Ter’ell - African! American? is the debut album of Terell Shahid released in 1998. The album has everything from sultry R&B/soul love ballads, motivational songs, to songs that raise awareness, and politically charged songs. Instrumentation for Ter’ell is backed by the Soul City band. Now this album is more Afrocentric themed than all of his other albums (with the exception of his Chocolate City album) due to songs such as Love My Brotha, This Damn Country, and Pass The Peace. Those are the politically charged songs which raise awareness.
Instrument player Danny Weltman truly enhanced the album with the help of saxophone soloist Kyle Turner and bass player Selton Cole. Saxophone soloist Kyle Turner does an extravagant job of playing his saxophone on songs such as Like A Lady and He Will.
Terell talks and sings about all the things his lady will do on the sultry R&B/soul love ballad Things She’ll Do. The things that she will do makes her so irresistible to him. Things She’ll Do deals with anticipation inside romance. The beats and chords follow a mid-tempo pace.
Terell has never seen her move like that before. With the way that she crossed her legs. She never looked upset in her eyes or at least to him. She had the look of sex in her eyes. It was wild. Terell asked her to have this dance with him. She said yes. She took him by surprise.
He got the number to the hotel room she was staying at. He just wants her to hang out with him before she goes away. She said that would be fine. That hungry look in her eyes said so. It was on for tonight. The love was on. Terell was not too scared or afraid. He can’t wait to see the things she’ll do. The feeling of love brings forth anticipation. That goes for anyone.
Let It Go teaches us to not care about the little things when arguing or fighting about things that don’t matter and just let them go. You don’t have to argue.
Terell and his lady got into an argument over something. Maybe Terell has changed and his lady has stayed the same. We don’t have to argue because we’re still cool. He says, “Why do we have to fuss and fight about things that don’t matter?” We don’t have to fight anymore. We can let it go. He tells his lady to keep her thoughts to herself. He tells her to let it go. Sex and love don’t make Terell afraid of her.
Terell asks her during the chorus, “Why do we have to fuss and fight about things that don’t matter? We don’t have to fight anymore. We can let it go.” He does everything to console her and calm her down.
They each want to do things differently in their own way as both of them have their own viewpoints and perspectives. He asks her, “Why do we have to fuss and fight about things that don’t matter to nobody else?” He tells his lady to keep her thoughts to herself. He tells her to let it go. “We don’t have to fight and moan.” is what he also tells her.
Love My Brotha teaches us to love our fellow man and woman. We need to protect one another. The socially conscious song seeks and answer for change and strives for something better. The law can’t make someone love somebody else. Religion and education can. Without support, no one reaches the top.
Majic is a piano laced slow jam backed by a funky guitar played by Danny Weltman. The drums are simply beautiful on the song. It’s majic in the air.
This feeling has come over Terell. He asks his lady to come lay her body next to his. He’ll show her how he wines and dines. All night long. They get deeper in love. It must be the majic spell Cupid had put on her. He never felt like this before. Her love is so sweet and slow. Her love makes him loose control.
Terell remembers how him and his lady used to fight. That is what he reminisces about. Now she knows better. They both get along to an extent. He offers to extend his hand by taking her to another land. He lets her know that she won’t have to come back to this place. A better world is what both of them strives for.
Terell takes his anger out on the US Government for the mistreatment of African American people in the US. He speaks about how African American people still face injustice even today. This government lies all of the time. Ignorance is still rampant. Even today. This damn country has got him mad and angry.
The song Mr. Nobody brings out the funkiness in this album. Funk meets soul on Mr. Nobody. As always, Danny Weltman plays a mean funky guitar throughout the song.
Pass The Peace looks for world peace. The song tells us look at the people having problems. We need to wake up and solve these problems.
Look at the people having problems. Terell tells us to take a look at all the self-destruction all over this world. People killing each other. People are dying in Africa and getting killed in the Middle East. Terell sings about police brutality in the US. There’s a solution for all these problems. The solution is world peace. Increase the peace. We should have all the love in the world.
Anyone can do everything to bring you down. So now is the time to find a solution. Now is the time to raise the spirit that is deep down in your soul. It will be alright to increase the peace. Take a look around and smell the coffee.
Like A Lady educates us on how to love and treat a lady right. Terell speaks on this love game. Saxophone soloist Kyle Turner does an extravagant job of playing his saxophone on Like A Lady. He gives the song a jazzy feeling, vibe, and tone.
Love your lady. Hold her tight by your side to let her know that you are there for love and emotional support. Treat your lady right. Treat her the way you would want to be treated. Like a real playa would and should. Don’t listen to what haters say. There is no need to fuss or fight. That is the message Terell is trying to convey to us. So treat her like a lady.
Where U'r Daughter Is is similar to Betty Wright - Clean Up Woman due to the way keys, notes, and chords are arranged. The chords copy the same musical notes from Betty Wright - Clean Up Woman such as A# minor, D key, and E key. One could say that Terell covers or does a rendition of Betty Wright - Clean Up Woman.
Terell goes solo on the song Get Wit U meaning that no other musicians or in-house producers contribute to this song. This is the only song on the album where Terell performs all of the music by himself. Funk meets R&B/Soul on Get Wit U. The song has a soulful New Jack Swing feel and tone. On this song, Terell goes through all attempts to get with this lady he has had his eyes set on for some length of time on.
He Will is a soulful song about unconditional love. Saxophone soloist Kyle Turner does an extravagant job of playing his saxophone on He Will. Terell nails the songs with his runs while singing. That is what makes this song so beautiful. This is one of the best songs on the album next to Majic, Things She’ll Do, Let It Go, and Pass The Peace.
I rate this album 5/5*****!!
No comments:
Post a Comment