It’s been a minute since I featured an artist but Faint Medal’s “Get Out of My Life” has brought me out of my semi-musical funk. Faint Medal is Ghana’s first Indie Afro-Pop-Punk-Rock group and I’ve been following them on Twitter ever since I first heard their song “I Dey Feel You Die” featuring Yaa Pono. I am eagerly awaiting their first album to drop so I can snatch it up! Okay, since the proof is in the pudding, here it is for your aural pleasure.
So, why do I like this group so much? Because they are worthy of being liked! And when I say Indie, I really do mean Indie. Their talents cover a wide range of musical genres and they flow with them all quite seamlessly.
Seriously, just listen to this- it’s what first sucked me into the Faint Medal Black Hole and to be honest, I was quite happy floating in the raspy, hard-guitar, heavy drum pulsating sound of “I Dey Feel You Die”
You can find their music on Sound Cloud and YouTube! Also be sure to follow them on Twitter – @faintmedal
Music is special in so many ways. Okay, so that sentence wasn’t earth-shattering or incredibly witty but it is true. Music reminds us of people, places, emotions, situations etc etc etc. And if you keep up with this blog AT ALL, you have quickly come to realize that I am a music junkie. My brother says I’m eclectic and I agree with him. My collection has High-Life, Hip-Life, Gospel, R&B, Rap, Celtic, Folk, Bluegrass, Arabic, Indian Movie Soundtracks, Classical, Ballads from the 13th century, Rock, Christian Contemporary….and the proverbial list goes on and on and on…
On this cold windy Friday night in D.C., I slowly sip a steaming mug of hot cocoa and cast my mind’s eye back to a season, some years ago, when I and my good friend (and roommate at the time) used to spend hours (seriously) watching VH1 Soul. If you’re hip enough, you know that VH1 Soul is the only tv music station dedicated to Neo-Soul. We loved that station! Shoot, we STILL love that station. My friend texted me t’other night with an excited “I FOUND VH1 SOUL!” and my response? “WOOOOHOOOOO!” Not only did it provide entertainment, it fed our souls with music that we couldn’t hear on the conventional radio stations. No Jay-Z or Beyonce for us – Anthony Hamilton, Heather Hedley, Jill Scott and Common featured prominently on our television screen.
A favorite video of ours came from Damian Marley ft Bobby Brown. Not only is Damian fine, blessed with a smooth voice that delivers singularly sweet lyrics regaling the lovely traits of his lady-love BUT, Bobby Brown randomly pops up all over the place with his hair twisted out and yells “Supacats!”, “Blagh”, “Whoo”, “Come On”, “Yeah”. Hunh?
We both loved the simple honesty of the lyrics – “Every morning she shampoos my locks”, “Real type of loving, thank you for that” – that describe the seemingly ordinary yet wonderful actions and feelings that define true love. And that juxtaposed with a super-energized Bobby Brown? Honestly? It’s a hilarious juxtaposition of Sweet and Salty – one that always brings back fond memories and tons of laughter. Check it out – the song is “Beautiful” from the controversial and widely acclaimed album Welcome to Jamrock. Remember SABA*
So M3nsa and Wanlov the Kubolor – the dynamic duo from Ghana’s FOKN Bois – dropped their newest track “Only Your Walkings” on youtube earlier this week. While most of the fuss centered around M3nsa’s cutting off his trademark locks, the song merits much more attention. With its laid-back, just kicking it lyrical composition mixed with chords reminiscent of old-school High-Life from the 50s and 60s, this catchy song will have you bopping your head in no time!
The quick and witty back and forth flow between M3nsa and Wanlov makes the listener feel like she’s eavesdropping on a private guy-guy conversation between two good friends, straight chillin’ on a Saturday afternoon. Talk of chopping banku and okra, the non-stop blocked Ghana traffic and the seductive walk of the young lady strolling outside their window reinforce the general feeling of a normal, relaxed day between two good friends. And THAT, along with the “home-made” look of the video are what really enhance both the underlying beats and the general vibe.
It’s nice to know that in this world of fast cars, music, videos and cash; there’s room to celebrate the beauty of the ordinary. Can’t wait to hear more like this! Check it out and make sure to SABA*! BTW – it’s an addictive song, you may find yourself humming it in your dreams *wink*.
You know how much I love music right? Why don’t you hit up these newest tracks, ‘Adjuma’ and ‘No One Knows’, from Ghanaian rapper M3nsa’s newest album No 1 Mango Street. And while you’re at it? SABA!!!!*
Okay, now I’m gonna drop a couple of older songs on you from M3nsa…
*SABA = Support an Artist, Buy an Album! (copyright, me!)