Raphael Saadiq - Jimmy Lee- "He Was My Mama's Son"

magnificent record

Really nice to hear him funneling his live analog production thing back into beatmaking, in parts. Great record.

the channel-changing transitions between tracks are actually all really awesome

feels sorta like saadiq's own (very modern but also drawing expansively on tradition) version of the first side of what's going on, all these different grievances and frustrations and deep-hearted beliefs bleeding into each other

it's immensely personal but also absolutely of its moment; definitely a quantum leap forward past the retro-soul stuff. beyond TPaB, I'm also reminded of Yusef Lateef's radio-dial switching album 'Part of the Search'

Yeah, this is the rare album whose autobiographical elements add ballast and pathos, and, like Gaye or Hathaway, the rhythm section's a mother.

there's some clear black messiah dna in here too, if we're not done referencing excellent albums from 2014-2015.

such a thoughtful and brilliant album on so many levels. he makes it looks so easy.

Any credits floating around somewhere?

this isn't an exact comparison but i feel like new amerykah should be part of the discussion here

This is *fantastic*, what a lovingly sequenced and arranged thing this is

this is really great, the bass is incredible. also impeccably produced, every sound is so good

huh I don't really hear the comparisons to Kendrick, Black Messiah or Badu (love all those) but this feels more pristine and precisely arranged, those all feel more loose and gritty....this makes me think of Maxwell more

in any case this is very good

that's a fair point ums

i almost feel like saadiq is approaching the more diffuse quality of those records from his mode of formal precision but idk

yeah it feels like a midpoint between those two to me

This is much too linear for Kendrick or Badu, and Saadiq's embrace of gospel is not theirs at all.

As usual he knows his own mind. Stone Rollin' didn't sound much like anyone else either.

I can't wait to hear this. If it's as good as it seems, that's 4 classic albums in a row.

this makes me think of Maxwell more

Definitely hear this comparison in the vocals, but it’s definitely more taut and message-oriented than Maxwell usually is

this seems deeply personal and sounds like a classic ALBUM album, simon otm about the sequencing.

Come look into my mind
Can someone heal my soul?
I'm losing all control
My love will never change

what a tease cutting it off after that!

something keeps calling is still the best standalone song on here imo. sounds so quik-ish even down to using rob bacon. i think he and quik must use similar equipment and recording techniques.

listening loudly opens this whole thing up even more. jordan here is what i was able to find on production credits:
https://istandardproducers.com/jimmy-lee-credits-and-streams/
not sure how accurate.

Reverend Elijah Baker appears to be Saadiq's uncle.

Heh, I assumed that the drums on the first track were programmed or played on a sampler, since they're so tight and unlike RS's drumming. But it's totally believable that it's Chris Dave instead.

video for something keeps calling
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOrZgRJ88kc

little documentary from his youtube page too
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSqT1BOc_-0

Liking this and I see that Maxwell tweeted approvingly of it in August. Old guy me saw Saadiq as part of Tony! Toni! Tone! open for Prince way back when and was impressed then, and still am.

Seeing a Saadiq-less (but very fun) Tony! Toni! Tone! at the fair reminded me to pick this up. Already as great as any adjective above suggested.

loving this album

Seems like critics are really sleeping on this record. It currently has just four ratings on here https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/171012-raphael-saadiq-jimmy-lee.php

It's a good album, not as eye-opening as Stone Rollin'. My problem with Saadiq is my suspicion that he's hiding something -- about himself, sexuality, something. This hedging smothers some good songs.

What an odd take.

is it?

i see no hedging here

yeah idk that's how Saadiq has coded to me for years: his prodigiousness has masked a reluctance to fully engage his own material. These barriers aren't enough to occlude his many good to great moments.

Tour dates:

Tour Dates:
01.23.2020 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues
01.24.2020 – Las Vegas, NV – Brooklyn Bowl
01.25.2020 – Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren
01.27.2020 – Dallas, TX – House of Blues
01.28.2020 – New Orleans, LA – Tipitina's
01.30.2020 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – Parker Playhouse
01.31.2020 – Orlando, FL – The Plaza Live
02.01.2020 – Atlanta, GA – The Tabernacle
02.03.2020 – Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel
02.04.2020 – Nashville, TN – Marathon Music Works
02.05.2020 – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore Charlotte
02.07.2020 – Norfolk, VA – The NorVa
02.08.2020 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
02.12.2020 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore
02.13.2020 – New York, NY – Terminal 5
02.14.2020 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Hall
02.15.2020 – Boston, MA – Big Night Live
02.17.2020 – Louisville, KY – Old Forester's Paristown Hall
02.18.2020 – Royal Oak MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre
02.19.2020 – St. Louis, MO – The Pageant
02.21.2020 – Chicago, IL – Vic Theatre
02.22.2020 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
02.25.2020 – Seattle, WA – Neptune
02.27.2020 – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom
02.28.2020 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater
02.29.2020 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern

terminal 5?????

he JUST played new york last week at Webster but I was recovering from surgery.... terminal 5 does NOT sound like a great place to hear this album

it’s a bad place to hear anything

big night live hasn’t even opened yet. but it has a guy fieri restaurant attached

i saw frank ocean at terminal 5 at the height of the channel orange hype and that felt very much like the right place to see him
otherwise i agree with you

he JUST played new york last week at Webster but I was recovering from surgery.... terminal 5 does NOT sound like a great place to hear this album

― Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Monday, September 16, 2019 11:10 AM (forty-nine minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

gotta be real with y'all webster hall sucks ass too

new york, it's bad

haven't been to the new webster yet so not sure what they've done to the layout.
possible places he could conceivably play where i would drop everything to see saadiq in NYC: joe's pub, LPR, BAM, Rough Trade, Bell House, baby's alright, town hall, skirball, the apollo

the rosalia show i saw at webster was incredible, but that has a lot more to do with rosalia than webster, which is basically the same as before but without the dinginess that made it charmingly miserable, instead of just miserable.

yeah, i liked that the old webster had all these side bars and places to sequester yourself; i imagine they got rid of that to MAXIMIZE SALES in the redesign

he JUST played new york last week at Webster

he played last week at music hall of williamsburg. did he play webster, too?

music hall show was him plus 3-piece guitar-bass-drums for most of the show, with other parts on backing tracks, and it was fine and all but i didn't think it did the album justice. hoping full tour means more of a full production.

album is fucking great.

Remarkable album but hard for me to listen to on repeat as much as I would like to. It's Saadiq's lament- which is not a complaint on my part- and the fact that parts of it are disguised within upbeat musical arrangements makes it hit it even more.

xp i guess i was mistaken and it was MHoW and not Webster; must've misread or they rescheduled

Ha! I posted that before watching the mini-docu above and he basically says "Yeah it may sound upbeat but there's heavy lyrical stuff happening with that fun music"

xxpost "... makes it hit even more."

This album as a whole somehow hasn’t clicked with me yet, but I really really love “This World is Drunk”.

i'm probably gonna call this my favorite album for 2019

nearly 40 minutes babyyyyyy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KKjBeAfdPg

that version of be here is stunning

also im gonne be needing that tele ... and the pink reversed headstock strat please.

agreed and same

rob bacon bless his heart

niiiiiice

thinking this is the best album of the year

it's not quite getting the critical end-of-year love that I want to see but i guess that's always been the way with him

ugh so good (the Tiny Desk performance)

And it's always bugged me how 'Still Ray' has such a prominent tuba part, and the tuba playing is so bad. This version is better.

aw man the tuba part always made the song for me. granted i couldnt really pinpoint the difference between good and bad/mediocre tuba playing

Good set. Especially loved "This World Is Drunk". Wish he'd played more stuff off the new album. Lucky Daye's songs are ok but they're no match.

sinners prayer on repeat of late
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngPNDlZNPYA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1en5ra3632M

whips

Album keeps growing on me.

This is great, didn't know he played drums on 'Cuff It' or played in Sheila E's band on the Parade tour.

https://www.stereogum.com/2282746/weve-got-a-file-on-you-raphael-saadiq/interviews/weve-got-a-file-on-you/