Christina does "jazz"

[RonF]

She's an extraordinary vocal force. Informed, neck-deep-in-negative critics will admit that. I've heard people say that if Herbie Hancock likes her then he must be getting senile. Ridiculous. I know of her from Herbie's Possibilities, my daughters and an occasional TV performance or video but her new album seems to be leaps and bounds ahead of her previous efforts. Dirty? Was that the last one? Ugh.

[catesta]

Saw Arugula's latest video on MVTH1, and if it's off of this new album, hey - ho fukkin' hum. Full of sound and fury, etc....

In this case, the men do know. It's the little girls that don't understand.

Will wonders never cease?

I saw the same video, but my opinion and description to the people around me was not quite as creative.

Edited August 21, 2006 by catesta

[Alexander]

Saw Arugula's latest video on MVTH1, and if it's off of this new album, hey - ho fukkin' hum. Full of sound and fury, etc....

In this case, the men do know. It's the little girls that don't understand.

Will wonders never cease?

I saw the same video, but my opinion and description to the people around me was not quite as creative.

Which track was it? The two cuts that jumped out at me on the CD were "Back In The Day" and "Still Dirrty." Was either of these the video you saw?

[catesta]

I just assumed Jim was talking about the same one I was.

The tune was "candyman" and I think the kids were watching a preview of the video .

[CJ Shearn]

I was watching that Back to Basics special on MTV, I heard Dizzy's voice and I was like "whoa"

[JSngry]

The video I saw (don't remember the song or its name) was mostly her fronting an all-black band in a pseudo-1940s era club. The "image" being projected that she was this white chick who not only had the chops (musically & sexually) to hang in such an environment, but that the black folk loved having her there (I didn't see Ursula Rucker in the house though...), and that "we" should be impressed by that.

Oldest trick in the book. "Back to the basics" indeed.

No doubt, the chick has chops, and if she ever learns as much as a sliver of, uh....subtlety, she might well be a force to be wreckoned with. But right now, she's gamin', and there's far more interesting and relevant games (and with significantly higher stakes) to be played than that one.

[Man with the Golden Arm]

...and there's far more interesting and relevant games...

this one's playing that rikkileenorahjones jones but quite nicley IMO.

[Alexander]

I just assumed Jim was talking about the same one I was.

The tune was "candyman" and I think the kids were watching a preview of the video .

Yeah, "Candyman" is on the second disc (which is supposed to be the "retro" disc). It's cute. Christina does an Andrew Sister's-type jump tune. The problem, as Jim noted, is a lack of subtlety. "He's a one stop shop/Makes the panties drop" and "Makes my cherry pop" don't exactly leave much to the imagination. It's the double entendre that makes it sexy, Christina!

The whole album doesn't sound like this. In fact, this is the only "swing" tune on the entire two disc package. As I said before, I prefer the first disc which goes for a retro-soul sound mixed with contemporary hip hop. It's more Christina's style and it works much better. The second disc is more of an excersize in style.

It's not that Christina CAN'T make a decent soul record. I'd like to hear her do a kind of "Dusty in Memphis" thing. That's certainly what I was hoping for on this disc.

Now that I think of it, my abiding love of Dusty Springfield might just be the source of my interest in people like Christina or Joss Stone. I just can't get enough of sexy-white-chick soul belters!

[JSngry]

...and there's far more interesting and relevant games...

this one's playing that rikkileenorahjones jones but quite nicley IMO.

Ah yes, the "neo-soul" game! Now that's where pre-conceived expectations and cliches get stood on their head as a matter of course!

[JSngry]

Now that I think of it, my abiding love of Dusty Springfield might just be the source of my interest in people like Christina or Joss Stone. I just can't get enough of sexy-white-chick soul belters!

Dusty Springfield a "belter"?

She was a lot of things, and I have a lot of love for a lot of her work, but I've never thought of her as a belter. Quite the opposite in fact!

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

(I didn't see Ursula Rucker in the house though...)

MG

[Alexander]

Now that I think of it, my abiding love of Dusty Springfield might just be the source of my interest in people like Christina or Joss Stone. I just can't get enough of sexy-white-chick soul belters!

Dusty Springfield a "belter"?

She was a lot of things, and I have a lot of love for a lot of her work, but I've never thought of her as a belter. Quite the opposite in fact!

Agreed. Poor choice of words.

[Man with the Golden Arm]

I picked up "Back to Basics" as a Christmas request from my daughter. I had only heard snips of her previously - never paid too much attention - and had that "over-singing" as my opinion as well but having this two disc set along for a twelve hour car ride all's I can give it is a big thumbs up.

Compared to the rest of the crap that I try not to listen to when subjected to "tween radio" etc I must say that the whole package here is extremely appealing.

[jeffsjazz]

give me a break !!!

[Alexander]

give me a break !!!

Don't like it? Don't listen.