Songs In The Key Of Life: don't neglect it

"RallyWrench" (rndlitebmw) 10/27/2015 at 15:20 • Filed to: musiclopnik

3

5

You know the feels when you pull out an album you haven’t listened to in a long time? So good. I’m gettin’ all emotional.

If you don’t believe Songs In The Key Of Life is one of, if not the greatest albums ever created, you’re wrong. Not only is Stevie Wonder a master of musical social commentary, but he’s gifted us some of the greatest grooves ever conceived. Albums like this don’t really happen in the mainstream now in this age of vapid pop, when the best musicians are often buried under waves of Autotuned low-fi shit.

I rarely get to listen to whole sides anymore, but Sunday night I pulled the first disc out to demonstrate to my wife what it means to play “behind the beat.” We’d seen a live band play “ I Wish ” and sort of butcher it earlier in the day, playing it much too straight. It’s one of my favorite songs (dat bassline...dem horns!), and I couldn’t adequately describe to her why it didn’t really groove. So I pulled this out to play the original for her. Anyway, I ended up getting to listen to the whole side as I rocked our youngest to sleep, and I’m ashamed to admit I’d forgotten about how damn good the second part of Ordinary Pain is, because it starts off a little slow. I submit that it’s one of the best pieces of funk ever recorded. Play it loud, play it often, and if you don’t have this album, get it. The really good shit starts at about 2:40.

EL_ULY > RallyWrench 10/27/2015 at 16:41

1

But instead of soulful and well made grooves, it was an old Sepultura album I found cleaning up last month. I hadn’t played my bass guitars since about a year ago. That did the trick for sure. Reminded me not only of a 4 year old Uly jamming with my uncles, but a 22 year old Uly at peak badassness lol.

RallyWrench > EL_ULY 10/27/2015 at 17:16

0

There you go! Listening to Songs again reminds me of listening to it on my dad’s vinyl, and of being in my early 20s too, at peak drumming powers, gigging weekly & making people dance. I just had to pack up my drum set to make room for our newest baby, but I’m hoping to get my garage organized and find an electronic kit to keep in practice with. I need to play out again!

EL_ULY > RallyWrench 10/27/2015 at 17:18

1

Musicians Friend had an electric set for $199

EDIT: $179

RallyWrench > EL_ULY 10/27/2015 at 17:23

0

Damn, that’s super cheap. I’d have a hard time getting used to that layout though. Looks like they have some other pretty reasonable adjustable sets too, I’ll look around!

EL_ULY > RallyWrench 10/27/2015 at 17:30

0

Lol yeah, it looks super narrow