Zack: One of the hardest things about writing this blog is avoiding preconceived notions. We try to go into every album with an open mind, but sometimes it’s just hard not to look a little extra hard for evidence of your opinions. I think that in small portions, this is totally acceptable. It’s when we start mentally writing our entries before we even hit play that we run into trouble. I must confess, I was nearly guilty of that hear. I had expected to notice the predominant trait of CrazySexyCool was how it sounded like a predecessor to certain modern female vocal groups like Destiny’s Child or Pussycat Dolls. Okay, more like the former admittedly. But it was only like two songs in that I forced myself to re-evaluate and think about a different approach. Why, you ask? Because this album is so sensual that it should come with a sex talk for an intro. This underlining theme reaches a crescendo in Red Light Special. That song is so sexy that there are three versions of the music video, named sexy, sexier, and sexiest. Plus there’s the whole part about asking her gentleman caller to “take the southern route.” The album plays sort of a cross between Prince, Marvin Gaye, Lil Kim, and Simone de Beauvoir. Yeah, I just went existentialist on your ass. What of it? I should probably point out that I was equally as impressed with TLC’s musical talents as their sexual liberation. But that doesn’t make for anywhere near as erotic a post.
Favorite Tracks: Red Light Special; Waterfalls; Creep
Emily: Like any fan of ‘90s pop culture and Vh1 musical countdown shows, I know a bit about TLC. Like that Left-Eye burned her ex-boyfriend’s house down, and later died in a car accident. Or that Waterfalls is considered one of the greatest songs of the ‘90s, one of the greatest songs by a female group, and generally one of the greatest R&B songs ever. What I didn’t know, however, was just how good the album from which Waterfalls came was. Now that I’ve listened to CrazySexyCool in its entirety, I can tell you that it’s definitely crazy, sexy, and cool – especially the sexy part. Even though TLC is known for being an R&B/rap group, this album falls more on the side of R&B and classic soul. Vocals from the three ladies are soulful, sassy, and seductive, with sometimes-explicit lyrics that let their men know exactly what they want. Waterfalls, the seminal favorite, is a cool-yet-cautionary tale that will get stuck in your head as soon as you hear it – but its difference from other catchy songs is that you’ll want it to stay there. Although the pop culture tidbits that surround TLC’s legacy are compelling, to say the least, they’re nothing when compared to the music – maybe Vh1 should take another listen.
Favorite Tracks: Waterfalls; Red Light Special; Switch
No comments:
Post a Comment