4/5
Money Talks
Money sings. And in a time when we should all be speaking up for Colbert's show being cancelled by the powers that be (evil), Stephen's former bandleader continues fighting the good fight. It's not even been a year (November) since Jon Batiste gave us his twinkling take on his 'Beethoven Blues', the 'Batiste Piano Series, Vol. 1', that came a calendar after the Oscar winning 'Soul' singer's 'World Music Radio', yet here we are. And we didn't forget his 'Saturday Night' live soundtrack, either. This week, Batiste is banking on 'Big Money' with his ninth wonder of an album, featuring nine wonderful songs that will surely track the top ten for the record. One that is reminiscent of the great Raphael Saadiq's (surely a muse) former iTunes album of the year, 'The Way I See It'. Not to mention it's fellow throwback follow-up, 'Stone Rollin''. All the way down to the guitar grabbing black and white album artwork. Singing to the heavens with the purple reign of big, bold type.
Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder, Prince, Willie Nelson, Lenny Kravitz, Lana Del Rey, and Mavis Staples. Jon has recorded with them, and many more. But on this set he brings three big and diverse artists to the boil of this genre trip across the generations, closing with the No ID and Billy Bob Bo Bob assisted 'ANGELS' taking wing. Opening with the outstanding Andra Day track to 'LEAN ON MY LOVE', like when the great Bill Withers wasn't strong. But it's the friend Jon Batiste has in Randy Newman that really takes us back from a 'LONELY AVENUE'. You may know, 'Toy Story', but do you know the sheer greatness of the legend with the iconic voice behind the song that showed even a cowboy and spaceman could get along? "Now my room has got two windows/But the sun never comes shinin’ through/You know it’s always dark/It’s dreary since I broke it off with you/I live on a lonely avenue." Leaning over the piano of an instant vintage, absolute classic.
The Bible-belt thumping title-track and its throwback music video, nuanced in nostalgia, will leave you stepping. 'PETRICHOR' is a call to nature, and to nurture such ("swim in the ocean/What's left of her"). Whilst 'DO IT ALL AGAIN' circles back to "Coming and going/We reap what we're sewing/On time like a tambourine/Older and younger/You don't have to wonder what you mean to me, yeah." The 'PINNACLE' of this album is exactly that. Or maybe it's 'MAYBE'. Either way, 'AT ALL' costs, Batiste's biggest record since the one he sang for Jamie Foxx is money. Harmonizing with lyrics like, "I ain't gonna take this flight to London/Tomorrow/This is not a negotiation/I made the call/She understands me/But she's not all of y'all/If she understands me/Then you don't have to, at all." Years after his 'American Symphony' documentary movie on Netflix and all that he and his brave author partner Suleika Jaouad have fought through, there's another battle waging. One for America's heart, and who better than this man with soul to bring the big, good times back? Put your money down on it. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Playlist Picks: 'LONELY AVENUE (Feat. Randy Newman)', 'PINNACLE', 'MAYBE'
Spin This: Raphael Saadiq - 'The Way I See It'
No comments:
Post a Comment