While the Album-of-the-summer title justifiably belongs to that strange Afro-futurist soul sister Janelle Monae’s thrilling The ArchAndroid, which my homeboy assures me is in constant rotation on Prince’s stereo, not much attention has been paid to Macy Gray’s recent release The Sellout.

Issued in June on Concord/Stax Records, a label whose rhythmic roster includes Angie Stone (Unexpected), Teena Marie (Congo Square) and Leela James (My Soul), Gray’s latest disc proves that she is still a creative force. Indeed, from the moment I heard the heavy cigarettes-and-whisky rasp of Gray’s voice on the big beat first single “Beauty in the World,” which was played during the last scene of the Ugly Betty finale, I was excited.

Unlike many pop critics who believe that Gray has squandered her musical talents since the release of her Grammy-winning 1999 debut On How Life Is (Atlantic Records), back when she was in the same revolutionary upstart position as Monae today, I’ve always found her messy ghetto-hippy persona quite, shall we say, intoxicating.

for the rest, go to: http://www.soulsummer.com...he-sellout

[Edited 7/12/10 18:27pm]

I like the duet she did with Bobby Brown. Its really good. Macy is a good actress to...She doen't just sing...But nowadays singers over 40 just don't get much radio play anymore. Its said but true..

I'm glad you brought this up. The Sellout, as well as The ArchAndroid, are both two stellar albums this summer. We've covered Janelle, so let's talk Macy.

I was just talking to orger, and old Navy buddy from 22 years ago, Temecula and I told him I had been moved to tears listening to Leela James, and Macy's albums, as well as N'Dambi. I was because there wasn't a song on any of those albums that I felt I had to skip past. He said, "Don't you miss listening to an album and just loving the whole thing?" I said it felt like being hungry for so long, and then someone suddenly puts a steak in front of you. You can't eat it fast enough, and every morsel is delicious. That's what The Sellout is to me. That's what My Soul is to me. That's what Pink Elephant is to me. It's food for a starving soul. Prince's stuff has either been under done or over done. These girls have let it simmer just long enough to come up with some wonderful soul food music. I finally feel satisfied again.

Some high points for me on The Sellout are "Kissed It" because I love the language she uses in it, and that the guys from Velvet Revolver are on the song. It's a great combination for her. (I'd love to see Mary J. "Strugglin'" Blige break out of her self-bemoanment mode and do something off the wall like this.)

I don't believe Macy Gray ever squandered her talent. I think she got lost somewhere along the way. Perhaps raising children was just a bigger priority to her than making music, or spending the kind of time on an album that she should have or wanted to. It's human, and a motherly thing to do. So I can't hate on her for the lesser albums (like Big, or The Trouble With Being Myself), because even though they suffered in some ways, they still kind of reflected where she was in her life. She wasn't on auto-pilot like Prince is a lot of times.

I love these younger singers like Leela James and N'Dambi (who isn't that young compared to James), who are not only doing neo-soul, but also having a not-so-unobvious nod to old soul music as well. James, and Stone both, are still folks to pay attention to. I love that James, N'Dambi, and Gray are all on Concord/Stax records (as is the new James Taylor/Carole King CD/DVD which is brilliant as well).

For me, I'd give

Macy's album a full five stars out of five.

Janelle's - 4 out of 5. There's a couple of small things I'd change, and I think Suite 2 and 3 should have been different disks, even if it was a double album, or two separate albums. There's a lot to digest w/ girlfriend's music, and both of those suites together is very complex and layered. Still love it though. I tend to favor Suite 2 over Suite 3 a bit.

Leela James - 4.5 out of 5 - just geniune and brilliant talent there

I love what you had to say, ernestsewell! I am a huge fan of both Macy and Leela and have all the music they've released. I think you covered them quite well and I don't really need to expand on that. I hope they are around for a long time. I don't mean to dismiss N'Dambi or Janelle Monae. I'm just not as familiar with them right now.

NewPowerSista said:

I love what you had to say, ernestsewell! I am a huge fan of both Macy and Leela and have all the music they've released. I think you covered them quite well and I don't really need to expand on that. I hope they are around for a long time. I don't mean to dismiss N'Dambi or Janelle Monae. I'm just not as familiar with them right now.

Please find N'Dambi's Pink Elephant and listen to it. It's brilliant. I had her on my radio show, and she was just a delight. I felt such joy after talking to her. She's so genuine, funny, and ...just TALENTED. Take a listen to that episode. I play a good deal of her music on the show.

If you like Leela James, you'll definitely love N'Dambi.

As a side note: Prince played an early N'dambi song on one of the NPGMC 2001 Ahdio Shows. I asked her about that on the show, and if knew Prince played her music. Her answer is on the show.

macy cd is very nice i reeally like lost and real love with bobby brown. her cd is fun and colorful im not really really in2 janea monae her cd suck 2 me.prince 20ten cd grows on me more and more each days i really dig lavuax and everybody loves me go prince

The Sellout kind of wipes the floor with Janelle, IMO.

I hope it sells well, love that she came back so strong!

^^^ It's totally different styles though. Macy's album is classic Macy, such a solid album. Janelle Monae is really more like a black Cyndi Lauper. She's quirky, unique, loud yet in control, and goes balls to the wall with her stuff. Macy is older and has other things to talk about. I own both albums, and can't really compare them at all. When I hear an overture opening The ArchAndroid, it's totally different than hearing Velvet Revolver play on "Kissed It".

For this round of albums - it's just not a fair comparison. Both albums are stellar though.