the trouble with being myself- classic new Macy Gray

Perhaps I'm a bit obsessed with Macy Gray's new album. I can't walk down the street at this point without bits of the trouble with being myself stalking me from within my own mind. Take this as a strong endorsement of the album.

I have about half a dozen favorites out of twelve songs. The pre-album single was "when i see you," which I gushed on about extensively. It's a fine classic pop-soul song that Marvin Gaye would have been proud of.

Epic released "she ain't right for you" as a single to correspond with the release of the album. It's a big soul ballad broadly in the stylistic range of her main hit, "I Try." However, there's no sign of this making any dent at radio. Take this as a sign of the musical illiteracy of the market. Years of listening to tuneless crappy rap records or even less musical Linkin Park, Rob Zombie and other such illiterate nonsense apparently has left consumers unable to even recognize a real song like this when they hear one.

"it ain't the money" features a couple of rap verses (courtesy of "pharoahe monch") which are not in themselves the most tuneful parts of the album, but Macy's choruses ("bet you're giving head to a movie star") really took root in my brain after about the second listen. Also co-writer Beck has one notable repeated low vocal hook line ("Ain't it funny how the money makes the honey taste like nothing").

This record gets the most out of the basic song with lots of thoughtfully embedded musical and vocal colors. The quick horn sounding riff that opens the record, for example, and several distinctive bits of electric piano among other touches take turns jumping out with repeated listening. This album is probably her most impressive on a production level. Every song has its own distinctive sound and unique colors.

Continued on the next page Page 1 — Page 2

Article tags

Spread the word
Bookmark and Share
Profile image for al-barger

Article Author: Al Barger

Unreformed hawkish Hoosier hillbilly Al Barger runs the still squeezin' down the psychodelic Kentucky moonshine at More Things. What with the paranoid religious visions, the Pentecostal music, visions of God and anarchy running amok and such, somebody …

Visit Al Barger's author pageAl Barger's Blog

Read comments on this article, and add some feedback of your own
  • No image found

Article comments

  • 1 - indonesian macy

    Apr 01, 2007 at 4:17 pm

    u r my sexual revolution :P... luv u macyyy

Add your comment, speak your mind

Personal attacks are NOT allowed.
Please read our comment policy.
Please preview your comment.

blogcritics lists for Feb 13, 2012

fresh articles Most recent articles site-wide

fresh comments Most recent comments site-wide

most comments Most comments in 24hrs

top writers Most prolific Blogcritics for January

top commenters Most prolific Commenters in 24 hrs