random old r&b you are loving

I guess this is on the "old" side of random old - but Doris Troy's early stuff was really great. "Just One Look" is an absolutely all-time recording – I don't care how many times it's been covered, the Pepsi commercials, etc. – the original still knocks me out when I listen to it. (TIL it was recorded in 10 minutes, as a demo, and then released as-is!!)

Lot of other strong material on that first album, too – I love the sound and the songs. I haven't listened closely to her Apple Records album or later stuff.

Classic jam is classic. No arguments here. I know nothing besides the big hit. Queued up the Apple album, will check back in.

Well, hrmph. The Apple album turned into a skimmer for me. I'm still in the middle of it, but it's mostly just chuggy horn rock. Maybe a more rock-oriented early Stax kind of sound. She wrote or co-wrote most of the songs and the band is full of all-stars, so there's plenty to appreciate— for someone who's a bigger fan than I am because this . . . isn't really my thing. But it's not awful.

Yeah, it didn't really seem like my kind of thing, either...

SWV — "Rain" (1997)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4C0r7UM4Cs

Any recommendations for beats that sound like this, please @ me.

beautiful track - from an album that was polled not that long ago, to subdued enthusiasm: let your love just POLL me: the swv 'release some tension' poll

Darn, missed that one. Put another vote for "Rain"!

maybe a thread for rnb tunes with raindrop effects in the beat?

@austin, is it specifically pre 2000 laid-back R'n'B you are interested in or can it be anytime but that chill/laid-back beat style

Loose Ends - Hold Tight (TD remix)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kg2fRm_6xGI

Loose Ends is very classic in my house. Always want to hear them. Thank you!

Here's something. xpost to Grover Washington Jr thread.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKp_TlUHCAc

Locksmith — "Far Beyond" (1980)

Say— anyone want to take a shot at the lyrics? (smirk)

But holy shit, what a groove.

haha, basement jaxx! nice

Yeah! I didn't know about that Basement Jaxx song, but I immediately recognized the groove because I'm positive "Red Alert" was used in some commercial at some point in the past. Just super random where some of these sampled grooves end up and a reminder that I'm in the right place because dammit, I LOVE MUSIC.

And if that's not enough Sunday evening cheese for you, how about some fake Dr. Dre`n`B?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8xrqIEDYsA

Vivian Green — "Music" (2002)

All it's missing is a rap feature and it would've been a 12" single I would've gladly sought out. And I never did check her out at the time because I was a snob. So we're listening to the whole album for the first time. Beats are across the board excellent. Her voice and the lyrics are just okay. Feels very much like the kind of music you hear/?would have heard? in shopping mall clothing stores with very bright lights and shiny tile floors. I am going to check out her more recent album from 2020 soon, as it was completely not on my radar at the time.

Upon listening to the rest of the album, the lyrics got worse.

Here's the biggest offender:

[Chorus x2]
I'm fanatically addicted, see
The way that he be loving me
It's like a drug
Or some bad habit
Since it's mine
I got to have it

Yeah. She sounds super depressed throughout the whole thing.

I'm not lying though — the beats are all really good.

But anyway, back to the music-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0McAzt4l7o

Sharon Redd - "Never Give You Up" (1982)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFqsZ43ARYQ

https://trinityinfinity.bandcamp.com/track/--12
And telepath’s version 😊

Maryanne Ito — "How I Feel" (2014)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hjqll6S6st4

The album is on Spotify and is worth your time if you like this song.

Zhane` — "Just Like That" (1997)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXC5ITpA4OU

whole album is great. when you think 'what did r+b sound like in 1997?' it's probably similar to something on this album. very cliche and zeitgeist-y, complete with a 1 9 9 7 M E N T A L I T Y ™ "BECAUSE WE CAN!" cover of "good times" and a 70 minute running time. and hey, about that: idk maybe don't banish all of the slow jams to the second half honestly i hate the sequence on this album☺ — but anyway some stuff should definitely have been cut. even so, the best songs hang with the best of the hits of their contemporaries. why have i never listened to it before now? it's not quite considered a proper "classic album", so maybe not quite xpost to what was the last 'classic album' you got and were knocked out by? though i can say for certain if i had actually bothered to listen to it back then i would have loved it as much as i do right now. damn good. 4 mics.

oh hi, eddie f was the fucking man in the mid-90s. thought you knew.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-eREJ4lbtY

also who was the fucking pansy that wouldn't let left eye's rap stay on the album version? she's a top ten all time mc for me. this verse is from 93 and more relevant than ever.

[tlc — "creep (untouchables mix)" (1997)]

Love Left Eye's rap for the Creep remix. Thankfully, she was able to do it live on the Fanmail tour.

Double featuring Mummy-D, and Kohei Japan — "Doubles" (1999)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKdsI1IHvNk

I'd like to go back to the classics for a moment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iguZCP8J8s

Lowrell — "Mellow Mellow Right On" (1979)

https://i.imgur.com/HLkNZOL.jpg

nice!

Monica - "With You" (1995)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pv6RHcI_rW8

💙

Austin, what was that ‘90s R&B album you started a poll on over the weekend? I wanted to check it out

yes, everyone go listen and vote!

Yvette Michele — "My Dream" (1997)

☺☺☺☺☺

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ly4KqNdBgO8
Today, “Why You Get Funky on Me” (from the soundtrack to House Party)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKeLnar5SII

Rokk — "Patience" (1976)

Digging back into Numero Group's Eccentric Soul series and found this LA group and they're hitting some sweet notes for me today. This was the highlight of the album, but would very much recommend the whole thing. I especially like the one about wanting to live high whilst eating apple pie. Can't say I blame you, friend.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlsZMG9JVRI

Willie Tee — "Reach Out For Me" (1970)

Some rare David Axelrod / HB Barnum jams this morning. Such an odd variation on this tune. What a stellar arrangement though! Never really checked for Willie Tee outside of this album; maybe I should. This one is kind of Memphis style, but with that Capitol studio B sheen. Doesn't get much better.

xposting from the All Those POLLS Ago: American Top Ten 7/4/1981 thread:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TETznfG-O-s
Cheryl Lynn • Shake It Up Tonight

(produced by Ray Parker, Jr.!)

>>>BONUS random old reggae&dancehall you are loving:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mZg1AtmXGk
Luciano • Shake It Up Tonight (1993)

…but back to 1981:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-39yEHFlc8
Slave • Snap Shot

absolutely no one:

me: ayo, speaking of solid vocoder jams. . .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7hlBDyKVn0

leon ware — "don't stay away" (1981)

Smooth

A lot of r&b from that era just sounds like potential vaporwave samples to me now

Austin you might enjoy this:
https://soundcpu.bandcamp.com/album/reflections

Favourite old r&b discovery of the year for me probably has been Adventures in the Land of the Good Groove

My favourite song on it I've known quite a bit longer though
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Od7PG4CZ3SM

cal, sorry for the late reply, but i listened to that whole album and a couple of the others - wonderful background "environment" listening stuff. thank you for the word!

really into the swing of this beat-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IE4HYCzyrOg

cooly g - "obsessed"

don't know when it initially came out. i know it from the hyperdub 10.2 compilation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqxrxBjfJ94

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fd0uuy4mDrE

those are:

Atlantic Starr • Silver Shadow (1985)

and:

Tamia • So Into You (1998)

labeling YouTubes and other song links you post is very useful (really!) and therefore highly appreciated. thanx in advance

that Tamia jam is all time, fabolous version too

excellent, sub shaking bass heavy vapor version of So Into You:

https://nethervapor.bandcamp.com/track/--60

nice!

and a 2 chilled slush version of Silver Shadow:

https://memorymemori.bandcamp.com/track/--167

when the groove is so killer that the misogyny doesn't even register until two decades later—

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDVZgadJs4M

the ambassadors — "ain't got the love (of one girl on my mind)" (1969)

also a very famous sample xpost to random old rap you are loving

find em fool em forget em is my philosophy — sing that shit to yourself in the shower lol

surface — "closer than friends" (1988)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DL2k9Rf72Nw

wednesday night is when we serve some of our finest cheese.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8lO4UQVrsA

Such classic

Vanessa Williams • Dreamin' (1988)

Austin -- this doesn't relate to something old, but I wanted to get your attn... are you familiar w/a group from TX called Luna Luna? I think you'd like 'em... check out their 2019 EP, Carousel: https://lunalunaband.bandcamp.com/album/carousel

I can't stop listening to this song. Jazz's voice, in the beginning, is beautiful and Sisqo is so damn soulful. I still don't know what Case actually did on this song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ePbn-Qt4os