His actual music has a very smooth sound and funky vibe at
times. It is hard to describe other than “smooth”. His voice matches almost
perfectly into the perfect network of jazzy sounds that his songs create.
Listening to his music is refreshing and provides a break from the wild pop
music that is so dominant today and disco/funk of the rest of the 70s. A lot of
his songs sound similar to each other but I feel this enables a flow to occur
throughout the entire album. This provides a level of fluidness that connects
his music together under one piece. Like I said in an earlier blog, very few
artists are able to create a connected and united album. Gaye proves he is one
of those few.
Honestly, I don’t even listen to much jazz or Motown. I am fairly
lacking in this genre, so it is interesting to hear such quality of music
representing the genre as a whole. I would classify Gaye’s music as easy
listening. Listening to the album with the lights off was so calming that I
felt like I was transported to a different world. It definitely contrasts
starkly from previous things I’ve listened to, but overall, I rather enjoyed
the music.
Because I was so stunned by the smoothness of this album, I
failed at first to hear the true talent of Gaye’s voice. He is capable of
hitting pure harmonies and high notes that some female artists today can’t even
hit. He seems to have such control over his vocals and can fluctuate at ease.
He has a lot of soul in his voice and his passion for music bleeds through with
every new note. I love how effortless he makes singing seem. He sure makes me
look bad.
In addition to having a jazzy and catchy beat along with
countermelodies that make me want to sway back and forth, Gaye’s music covers
societal issues. He is almost like the Motown version of Bob Dylan (except Gaye
actually can sing). His songs deal with serious issues such as war and equality
during a time where these were prominent headlines/issues. He brings up
concerns and I feel inspired people for change. I think this album would be a
classic example of how music helped influenced change in society. And what a
great way to talk about societal concerns than through a jazzy, smooth Motown
album!
It’s time for you to get a feel about the music that Marvin
Gaye has made. There is really only so much I can do, however, because the
album is best digested in its entirety. If you can, I highly suggest grabbing
something to eat, turning off the lights, getting in you favorite recliner and
relaxing for a steady half an hour. But, if like me, you don’t seem to have
that kind of time, I’ll give you a little sampler below. The first and title single
of the album, “What’s Going On”, introduces the main idea of the concept album.
There is a mix between rhythmic talking and catchy beat towards the beginning,
but this turns into the calming voice of Marvin Gaye. I don’t know why I have
such a hard time pinpointing how these songs appeal to me but they just come
together so nicely. You really have to hear it to know what I’m talking about:
Flawlessly, the album then flows right into the next song, “What’s
Happening Brother”. This song sounds even smoother than the song before it! He
takes on a softer tone that maintains the signature jazzy vibe but alters the
mood of the song enough for variation. The song also experiments with different
sounds and harmonies that spice up the countermelody. While it ends rather
abruptly for my taste, overall, Marvin Gaye illustrates his pure musical talent
as usual; proving himself one of the great Motown artists. Check it out:
No comments:
Post a Comment