chopped the hell out of the track "Shinto" for "Discipline". After owning this album for like four years I finally went ahead and flipped the beautiful "All I Want" for a super-super rough version of "You're On My Mind", which made its way onto the Dream, Interrupted album and has since been fleshed out into a better quality version that none of youse will ever hear.

This album didn't get too many positive reviews when it first came out, but f**k that...if you're into mellow grooves and albums with kimono-rockin' honeys on the front, Odori -- which is supposedly Japanese for "dance" -- is for you. Get it before it's gone...as much as I don't want to, I stick to the 21-day window pretty well. (download)

Funkin' Around

I'm back from hiatus...between working on this new album, gawking at LOLcat pictures on teh internets and working on this new album I have been tied the f**k up, yo. Don't have time to type too much but I should have this place back up and running real soon.  Today's offering -- featuring "How Do You View You" that was used for Threat's "Lettin' Niggas Know" from 1995's Friday Soundtrack -- is from one of the best bands of all time, Funkadelic. No hyperbole-o. (download)