Music Monday (a day late): Rapheal Saadiq-Stone Rollin'

So today in honor of my plans this week (going to see him LIVE in Detroit) I will be taking a look at Raphael Saadiq's new album Stone Rollin' that came out this month. Now, I am a huge fan of Raphael Saadiq. He won me over on the first listen of his last album The Way I See It  when we got a player sent to us at Finders. Seriously his last album is amazing which gave me pretty high expectations going into this new album.

For those Tony! Toni! Tone! fans, you might recognize him (this is how I got my mom to listen to him), but his sound now is very different that his former group. He sounds like an modern version of an old, worn and well-played Motown record or classic soul album. He has the fast upbeat songs (like Radio and Heart Attack), the necessary slow jams (Moving on Down the Line, Good Man) and a little of everything in between. One track that I love is bluesy title track Stone Rollin'. In my head I see a 60's summer cookout in the street where some people are dancing and kids are running around.

You will not here a lot of overproduced vocals (with the exception of some old crackling recording techniques) or synthesized instruments here. Instead warm sounding, deep music with real instruments and some great vocals- like your are listening to a record. I wonder how this would sound on record? I might need to check that out.

All in all- the second album I am loving just as much as I did the first! So check out some of my favorite songs after the Jump! And, since it is New Release Day, also check out Pearl Jam's front man Eddie Vedder's new ukulele album aptly named Ukulele Songs and the new Death Cab for Cutie album Codes and Keys. Both are sounding pretty good- you can listen to them right now on NPR First Listen.

And here is an old one from his last album that I love: