Lady Wray - Piece of Me/Come On In (digital version) single review
Piece of Me/Come On In is a Lady Wray 7” vinyl single (45” vinyl single to be exact) and digital single that was released by Big Crown Records in 2019. For those who don’t know, Lady Wray is Nicole Wray. Both songs are definitely on fire! You will love her soulful voice and harmony as Piece of Me/Come On In follows the same old school soul formula of Queen Alone. (Hence the soulful sound.) Both of these songs on this single represent the few milestones she has encountered in life.
Nicole wrote Piece Of Me with songwriter Leon Michels before she gave birth to her daughter Melody. The song was written in 2018. This was before she became a mother. Her alto voice gives off a jazzy vibe.
Piece of Me is a sad heartbreaking love song that is filled with uncertainty and emotional attachment. Nicole and her man have been thru the best of times even through her darkest days. They’ve been through the best of times and the worst of times. Why must it turn around? She asks herself. Life has its uncertainties. Life is not fair. So many questions with so many answers. She’s not sure these days. He has been good to Nicole. That’s why it’s hard for her to walk away.
The song is a perspective of her world. Throughout the song, she sings about sacrificing for her family even if they don’t always help, contribute, or give back.
Come On In is a Nicole Wray composition full of heat! Not to mention deep. The song sounds very similar to Lean On Me by Bill Withers. Leon Michels produced the song Come On In. The instrumentation gives Come On In a throwback sound which is smoother than sandpaper.
The beginning of Come On In starts off with a couple of heavy piano notes which quickly turn into a piano solo. Its percussion selection is fairly balanced with not too many drums used.
Nicole has been waiting for a man to come into her life. She is accepting towards a man coming into her life. She is willing to be in a long term relationship. She says she’ll be waiting. Throughout the song is where Nicole talks about being committed to a long term relationship. She will move forward in life and progress if she has a man in her life.
5/5*****!!
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Sister 7 - Freedom Child demo album review
Sister 7’s Freedom Child demo album was a forgotten funk rock album of the 90s that has sadly been long forgotten which is unfortunate. Freedom Child can be considered as one of those lost albums due to the limited distribution it received as the album was only sold at shows. A fusion of funk and rock are blended in together on this demo album of theirs.
After the band had been together for a few months, they decided Sister 7 needed a demo tape. So Sister 7 went into the studio and recorded 8 songs in a few days for their demo cassette in early 1992.
Freedom Child was a demo with 8 songs that was issued on cassette in 1992 and eventually CD. (This was back when Sister 7 was known as Little Sister.) Only around 500 copies were pressed onto cassette. Freedom Child was mainly at shows or concerts. The group brought different musical influences and writing styles to the table with this demo sounding very different from their newer albums.
Three months later, their demo was reissued in CD format with new artwork and 13 songs. So the original demo is just the CD beginning on song 6. The 5 songs at the beginning are new songs. The CD version of Freedom Child sold 3,000 copies due to very limited distribution.
Unfortunately Sister 7 was not forward thinking enough to reissue the Freedom Child demo again and never thought about re-releasing it or streaming the demo online. To put things simply, the band was not thinking long term about repressing their demo. Once Freedom Child had sold out, no more copies were ever pressed. Sadly their demo album will never be reissued again.
Freedom Child is a funky rhythmic rock song that represents freedom. The song has a laid back carefree “freedom of expression” vibe. The song represents freedom of expression and freedom of speech. Sister 7 performed this song often whenever they played at Liberty Lunch in Austin, Texas in the mid 90s. Hearing this song live is much better than hearing the studio version.
Drift Away is a funky yet spacey song. The song is not too sappy though. There is a place Patrice sees in her mind. It’s some place and something better to be around. It’s like a dream. The song quickly drifts into a dream sequence in just less than 2 minutes. Drift Away is similar to Take Me To A Place due to its funky laid back melodic vibe. As a matter of fact, both Drift Away and Take Me To A Place are similar to each other.
Pictures In My Mind deals with about daydreaming. The song has a feel of isolation and loneliness. The moment’s not forever. Just pictures in my mind.
5/5*****!
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Sister 7 - Sister 7 album review
Sister 7's self-titled was originally released on by Rhythmic Records in 1995 and was by Dualtone in 2001. The album showcases the early roots of their musical roots of indie rock, funk rock, and alternative rock. Also the passionate nature inside of their songwriting is what stands out more than anything else. Take Nobody's Home and Casting Stones for instance. You can tell how much energy Sister 7 puts into their songs by the songwriting and performance alone.
Fans of Patrice Pike will enjoy this album. So will fans of indie rock and alternative rock. So if you are a fan of the latter, be sure to purchase this Sister 7 album.
Sadly songs from this album did not receive as much airplay on the radio as the hard rock which got heavy radioplay in the mid-'90s. Radio stations slept on this album. This Sister 7 album did not gain much (or any) mainstream attention from the public.
Nobody's Home has an alternative rock feel. Although Nobody's Home not too pop influenced, you can hear the sounds of alternative rock shine on this song of theirs. Nobody's Home was a song that would later appear on their Arista Austin album called This The Trip in 1998.
The song is about how Patrice and her significant other have a right to be together regardless of whatever goes on in life or what other people may say. The song also shows deep concern for social issues.
Nobody's Home begins with Patrice singing, “You and I we belong here/We've been living here/For a long time” Patrice and her significant other have a right to show the world the way they feel. We have a right to know what's going on.
The lyrics in this song are passionate but not too kinky or sexually explicit. Read the lyrics below to get an understanding.:
I've been wondering if you can see
I've been wondering if you can feel
There's a fire and it's in our home and we're burnin’ and burnin’ we're burnin’ when you're drinking your morning coffee
Do you feel the breath on your neck?
Patrice shows deep concern for social issues in the middle of the song. Here is one example.: “If all the youth were at the white house knockin’ would you whisper nobody's home?” She asks the government if they will turn away people if they bring up social problems to their attention. The wise man said the wicked surely must rule world.
Patrice gets deep and poetic like a heavy metal song at the very end of Nobody’s Home. She also shows deep concern for social issues. “Men of peace are drawn and slain/Born to lead but die in vain/While the shallow carry on the money war” People die when they fight in wars only to have the government profit from funding the wars.
Patrice lets us know that she will be there for you no matter what happens on the song Holding On.
Patrice will wait until you have to go. She’ll make it so you never ever know how much she messed it up! Patrice asks what she has to do to keep herself apart from you. All your colors start to burn. She knows she wanted far too much. Then she thought that wouldn't be enough. All this talk is closing in on you.
Do what you want tonight. It’s alright. If you want to get used, you get used! She needs you at the darkest time. She needs you to hold on to. If you wanna find love or to find something more, she’ll be the one to run for you.
Casting Stones is a Led Zeppelin style hard rock song. The mellow guitar notes are what give away the Led Zeppelin style hard rock. The tempo is very slow. Patrice’s vocals are quite angelic on this Sister 7 song. This song was overlooked at the time of the album’s release.
Patrice searches for redemption and forgiveness on the song Forgiven. By doing so, she lets us know that forgiveness will come in the end. Redemption and forgiveness. That is something that is hard to remember and hard to forget at the same time.
Without You is a melodic rock song which of course is a love song unsurprisingly.
Meantime uses an edge of hard rock. You can tell just by listening to the song that Sister 7 was influenced by the sound of hard rock.
4/5****!
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Criminal Background - Blood On The Wall demo album album review
The Criminal Background - Blood On The Wall was a demo album that was written and recorded in 1992 by rappers Von Royce and White Lee from Flint, Michigan. Blood On The Wall has the eerie brooding horrorcore sounds and vibes as Esham with his acid rap style that is not very common. At that time, a lot of rappers and groups from Flint were copying the acid rap sound before Jake The Flake came out with Flint Thugs Compilation in 1998. While Criminal Background - Blood On The Wall is no rock album, rock elements are used on tracks such as Rise & Fall and Pussy Go-Getta. Criminal Background is some freaky horrorcore shit.
Criminal Background’s Blood On The Wall album had potential to be a full album that would have been a classic masterpiece if there were 16 or 17 tracks instead of just 6 tracks. White Lee should have done more solo tracks on this album/EP.
The Criminal Background - Blood On The Wall demo album was released in 1993 on cassette only with 6 tracks. 3 tracks were on each side. Their album was manufactured by Disk Makers. Blood On The Wall produced by Steve Pitts and Gardell Haralson.
The Criminal Background - Blood On The Wall album sold over 300,000 units nationwide with hardly any promotion. The only marketing tools used were word of mouth, live performances, and posters. Their album as released independently without any major record label support and no radio play.
Criminal Background is White Lee (Lee Laury aka Lee Baker), Ronnie Johns (The .44 Caliber Killer), and Young Po (pronounced as “pooh”). Criminal Background was a rap group from Rankin Street which is located 1 city block from Dayton Street aka Dayton Avenue inside of King Hood/Rankin Hood in Flint, Michigan.
Ronnie Johns was the serial killer who had often affiliated himself with the King Hood rap group Criminal Background from Rankin Street. Ronnie Johns was a murderer and burglar who was once a fry cook. He had affiliated himself with Criminal Background members White Lee and Young Po until his arrest in 1992. Ronnie Johns serving a mandatory life sentence to this day.
G-Move is all about living that criminal lifestyle hence the title. G-Move is short for gank move. White Lee and Young Po of Criminal Background rap about their experiences of living the criminal lifestyle.
White Lee is paranoid of seeing the police lights flash. So White Lee calls his boy to meet him on Dayton Street to figure out what exactly is happening. White Lee knows something is going on. Of course he has to get out there and do something.
Criminal Background is about to go on a killing spree. White Lee needs money because he’s financially struggling. In fact, they both because they’re financially struggling. Criminal Background commits a home invasion by kicking down the door which led them to breaking and entering the home. The individual packed a pistol but was shot. Upon breaking and entering into the home, Criminal Background goes into another room acquiring 10 grand ($10,000) and 1/8th a kilogram of cocaine. Raps about criminal insanity linger on.
Walking through the neighborhood, White Lee saw a sucker he just jack in a Mercedes Benz. The sucker backed off fast. Young Po starts shooting as the car drives off. He realizes he needs to leave the scene. Now we are at the dopehouse on Rankin Street.
What the fuck? White Lee is surrounded by drug dealers and a female. White Lee is strapped with an uzi on his back. Female yells “It’s a jack!” White Lee is high off cocaine as he take the money and dope. White Lee spots his next suck wearing a gold chain around his neck. He wants it acquired. So White Lee kills the sucker for his gold chain.
When Young Po leaves the scene of a crime, the clips in his firearm are empty. Young Po snorts a line of cocaine. Young Po breaks and enters someone’s home committing a home invasion acquiring money and gold. We hear that Young Po is playing with a gun which he accidentally blows out someone’s brain with. Just another symptom of criminal insanity. He’s going broke in order to bank.
White Lee is on the gank move. He’s been robbing people since age 13. Ammunition for him is not a problem. He packs many guns. He’s a crazy motherfucker. White Lee is still high off cocaine.
Young Po has the mind of a lunatic. He’s putting people on the front page of newspapers in the headlines. If was he was said, then would not snort cocaine. Young Po is on the solo creep. Later Young Po waits for a cab so he can blow out the drivers brains. Later Young Po goes off to buy some product. The dealer tells him to come back in an hour. Young Po wants it all. So Young Po came back an hour later with a gat.
Blood On The Wall is a song based on Ronnie Johns the .44 caliber killer, a serial killer from Flint, Michigan. He was the incarcerated Criminal Background member White Lee and Young Po were rapping and talking about through the entire album. Blood On The Wall is a song based on a true story about Ronnie Johns.
We first hear a news clip about the most dangerous man to walk the city streets of Flint, Michigan. The news reporter states that Ronnie Johns is now incarcerated and behind bars in jail awaiting trial for the murders he committed in the 1990s. The news clip was an actual news clip that was used at his trial in 1993. Ronnie Johns is referred to as the “.44 caliber killer” (“.44 cal killer”).
He was in connection with as many as 4 murders. Ronnie John killed more than 10 people. And that’s just the ones we know about. There is a high possibility that he killed and had more people murdered than we even know about.
A blood stain on the wall is what triggers Criminal Background to go off on a killing spree. White Lee starts off the track. He gets high off cocaine to the point where he cannot breathe. He wants money and gold. White Lee makes reference to the August 1991 murder of Lucille Bowie and Demetrius Rawls that occurred on Grand Traverse Street near 11th Street. Ronnie Johns used to rob drug dealers at dopehouses.
Reference to Steven Ray to where he was gunned down at 400 West Taylor Street is made too. Ronnie Johns gunned down Steven Ray at a house on 400 West Taylor Street during his murder spree. After that, Ronnie Johns had suddenly took out a stolen .44 caliber Ruger Redhawk from a person’s house which he burglarized earlier and demanded money. So he killed Steven Ray. He killed another victim on Grand Traverse Street.
Also White Lee made reference to the baby Ronnie Johns killed. He shot a baby in the buttocks. Miraculously the baby survived.
Other people mentioned in this song were people Ronnie Johns associated with and committed his crimes with such as Abron Shakir aka Big Abe, Idell Cleveland aka Crooked I, DeWalt Evans, Reek Dogg, and many more.
Abron Shakir aka Big Abe was another person Ronnie Johns committed crimes with. He was doing dirt to get paid. Abe was broke and ready to do a jack. Him and Ronnie Johns grabbed firearms and committed a home invasion which quickly turned into a robbery. Both of them kicked down the back door of a dope house in a not so smooth manner. Money and cocaine were stolen. People who were inside could not escape. Ronnie murdered them all. Big Abe was locked down at the time this song was written due to the crimes he committed.
Rise & Fall is about White Lee’s trials in the drug game with him coming up. He talks about his downfall in the drug game and rise in the drug game.
On Rise & Fall, White Lee teaches his audience game (lessons) such as never trust cops as cops are the biggest crooks, never trust a bitch with her hand in her pocketbook, never let a snitch know what you did with a gun. White Lee also teaches us to never run your mouth when, before, or after dirt is done.
White Lee contemplates how he will live his life and what will become of him as he deep in the drug game. In other words, he is in the business of selling drugs.White Lee made a killing living his life on the streets. Everyone is trying to make it by getting rich. People aren’t your friends. They will get you when your back is turned.
The media ostracizes White Lee as the enemy of everything going wrong in society, but White Lee doesn’t give a fuck. Nonetheless, White Lee speaks the truth. He hates the critics. The critics hate White Lee because he speaks the truth which is something the powers that be cannot handle. So the media makes White Lee out to be the bad guy.
White Lee tells us more tales of the dope game. White Lee was arrested by F.A.N.G. (Flint Area Narcotics Group) for illegal distribution of a controlled substance to the Vice Squad. He was incarcerated for 6 months and now he’s back on the streets living the life. He bought a dope black Benz and a luxury home.
Young Po used to sell dope. He’s done a few stickups too. Young Po was incarcerated for a minute too and now he’s back on the streets living the life. People have to do what they have to do when they come from the ghetto. He is now into the rap game doing music. Young Po kicks his funky shit with that Flint funky sound. The bass sounds real good as he puts it.
Pussy Go-Getta samples the sexually suggestive love ballad Rick James - Give It To Me. Criminal Background explores sexuality with their raps on Pussy Go-Getta. Also, Criminal Background discovers their sexual side on Pussy Go-Getta. White Lee destroys most of this track.
Age 12 is where White Lee and Young Po explain what went wrong at that age. They both explain how they lived their criminal lifestyle. Criminally Insane explains the lifestyle of Criminal Background.
5/5*****!!
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Lyle Lovett - Joshua Judges Ruth album review
Lyle Lovett’s album was Joshua Judges Ruth was one of least his successful albums did not gain mainstream acceptance with country music fans as his I Love Everybody album did. For some reason, fans were not as receptive of this album as they were his I Love Everybody album which is why Joshua Judges Ruth sold poorly in album sales. The albums dark mood and graphic content is why the album had poor album sales.
The album shows a much darker side of Lyle Lovett. Which is no surprise as he was going through a state of depression at that time. He was battling depression and had lost a couple of family members before the Joshua Judges Ruth album was released in 1992.
Church is a song which describes Lyle’s day at church last Sunday. The song is an unusual country song with a religious vibe which is quite graphic.
A highlight of this song is some of lyrics rhyming scheme. For example, saying “may” and choosing a word that rhymes with may such as “day”. For instance read these lyrics. The lyrics explain the rhyme scheme if you take time to analyze them.:
He said now I'll remind you if I may
You all better pay attention
Or I might decide to preach all day
And now everyone was getting so hungry
And the old ones started feeling ill
And the weak ones started passing out
And the young ones they could not sit still
Lyle went to church last Sunday so he could sing and pray. However something quite unusual happened on that day.
Now church started right on time as usual without a doubt. Everything was just fine. Except after church services were over when it came time to let us out.The preacher kept preaching. He told us, “I have one more thing to say. Children before you think of leaving. You better think about the Judgement Day.”
Now this is the point where everyone was getting nervous. Everyone was wondering what was the next thing he would do. Everyone was hungry too.
He kept on preaching. He said, “Now I'll remind you if I may. You all better pay attention or I might decide to preach all day.”
Everyone was getting so hungry. The old ones started feeling ill, the weak ones started passing out, and the young ones they could not sit still. The preacher's voice rose higher. So Lyle snuck up to the balcony and crept into the choir. He begged them brothers, sisters, help me please.
Now here is the turning point of this song.
The preacher said, “I said when I give you a signal and raise up my hands. Won't you please join with me together? Praise the Lord I have a plan.” “Long is the struggle, hard the fight. Father please forgive me. To the Lord let praises be. It's time for dinner. Now let's go eat. We've got some beans and some good cornbread.”
This is the part where the song gets unusual. The song takes a graphic, gruesome turn abruptly.
A great white dove from up above landed on the window sill. The dove flew down beside him and a fork appeared right in his hand. With everybody watching, the preacher ate that bird right there and then. Everyone got really nervous. Everyone watched on in disbelief.
These were the words he spoke. He said, “Now Mama's in the kitchen and she's been there all day. I know she's cooking something good. So let's bow our heads and pray.”
And the moral of this story is preacher preaches long enough, he'll get hungry and he'll sing.
Family Reserve is a song that reflect on the death of his uncle and several other family members. The mood of this song is filled with such sadness. Sad and mournful are two words to describe this Lyle Lovett song.
When Lyle saw the ambulance going down Main Street, he didn't give it a thought. But it was his Uncle Eugene. He died on October 2, 1981. His other uncle who died and passed away was called Uncle Wilbert. They all called him Skinner. He'd get drunk in the morning and show Lyle the rolls of fifties and hundreds he kept in the glove box of his old gray SS Impala.
His second cousin Callaway died when he barely turned two. It was peanut butter and jelly that did it. It was an allergic reaction of nuts which caused his death. Mama just stood there and watched him turn blue. She didn't know what to do.
Lyle tells his mother not to stir up a commotion. He asks his mother to join up with the last of the family reserve.
Since The Last Time is a mournful song about Lyle’s time at a funeral. He tells details from his vivid memory.
Lyle went to a funeral. Lord it made him happy seeing all those people he ain't seen since the last time somebody died. Everybody was talking. They were telling funny stories. Then the people start crying. All of the little children start crying too. Lord they're scared. Because they ain't never seen a dead person before.
Now it's church on Sunday. It's a bar on Friday night. It's work on Monday. His schedule goes back to the usual routine.
I've Been To Memphis is a song about the cities in the United States Lyle Lovett has been to and the woman he has attempted to date or flirt with. The guitar notes frequently switch from E to A and then back to E following the E-A-E key pattern using a 5th fret Capo.
The song I've Been To Memphis begins in the morning when the sun comes up. Lyle drinks a large amount of coffee. Soon enough, he tells the waitress, “Waitress, please. I've had enough.”
“Lord I can't believe what I see. How could you be alone when you could sit right here beside me, girl, and make yourself at home?” Lyle tells her he has been to Memphis and Muscle Shoals. He loves a woman. This is his attempt to either hit on (flirt) with the waitress or to strike up a conversation with her.
The sun goes down in another town. He asks the bartender for another round.
Close to the middle of the song is where he describes the women he has dated. Sherry was a woman who had large breasts. Big ones. Sally had some too. Allison had small breasts. Little ones.
She's Already Made Up Her Mind relates to a woman who clearly has made up her mind. This is her final decision. She made up her mind and her decision is cut and clear.
The woman in this song said something about going home. She said something about needing to spend some time alone. She's already made up her mind. She wondered out loud what it was she had to find.
All of Lyle’s friends told him she was too young. He knew that himself and tried to run, but the faster he ran the more he fell behind. Because she'd already made up her mind. There is nothing so unwavering as a woman when she has s already made up her mind.
Now she is sitting at one end of the kitchen table, staring without an expression. She is talking to Lyle without moving her eyes as she has already made up her mind. She said something about going home and needing to spend some time alone.
She Makes Me Feel Good is about a woman who makes Lyle feel good on the inside emotionally.
Lyle has a fixation on big red lips and brown eyes. Take the lyrics to the very beginning of the song as an example: “She's got big red lips/She's got big brown eyes”
It's a big surprise whenever she treats Lyle right. She makes Lyle feel good regardless of what’s going on. She makes him feel good on the inside. Lyle sings about how she makes him do what no else one could. Both of them see a very special love. They have a special connection together.
So buddy, if you're feeling down and blue and your girlfriend treats you bad too, just remember what she's bound to do. She'll make you feel good.
4/5****
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