Earth, Wind, and Fire

While I DO think Pharrell does absolutely GENIUS work with harmonies,

(I’m just sayin’) I DO NOT LIKE music where the vocalists refer to women as "bitches" or "ho's," specifically Robin Thicke and his "Blurred Lines."

Bill Cosby created a character named “Russell” in his Fat Albert series (yes, back in the 70’s),

and when I listen to Mr. Thicke singing in “Blurred Lines,”

I find myself wanting to quote Russell:  “N.C. –  NO CLASS!”

One of the reasons I chose to write reviews in Aspen for Indie, Acoustic, Roots, Folk, and Bluegrass, and Funk musicians was because their messages were about LOVE, SOCIAL JUSTICE, FAMILY, COMMUNITY, etc.

You want to hear men sing about LOVE?

Listen to Earth, Wind and Fire, “Elements of Love: The Ballads!”  Nothing makes my spirit soar sublime (and my bootie want to boogie!) like this album - full of MAJESTY:  soul, funk, jazz, rock, and those HARMONIES – WOW!

(And not once does Phil Bailey, with his rapturous falsetto,

 EVER refer to women as bitches. Old School, Baby. R-E-S-P-E-C-T.)

Or, for those who dig “the epitome of chill,” listen to Jack Johnson

as he sings about his lady love in “Better Together:”

“There’s no combination of words I could put on the back of a postcard
No song I could sing, but I can try for your heart …”

And there’s my point: he’s trying for her heart.

Call me an Old School Sister, a hopeless Romantic and all that,

but I’d rather hang out with someone that was “trying for my heart.”

Kathryn Preston July 16, 2013
Special Thanks to Ashley Neuman for the inspiration!