Just Talkin' About Soul

For so, so long it seemed the clouds had loomed over Birmingham, drenching the earth with constant downpours... The Magic City, for, like, a FREAKING MONTH was pinned in dismal, post-apocalyptic-like, sleep. But, like Sleeping Beauty (my analogies have just reached a new low) this place has recently reawakened from its hibernation. The sun has come out, the humidity has lifted, the air has garnered a certain crispness, hickory nuts keep falling on my rooftop, and I just feel like listening to some SOUL music.

When I walked outside this past Sunday I could have sworn that my eyes hurt from the sheer blue of the sky above me. And, for some reason, I felt compelled to listen to Marvin Gaye's masterwork What's Going On. It was the best I've felt in something like a month. Rain puts me in a weird state anyway-- when it is overcast I can never feel like I'm fully awake; so, after a month of it, the feeling was somewhat surreal to be standing in the sunlight. To return to my horrendous Sleeping Beauty metaphor, it was like waking up after an elongated sleep. But I digress (in case you haven't figured it out, there is not too much point in this entry)...

Basically, what I want to say is this: soul music is good for your... soul. So often the music expresses the joyful human emotions and it causes us to dance, but, of course, the second letter in R&B stands for 'blues' and the music often reflects an acknowledgment of the groans of the broken world in which we live. What's Going On is such an album, so it seems ironic that I would want to listen to it on such a gorgeous day. However, the album provides a somewhat cathartic release-- it describes so many problems with life on earth, but it does so with a peaceful, loving, relaxed delivery, and, ultimately, it provides us with hope for what lies ahead. It is a record that feels applicable to hectic times like these, and, though I think Marvin may have been a little misled with some of his beliefs, it is a record that reminds us that God is in charge and that all good things come from Him.

Soul music has always struck me as the music with real staying power as well. So often, I find myself frustrated with rock music specifically-- it tries way too hard, and it rarely has anything to say. But then we hear songs like The Temptation's Aint Too Proud to Beg and realize that they have sounded refreshing for decades.

Also, due to some recent digital cable expansions, I've found myself blessed with the ability to watch VH1 Soul. This channel plays old and new soul, hip-hop, and reggae videos around the clock-- as well as live performances, and shows pertaining to soul music. Some of the songs you'll see on this channel will be much better than others, but it is like a breath of fresh, highly-oxygenated air to actually see music videos on television of all places-- after MTV 1 and regular VH1 abandoned them in favor of reality shows that smooth out the wrinkles in our brains, I figured Youtube was the last great frontier for music videos.

Fall is upon us! It is often thought to be the greatest season to experience the Southeast, but I find it is also a great season to experience soul. So if by rare happenstance I have inspired you to dive into some music, you can check out my recommendations for Fall Soul Albums below (I might add some details about them later).


Old-School Albums:
What's Going On-- Marvin Gaye
Innervisions -- Stevie Wonder
Superfly -- Curtis Mayfield
Otis Blue -- Otis Redding
Rejuvenation -- The Meters

New-School Albums
The Way I See It -- Raphael Saadiq
The Point of It All -- Anthony Hamilton
Pebble to a Pearl -- Nikka Costa

Compilations
Greatest Hits -- Al Green
The Ultimate Collection -- Jackson 5
In The Jungle Groove -- James Brown