The Blacker the Berry - Kendrick Lamar

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Hero - Frank Ocean + Mick Jones + Paul Simonon + Diplo

Rusty's waltz wednesday presents: Hero, by Frank Ocean, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, Diplo

I had a few good ideas lined up for today's post, but then I stumbled upon Frank Ocean's tumbler, got myself into a click hole, and found this song.

Frank Ocean + Mick Jones + Paul Simonon + Diplo:

I won't make this too extensive. Frank Ocean is a great modern RnB singer. His vocals don't have the over-the-top quality like - say - the recently deceased and previously profiled Percy Sledge, and are usually pretty understated. His debut album was called Channel Orange and was very good; his fans have been waiting on 3 years now for a new album, which I hear is being released in July.

Mick Jones are from the legendary band The Clash, just a couple rockin' guys whos songs are more or less ubiquetous today.

Diplo is a producer whom I best know from his work as Major Lazer, which is a pretty fun project.

Finally, shoe brand Converse appears to have put this project together. I like that a lot Converse, but your shoes still aren't my style...God bless.

The song:

This is the second song that I would qualify as coming (in part, at least) from the hip-hop sphere, the first being Alicia Keys' "Fallin'" .

The song starts off with a 60s sound - reverb heavy and base driven sets of two-triplets, laying down the 6/8 rhythm (I call that 2xWaltz). But by 1:08 we get a change in dynamics: the tone of the guitar changes to much more Punky (Clash members sgning in?), and we get an electronic-sounding rapid base-drum up-front - I assume that's Diplo talking. Then at 1:30 the dynamics break again, soften, as a children's choir chimes in. By 1:55 we return to the original sound, and then seconds later, back again to punk-electro, and then by 2:20 back to the original 60s vibe for the fadeout.

This is a great example of a dynamic take on the 3/4-family of rhythm. It's at times tender, sometimes punk, sometimes fast-paced, and it's all good. Thanks converse!

Fallin - Alicia Keys + early mission statement

Rusty's waltz wednesday presents: Fallin', by Alicia Keys

I took a pedagogical week off waltz wednesday, and feel more refreshed than ever.

Now, I think most readers would agree that this isn't just a space for me to nerd out on old-time waltzes. Yes, I have posted a few, but I've purposely tried to profile songs that are within our collective pop culture consciousness.

I didn't really have a mission statement when I started posting songs for waltz wednesday, but as I keep wracking my brain and music library for waltz-form songs, I think I've developed my idea. Maybe one week I'll write a formal mission statement, but until then, know that I'm interested in showing the versatility of the waltz as a song form, with a special emphasis on popular music.

Also know that all the songs here are chosen organically - I've made it a habit of whenever I listen to music on a portable device, home computer, TV, or radio, or even when I listen to music without providing consent - restaurants, cafés, bars, or kids who inexplicably use their phones as boomboxes instead of using earphones - to immediately identify whether it's in waltz form, and note it down if it's interesting to me. I do not go through online lists of waltzes, and I would ask anyone recommending a waltz to use the same process!

Alright without further ado, waltz wednesday's song:

Alicia Keys:

This song was Alicia Keys' break-out hit: I remember pretending to not like it in high school, but really, who was I kidding. She wrote and produced it, putting her skills on display as a fine musical artist. I never knew it, but it makes sense that she graduated valedictorian at New York city's Professional Performing Arts School; it even looks like she skipped a grade or two since she graduated at age 16.

The song:

IDK if you guys remember, but this song was the shit. It was released in April of 2001, and stayed on the Billboard Hot 100 for 34 weeks, peaking at #1. Somehow it placed second behind Lifehouse's "Hanging by a Moment" for the year-end top-100 chart. I mean I'm trying to make this blog a safe space for all music tastes, but is "Hanging by a Moment" ever bad. In any case, it's trivial, since everbody remembers Fallin', and nobody remembers that other song.

The song alternates between two chords - if it's good enough for Miles Davis, it's good enough for Alicia Keys. There are some nice vocals to listen to, like her voice modulation at about a minute in, or the way she plays with rhythm at the end of the second verse. As the song progresses, more and more layers of sound are added on - harmonies, Alicia's vocal improvisations on the melody, strings, more cymbals on the drums, etc.

This is the first song in the hip-hop sphere of things. Don't think I haven't been trying to find more, but I just can't. Frankly, the entire genre's unwavering loyalty to the 4/4-multiple time is disappointing, and smacks of a lack of creativity or willingness to take risks.

On that note, I'm going to embed the original song first, followed by a remix that they completely changed to 4/4. It's a good study in what a waltz is/isn't, if it - understandably - isn't entirely clear.
The genuine article:

And now in 4/4 because, for some reason, Busta Rhymes couldn't figure out how to rap in a 3-multiple time signature..? Weak.

...and for good measure, Sarah's favorite Alicia Keys' video, featuring the rapper Mos Def:

...and my all-time favorite Alicia Keys song, featuring Lucas from one-tree-hill, and an actress from the Wire? Seriously this is one of my favorite songs of all time: