The Cinematic Orchestra – Ma Fleur

		To Build A Home Into You Breathe Music Box Familiar Ground
(Click image for Amazon.com)

 

Ma Fleur is one of my favorite albums. God damn this is gorgeous! I was reading something when I first put it on in the background. I had to stop reading. I actually laid down in my bed and didn’t do anything until the album finished. Suddenly realizing I’m in the presence of greatness, I didn’t want to dilute my first experience.

I was a fan of Cinematic Orchestra’s earlier albums, because I like well executed jazzy electronic chillout, and I noticed their previous album went in more beautiful and sweeping directions, but it was never anything close to this album. Sounds like a completely different band. Surprised me that they had this within them. Ma Fleur is minimal. This music doesn’t sound like it’s created from nothing. The music here sounds like it’s what’s left after all the fluff has been carved away. Stripped down, raw, bare, honest, open, and so beautiful. Very gentle yet so intense, this is a gorgeous and carefully crafted piece of minimal jazz soul. Maybe this isn’t the aggressive masculine music you would expect from a blog about achievement and hustling called Hustle Bear, but yeah, this is a touching masterpiece of strong emotional impact, and I thought this should be shared.

To Build A Home performed live in London:

The post Music Pick: The Cinematic Orchestra – Ma Fleur first appeared on Hustle Bear - by Judd Weiss.

 
Thunderball – Scorpio Rising

		Heart of the Hustler Domino Vai Vai Solar
(Click image for Amazon.com)

This is one of my favorite CDs. Adding Drum & Bass to funky 70s blaxplotation movie music and some latin soul. I’m adopting the first track as the Hustle Bear theme song. Listen for the chorus “Watch out! For the Hustle Bear!”. What a fucking cool album. Both chill and energetic. The beats are clever and complex and FUN. Great for the gym. Great for when you have some friends over. Great for when you’re in the mood to get down and get some of that… anyway it’s a cool vibe, check it out!

The post Music Pick of the Day – Thunderball first appeared on Hustle Bear - by Judd Weiss.

 
Erykah Badu – Mama’s Gun

		Penitentiary Philosophy Didn’t Cha Know A.D. 2000 Orange Moon Green Eyes
(Click image for Amazon.com)

I think Erykah Badu has gone batshit crazy and I don’t get what she’s going for lately. But Mama’s Gun is a Masterpiece. Not her most commercially successful album, but clearly her best work. This album is diverse, explores many paths soul music can go, expressing each different genre with more creativity and expertise than most musicians focused only on each genre. The journey starts off with dirty funk rock soul, moves into mellow funky tribal R&B soul, get’s progressively more hip hop with a 70s edge, before abandoning that sound and getting stripped down to finish the second half on a gorgeous acoustic jazz soul sound. I like the 2nd half better. Notice the intro to the 10 minute final song “Green Eyes” and how it transitions into a different song. This album is genius, unfortunately geniuses tend to go crazy sooner or later.

[Video after the break]

Bag Lady from Mama’s Gun (Not the highlight of the album, but the most commercial)

 
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If you follow my Music Pick of the Day series, hopefully I’ll influence and broaden your taste in music, at least a little. I’m not interested in reviewing what’s new on the scene, but rather introducing you to some gems that you might have overlooked. Do me favor. Let me know about artists you think I might like. There’s too many creative geniuses in the world of music to keep track of them all myself.

The post Music Pick of the Day – Erykah Badu first appeared on Hustle Bear - by Judd Weiss.