Sounds for Stylish Men: Part 1
Music makes the world go ‘round. It puts rhythm in our feet and inspires us to dance, love and reflect. The comforting sounds of favorite songs and artists help us through trying times and remind us of great moments of joy. Through these experiences and sonic associations, we develop our own taste in music.
So what does a man of style listen to? Some swing to Sinatra while some bounce to hip-hop. Others groove to both (myself included), and the true mark of a stylish man is a pair of open ears. Here’s the first part in a semi-regular series documenting what I’ve been listening to lately.
Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life
Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life celebrated its 40th anniversary on September 28. Since then, I’ve had a few of the tracks on repeat and they sound as fresh today as they did in 1976. Songs in the Key of Life captures Wonder at the peak of his creative genius, coming off a string of stellar albums including Music of My Mind, Innervisions and Talking Book. The album features two of Wonder’s best tunes - “Ordinary Pain,” a banger that transforms from a reflective love song into a full-blown funk jam in the course of six minutes, and the profound yet upbeat “As” - as well as classics like “I Wish,” “Sir Duke” and “Isn’t She Lovely.” Stevie never came close to replicating the experimentation he did on Songs later in his career, but merely attempting to top such an album is an immense feat most couldn’t achieve and wouldn’t try.
Bon Iver - 22, A Million
Bon Iver holds a special place in my heart, since they were the band that led me down the rabbit hole of indie rock and helped me get through the tough times of teenagehood. After a five-year hiatus, Justin Vernon and crew are back with 22, A Million, a sharp left turn from the woodsy sounds of the band’s first two albums. Yet beneath the electronic distortions and vocoder manipulations, they’re still there, as are Vernon’s esoteric, captivating lyrics, robed in complex layers of meaning (each song title begins with a number that holds significance to Vernon; it’s up to the listener to decipher the meaning of the lyrics beyond them). Vernon draws influence from musicians all over the spectrum; the marks of Kanye West are evident on “22 (OVER S∞∞N),” and “8 (circle)” sounds like a modern reimagining of Bonnie Raitt and Bruce Hornsby’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me” (which Vernon has covered). The ability to synthesize and fuse elements from such disparate genres is what makes 22, A Million a success, and helps Vernon and crew stay true to their original sound while continuing to evolve the way they transmit it.
Marvin Gaye - I Want You
Another album that turned 40 this year, Marvin Gaye’s 1976 classic I Want You is a soulful meditation on life’s sensual elements. The yearning Gaye exhibits on each track - he was deep in love with his new girlfriend, Janis, while making the album - oozes primal urgency. The album’s lush arrangements and jazzy undertones are the signature marks of Leon Ware, who co-wrote all the songs and whose production prowess is found on songs by artists ranging from Michael Jackson to Maxwell (more on that in a minute). Take one listen to the title track, and you’ll have to restrain yourself from jumping up from your chair and dancing a slow cha cha. On a side note, the 1970s were Gaye’s most stylish period. Though he’s best known for his sharp suited ‘60s look, no one wore double denim, cuffed jeans and rugged boots quite like he did (I’ve stolen his red beanie look from him for the past several winters). Men who love the heritage look, take note; Gaye did it better than any of us ever will.
Maxwell - Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite
Strangely enough, Maxwell also worked with Leon Ware on his seminal 1996 album Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite. The cool nighttime vibes are perfect for early fall, and it's an excellent album to savor over a nightcap. I start playing it in frequent rotation every September or October, taking an hour or so out of a midweek evening to soak in the album’s passion and unbridled honesty. While the whole album is strong, it shines up front; the trio of “Welcome,” “Sumthin’ Sumthin’” (co-written by Ware) and “Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder) cement Maxwell’s status as a latter-day Gaye with their straightforward, amorous lyrics and smooth - but not slick - funk. Urban Hang Suite is meant for a full listen-through; while breaking up the album is ok, each track flows into the next (much like Gaye’s I Want You) and tells the story of a cool young guy making his way through the city.
Kamasi Washington - The Epic
The Epic is epic indeed; a 171-minute jazz opus, Kamasi Washington’s masterpiece has been in heavy rotation since its release last year. As a former jazz musician, I appreciate how Washington has brought the genre back from the dead thanks to his association with Kendrick Lamar. Washinton’s horn played a prominent role in To Pimp a Butterfly, and Lamar’s influences are heard - both sonically and thematically - on The Epic. With a hip-hop bounce and a big band sensibility (listen to the horn ensemble on “Change of the Guard” for the most heavy hitting jazz that’s come out in years), The Epic weaves dissonance and consonance, past, present and future into one complex yet digestible package. Though it’s worth making the time commitment to listen to the album straight through, start with “Change of the Guard” and Washington’s New Orleans-style interpretation of the jazz standard “Cherokee.” They’re a great introduction to his sound, and are sonic signposts of where he’s coming from and going to.