Author: Kia Clay

Joints and Jams

Joints & Jams – Karyn White and Cathy Dennis

Kia Clay
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For such an aggressively titled playlist, I’m doing a poor job of sticking to its theme.

Every part of 90s music holds a special part of my heart. Let’s look at the early 90s today.

Cathy Dennis – Touch Me (All Night Long) (1990)

I think I may have thought she was Madonna when I initially heard this song. I should have known better, though, because she had a cute voice. Cathy, you were a special kind of artist, like a Poison Ivy cosplayer who was made just for Club MTV and then you dipped out of the spotlight, flipped it and wrote all the songs. For that, I salute you.

Karyn White – Romantic (1991)

Ah, yes. I know that people stanned Karyn when she told you that she loved the way you loved her, but wanted you to know that she was not your superwoman on her debut album. Ritual of Love, however, is my preferred Karyn White. The difference seems to be Karyn’s involvement in writing and switching from the Babyface / L.A. Reid hit machine to the Jimmy Jam / Terry Lewis one. Those guys…they have a knack for making love songs that display the fun and joy in sexaaaaay times and being in love (see one “Love Will Never Do Without You”). I approve.

Joints and Jams

Joints & Jams – Lalah Hathaway and Ernie Halter

Kia Clay
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I struggled so hard to get this out last week. Didn’t happen. Then I tried to do it yesterday…and I went to bed like the old person I am.

A day late, but here we go:

Lalah Hathaway – Angel (2015)

Her voice is unreal. Or, more like, it’s unreal how much of her father I hear in her. That talent is literally passed down from God. Anyway, as much as I like her, I think her material can be uneven. This recently released live album, though? This album is her at her best. I love that she chose a “lesser” known Anita Baker single (aka, not one off of her monster hit machine Rapture) to show off that killer contralto. If those low notes don’t shake you to your soul like they did with my girl India.Arie…then I got nothin’ for you.

Ernie Halter – Love No Limit (2015)

Ernie’s a special artist and this simple, stripped down version of a somewhat jazzy Mary J. Blige song showcases that. It feels easy and effortless in his hands in a way and I always thought that the original tried a little too hard with the Anita Baker vibe. This is the version you never knew you always needed to have in your life.

Joints and Jams

Joints & Jams – Melissa Polinar and Carly Rae Jepsen

Kia Clay
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New to the playlist this week: Melissa Polinar’s “See the Stars” and Carly Rae Jepsen’s “All That.”

Melissa Polinar – See The Stars (2014)

I’d heard Melissa’s name floated around a few years, but I just had the pleasure to hear her open for the incomparable David Ryan Harris this weekend. This song…I can’t handle it. It’s beauty is in it’s simplicity. The intimacy in play back and forth between the lead and backing vocals is poignant.

Carly Rae Jepsen – All That (2015)

Is this a bonus track from the “Purple Rain” soundtrack?! 💜

Joints and Jams

Joints & Jams: a weekly playlist – Pentatonix and JP Cooper

Kia Clay

Remember the good old days when new music was released on Tuesday instead of Friday in the U.S.? Well, you should; it only changed back in July. As I’ve established, I’m not the biggest fan of change and I am a huge fan of nostalgia, so I’ve decided to steal an idea from several other people and put out a weekly playlist of songs that I’m jamming to. Maybe they’re old, maybe they’re not, but they’re in my head and they’re coming to you fresh, every Tuesday.

This week’s inaugural selection is Pentatonix’s “Can’t Sleep Love [with Tink] and JP Cooper’s “Satellite.”

Pentatonix – Can’t Sleep Love [with Tink] (2015)

Confession: I was in show choir in high school and we did a bunch of a cappella stuff, but I’m simply not feeling this recent trend of a cappella based entertainment entering the mainstream (I’m talking to you, Pitch Perfect). I was even a little “meh” on Pentatonix when everyone shared their YouTube videos (except for that Michael Jackson medley, of course). Imagine my surprise when I heard this little ditty because it’s basically everything my heart desires. I chose the version with Tink because, even though she should be banned for that Aaliyah remake, her verse gives the group an opportunity to layer it with more fun harmonization.

JP Cooper – Satellite (2015) (song has been removed from Tidal and iTunes store 🙁)

This guy’s voice reminds me of Donny Hathaway (HIGH PRAISE!!!!). It’s not quite as rich, but it’s still very tender and caresses basically every note. If Brian McKnight’s “Love of My Life” was the song that made my shoulders sag whenever I heard a man go into a falsetto (spoiler alert: it was), JP Cooper restored my faith in it.

Album Review, Joints and Jams

Joints & Jams – Album Review, Golden Days

Kia Clay

Dave Barnes, Golden Days

“But what makes it a Dave Barnes song?” This question was posed to me by an acquaintance within the last few weeks. How’d we get there? No idea. I think we kicked it off with me ranting about the numerous reasons I despise the Green Hills area, but that’s neither here nor there (but if I had to pick, it’s there). When I heard the question, I was slightly taken aback and I answered, somewhat dismissively (but no less truthfully), “Uh, because it’s awesome.”

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