Album Review- BSTC: Music for a Saturday Evening

Time and time again we discuss the controversial term Neo-Soul. The whole idea of Nu-Soul is somewhat irritating because it’s like buying a fake Coach bag when you can get the original. While a fake is often cheaper, it never quite lasts. Some artists understand that it’s not about trying to be something that you are not it’s about being who you are. That’s what makes the BSTC “Music for a Saturday Evening” album so beautiful. You cannot put this group under one title or genre, you know this immediately when you hear the Intro and track one “BSTC”, where the gospel organ takes you back to Mississippi juke joints and holly rolling evangelists. This “baptism by the bass” sets the stage for the journey to come almost as if Bootsy Collins is driving the bus and we’re all aboard. I snobbishly labeled track three “Love featuring JL” as sounding too R &B until I found Samba undertones pulling me out of my seat. If you’re like me, while you’re up you should grab your partner because track four makes you want to turn on the red light and find a nice spot against the wall to get your wind on. “Fresh Love” immediately reminds you of the House yet two stepping roots of these Chicago natives. “Venus and Mars” is tangled with electronic broken beats but again laced by the organic sounds of percussion and keys. The slow jams “Fly away” and “Love and Lust” allow just enough time to catch your breath before your Saturday night endeavors. “Agua De Beber”, “Afrika”, and “Suffering and Smiling” my personal favorites, conjure the spirits of Deodato, Santana, and Fela Kuti causing your hips to effortlessly take over. “Jazz in Outer Space's” old school hip-hop swing will transmit you back to high top fades and Cross-Color jeans. Yet the last two jams “Forty Days” and “Mr. AC” remind you that you’re all grown and ready to take over the world. As their first album release, BSTC put it down! They define themselves as being indefinable, which is lovely because as a great man stated “I cannot be contained in the space of the earth, I cannot be contained in the space of the heavens, but I can be contained in the heart of my loving servant.” In this case BSTC are loving servants to the music.

Let's Groove

Is it just me or does Philly just happen to have an overwhelming amount of GOOD ASS MUSIC! Perhaps I'm miss my former home but i just cant seem to get away from it. It first started several months ago with my RECESS RADIO dedication to Phyllis Hyman (resting in peace eternally). Then my ongoing house obsession inevitably led me to about everything Gamble and Huff produced, particulary the O'jays.I could go on for days about the talent from Illadelphia but most recently Archie Bell and the Drell's have been stirring up my soul. It always amazes me when I hear a song and all I want to do is smile, nothing else matters cause all it's about is the groove.