MindMap-SA Issue 7

Memory regainedBlack and BluesMusic when done well can be anattempt at recovering memory. Asteadfast way through which histrionicscan be recovered and dissected.The trouble with this is that disparityand porosity of the medium oftenmeans that storytelling is not a priorityin the creative process of mostmusicians. This offering from DeepSouth musical outfit Carolina ChocolateDrops is a austere reminder ofwhat music should be. A rhythmicaccompaniment to oral storytelling.The album is infused with simplemelodies that make singing a long aflagrant prospect. The musical thesisbegins in earnest on songs like Ruby,are you mad? Here great songwritingis accompanied by sparse violinsand sporadic tap and drum rhythmsresulting in a melody that reachesbeyond just folk blues into a spacewhere sustained familiarity withthe past can be reached. It’s abouta woman who has troubles with herlover but as a rather non-invasive andhumorous look at how outside peopleview other people’s relationships.What the Carolina Chocolate Dropshave seemingly done well in this albumis not try and mordenise the ideaof folk music, instead they have usedtheir talents both vocally and on instrumentationto be the entry pointthrough which listeners can engagewith these antique rhythms. The titletrack for this album is both wrenchingand unmistakably visual. Withlines like, “dying is just another wayof meeting the ones your love.” It’sa wonderful blend of stripped downsongwriting infused into a draggedout melody of harmonicas and violinsattempting to reach the range ofthe lyric. This is poetic rendition inits most potent manifestation. An odeto normal day-to-day normality andthe casual fading of hope. On RedEm John the band shows their understandingof the transformative natureof their folk noir melodies. They takeaway all the instruments and in an almosttwo minute long remembranceof John and his letters. All that remainsare tapping feet and clappinghands in a virtuoso accapella performance.This album is reminderthat not all band suffer from the relapseof terrible follow-up albums.There are only a handful of good albums,particularly if they are experimental. Theygenerally tend to be a crutch for loss ofrelevance and an urgent need to regaincurrency in the pop-culture machine.Robert Glasper’s Black radio experimentis one of those offerings that breaks themould and falls into that overly invasivecategory of instant classic. It showcasesthe jazz master infusing himself withsome of the most upstanding members ofblack music in recent memory creatinga memorabilia hall of melodic memory.The power of this album lies in its inabilityto accentuate but rather place emphasis onunderstatement and emphasise identity asthe crux of this healing art form. ErykahBadu showcases her most interesting workin recent recollection on Afro Blue accompaniedby a slow churning piano that seemsto just linger and tease in the background.On this project Glasper showcases hisskills as one who camouflages into music.His mastery as a transformative translatorof expletives is the glue that holds this offeringtogether. One of the most interestingadditions on the experiment is that of LalahHathaway on cherish the day. Her knack ofhold singular notes is startling yet she is afitting, joyful and swaying edition to whatis a love affirming song. The cross cuttingof the piano and horns midway through thesongs is wrenching and has an inbreedingfeeling of familiarity that bites into theear. The Glasper experiment is a celebrationof revisiting originality . The visualpower of the music on this album is likea continuous camera short where beautifulinsertions keep drifting in and out of thescreen, changing and adding to the narrativebut creating a singular cohesive identity.This is a perfect album of there is one.