Welcome back! How are you? It's been a while! To your right you'll see all the necessary links for my social media, so go ahead! Follow me! (Yes, that's right. I'm not doing it this time. Deal with it!). Sorry I disappeared with out a trace I promise next time I'll wake you up before I go-go (fantastic song, "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go", Wham!, 1984 -- Damn It!). Okay so, we have a tonne to talk about today! From the first look at Captain Marvel to Lenny Kravitz's new album! So let's start with Captain Marvel!
Lenny Kravitz's "Raise Vibration" Review So, Let's move on to "Raise Vibration" (Lenny Kravitz, 2018)! "Raise Vibration" is the brand new record from Lenny Kravitz. As normal, every instrument on the record is played by Kravitz with exception of the horns and maybe the strings (unless he played them on a keyboard, which is very likely) as well as every vocal, with the exception of Michael Jackson on "Low" (Lenny Kravitz, 2018), is sung by Lenny Kravitz. I stayed up until 00:00am to listen to the record when it first dropped and I am so glad I did. This album is everything I hoped for. I listened to it from front to back right then and there. First off, if you were thinking that this album would be a cop out, since we haven't had an album from Lenny since 2014 with "Strut" (really, really, really great album by the way), I can see why'd you think that, maybe it's just to get a bit of cash to keep the lights on. However, this is not so. This album is a full 12 track album and is stuffed. Each song is around 5/6 minutes long (approx, there are always exceptions) some even reaching to 7/8 minutes long, this album is not a half measure at all. The album really brings back the classic Lenny Kravitz, we're talking, 1989, "Let Love Rule" (Lenny Kravitz, 1989) era as well as his later sounds and newer sounds, it's a very well rounded album! So let's get into the track by track review! Track 01: "We Can Get It All Together" This track opens with a reversed sample of some sort (probably a symbol) behind an organ sound that is rocking back and forth from what sounds to me, like the IV chord to I chord. At first I thought it was a reversed sample from "Let Love Rule" (Lenny Kravitz, 1989) though I think more likely it's just another organ sound and the track in in the same key as "Let Love Rule". Over the top of this almost eerie organ sound we here our first vocals from Lenny in the album. He opens with a nasally vocal style very reminiscent of "Let Love Rule" (Lenny Kravitz, 1989). This is classic Lenny Kravitz. This song is a classic, signature Lenny Kravitz song. It's fit perfectly on any of his albums and not seem out of place, especially this one. This is a great opener and a great song. Track 02: "Low" (Feat. Michael Jackson) Okay so this is one of my favorite Lenny Kravitz songs of all time, this was the second single from the album and had great cover art to it! So there was a lot of people saying, when the single came out, that Michael Jackson was on the track, which he clearly is but some people said he was doing backing vocals on the track too. However, from what I can here, Michael Jackson was not in the harmonies or background vocals at all, though I could be be wrong, to me it sounds like it's all Lenny a part from the samples he used. To me it sounds like the first sample was taken from "Billie Jean" (Michael Jackson, 1983) and that sample is used through out but seems to descend in pitch every so often which is a nice touch, I think. At first, I thought that the lower-pitched sample was taken from "Cry" (Michael Jackson, 2001) though it's more likely it's just the one sample just decreased in pitched through out. The second sample is the one that ends the song and to me it's sounds like it was taken from "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" (Michael Jackson, 1983) and really ends the song in a way that is very similar to "Do You Know Where Your Children Are" (Michael Jackson, 2014). I'm not sure if these vocals are taken from Michael's vault though because Lenny said today actually, that he, of course requested permission from the Estate and Michael's family and then once they said yes, he dug through his tapes and found vocals that fit, so the samples may not be from Michael's songs but might actually be from other unheard work that Jackson and Kravitz may have messed around with whilst Michael was alive. The song itself fuses, R&B, Pop, and Funk all together. It's an extended version of the single and that really helps the groove and feel play out. I was hoping for a few more adlibs from Michael towards the end with Lenny's but the adlib absence does not diminish this track in the slightest. This is Lenny Kravitz at his best. Also, the bass is really great on this track as well as the harmonies and scratch guitar. Track 03: "Who Really Are The Monsters?" I have to be honest. I was half expecting Prince to turn up on this one. It has the fantastic feel of a Prince song. It is very out there and I would say that the genre of the song would be "Prince", you know how a lot of Prince's songs were their own genre? This is one of those tracks and Lenny Kravitz pulls it off like no one other than Prince could. It opens with a deep synth bass and a super light synth on top. The bass calls out and receives a reply from a mixture of samples that I am unable to identify. Before a classic Prince Linn Drum beat enters. Followed by the drums comes a very heavy guitar riff that is drenched in fuzz. The vocals have a filter on them too, it sounds great. The rhythm is great on this track and so is the percussion. In the middle we have bluesy guitar solo followed by a percussion solo that has Shelia E. written all over it. It's great! There is a great synth bass fill towards the end that is super funky and is followed by a funky scratch guitar line that sounds so similar to something you'd get it in a Motown record but somehow fits so well here. We also have a great conga solo towards the end followed by a sax solo which sounds great. Singing us out are some backing vocals that sound like they were deeply inspired by "Ghosts" (Michael Jackson, 1997) with chesty, almost spooky, Prince style adlibs over the top. The song ends and we are left the question, "Who Really Are The Monsters?". Great, innovative song. Track 04: "Raise Vibration" The title track of the album, Raise Vibration really plays with the idea of the format of a song. We open with no music. Just Lenny Kravitz's vocals dueting with a very bluesy guitar. The song slowly builds up from there. The song has a very similar message to "Let Love Rule" (Lenny Kravitz, 1989). The song kicks in with an instrumental with a similar rhythm of "Let Love Rule" (Lenny Kravitz, 1989) but with quite a spooky synth melody in background. Towards the end we get some classic Lenny Kravitz adlibs and end with just the sound of what I believe is the music of a traditional African celebration, though I could be wrong. This is a great song and really brings Lenny Kravitz's classic sound back whilst taking it in a new direction. Track 05: "Johnny Cash" This song does not feature Johnny Cash but is great song. It opens with a super funky instrumental which sounds like it has Parliament Funkadelic roots. This lasts for around 5 bars until we're left with a bar of silence as the instrumental slowly ends before Lenny's vocals enter and where are into a classic Lenny Kravitz ballad. Towards the end I started to feel like the track was getting a little repetitive. However, as soon those thoughts entered my head the song turns upside down and turns into that same 70s, psychodelic funk feel from the beginning and again some some super funky adlibs that bring back that "Mama Said" (Lenny Kravitz, 1991) sound. This is a very deep, emotional ballad but at the same time a funk classic, only Lenny Kravitz can do that. Track 06: "Here to Love" This track is carrying on the slow vibe int the middle of this LP. It is another really great ballad with an important message that I think will apply now and for years to come. It's about not judging and how someones life is their life so leave them alone, let them live how they choose. The strings are great in this track and I think I also heard some brass in there too which I haven't heard in strings for a long time (a part from classical and orchestral pieces, of course). It's also very important to note that Lenny Kravitz's vocals on this track are phenomenal. At 54 years old, Lenny Kravitz has not lost a thing. This album proves that he is going the way of Prince. Never aging, staying in his prime and staying on top of everything. Great song that fills the room with strings, bass, piano and the great voice of Lenny Kravitz. A ballad, masterpiece. Track 07: "It's Enough" This song was the first single from the album and remains unchanged from single version. This song is funk all over with a solid amount of R&B. The percussion on this track is excellent with a bass line playing a melody that is very nicely complimented by the synth, which sounds like a sampled loop, though I'm not sure. This is lengthy track of 7:55 that only breaks the funky bass line and groovy percussion once for a soulful bridge that brings the song together. We get some super funky adlibs towards the the end and a great trumpet solo from Ludovic Louis. The song also peppers in some Michael Jackson-esk sounds throughout that really makes this song even funkier. Super soulful song, great message and undoubtedly funky. This track also contains explicit language, by the way. Track 08: "5 More Days 'Til Summer" This was the third single from the album and is again extended with a different ending to the single. This song carries just two chords (for the verses at least) and it's the same two chords as track one, "We Can All Get It Together" (Lenny Kravitz, 2018). This song is very much a summer song, its a feel good upbeat rock/pop song that has great harmonies. I also hear some sort of percussion sound that leads into a Linn Drum clap. It's the same thing Lenny used in the song "Empty Hands" (Lenny Kravitz, 1989) but I have no clue what it is, so if you know, let me know! Great song. Track 09: "The Majesty of Love" This is one of my favorite songs Lenny Kravitz has ever produced. This song has the same kind of vibes as "Live" (Lenny Kravitz, 1998) and is drenched in that signature Lenny Kravitz funk sound. The horns are spectacular and the scratch guitar is timeless. The percussion is fantastic with what sounds like glass bottles being the prominent element. The start of the song brings us a rising sound that I thought would bring something to the track but it just fades out which felt anticlimactic but again, this doesn't diminish the song by any measure. This song is signature Lenny Kravitz, I cannot stress that enough. It is super funky and classic. Track 10: "Gold Dust" This track has fantastic background vocals that just fill the track with great harmonies. Behind the vocals is a piano sample chopped and looped which really brings a great percussive element to the otherwise bare introduction. The band kicks and follows the rhythm of the sample. The silences are filled in with the reverb of the snare and other instruments. These gaps get filled in for the chorus with Lenny Kravitz's fantastic guitar tone. This song really did remind me of "Raise Vibration" (Lenny Kravitz, 2018) with the way it starts and stops. This a great song and has a really great melody. Track 11: "Ride" This song is another great slow one. It's again, vintage Lenny Kravitz. From the chord progression to the melody. It has a very Motown-esk feel and it sounds great. There's a great synth line over the top of all of this sounds like it was ripped straight from the "Thriller" album (Michael Jackson, 1982). Again, the harmonies and background vocals on this track are fantastically full. The bass guitar on this track is great and really shines. The track fades out though the drums, percussion and vocals remain almost like a break down until we are left with just the vocals to end. This is a great track that brings back the Motown feel we all so miss. Track 12: "I Will Always Be Inside Your Soul" I love this track. It's a super laid back and almost has a Lo-Fi sound that incorporates a more modern element of the rolling hi-hat which I love! It sounds like it would fit perfectly on the "Invincible" album (Michael Jackson, 2001) with its Soul and R&B groove. The Rhodes really stands out too which really adds to the super smooth sound of this song. Again the background vocals are great with a really nice yet funky melody towards the end. At the end of the track we are left with sounds of the ocean waves roaring behind the delicate sound of a Mbira playing the melody of the song. Super relaxing track and a great way to end the LP. Conclusion So to sum up, if you ever get the chance to listen to this record or get a hold of it, absolutely do. It's drenched in classic Lenny Kravitz sounds fused with psychedelic funk, the sound of Prince, Motown and Michael Jackson. It's not just Lenny Kravitz at his best, it music at it's best. I would just like to acknowledge the great Burt Reynolds who sadly past away yesterday. Rest In Peace to a fantastic actor and another fallen idol. Burt Reynolds 1936-2018 Okay, so due to the length of this post, I will leave the review of Prince's new single, "17 Days (Piano & A Microphone 1983 Version)" (Prince, 2018) for another post, along with the review of Iron Fist Season 2.
Below you'll find the cover art to "Raise Vibration" (Lenny Kravitz, 2018). If you click it, you'll find all the links you need to listen and/or get a hold the album! Okay, so that's it! Until next time, when I review Prince's new single and the first episode of Iron Fist season 2! See you soon! Live Long and Prosper!
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To you're right, as normal, they haven't moved, you'll find all the links you need to follow me! Click away! All your friends will, because just like me, they long to be, close to you! (fantastic song, "Close To You", the Carpenters, 1970- These are getting harder and harder with each post). So, What's happening with that script? Okay... So, in May of 2017 I wrote a script. The script was awful, looking back now, but I thought it was okay back then so I decided to cast and shoot it. I had a producer, a cast, two make up artists and a big plate full of underestimation. You can guess what happened. It flopped, hard. After about 2 months. That's how much time I put into it. About 2 months, that's why it flopped. So, I shelved it, knowing that it was something that I'd want pursue in the future. I knew that before I could pick it back up, I needed to make sure that script and story were solid, which neither were, back then. That's where my editor came in and gave some notes, I also received notes from Tarrell Christie from Lost Utopia Films and upon receiving his notes and running the script line by line with my editor we discovered that the formatting of the script was horrendously off! The script was a mess. So I re-wrote the entire script from scratch with my editor over looking. It still needs work, maybe quite a bit more, so we aren't completely ready to start Pre-Production yet, but we're closer than before. I can't tell you exactly what it is and what's about just yet. Not because "it's a surprise" but mainly because I don't want to start sharing these ideas and telling you to get ready for something and then it fails again and everyone is let down. Saying that, I am in talks with my good friend, Laurence Mason-Guetta who is the writer and director of "Night Walk" (had a great time on that film! Should be out soon!) and I very confident that this "partnership" if you will, is going to be great for this film and almost locks it in, though anything can happen. ...and the book? Okay, that's a confusing story. So, remember when we first met? That first post? All those days ago? Well, back then I told you I was working on my first book, but I'll probably release the second book I write first. Well, now the second book has become the first because I have put the first book, the first, first book not the second first book, on hold in order to write the second book that has now become the first. (I told you), Basically, the book is being written and is connected to the film. Okay, that's it! Until next time, when I through how and why I keep everything I create, and why it's important to keep adding to your collection of ideas! See you soon! Live Long and Prosper! Hi there. How are you? Good! Welcome to today's post. To your right you'll all the links to follow me! Follow me as much as your heart desires and when that rainbow's shining over you, that's when your dreams will all come true! (fantastic song, "Reach", S Club 7, 2000- I know, I know... It's cheap but I'm really stretching it here!) Today I'll be listing the 6 best YouTube Channels for film-makers and writers! These are in no particular order what so ever and I have not been endorsed or even contacted by any of these channels, it's all my personal opinion! Just click the logos on your right to go straight to their channels! Well, that's it again for today! Sorry for yet another stinker! But, I'm working extremely hard on trying to bring you some news about the future! So, until next time when I do just that! Spill more beans! See you soon! Live Long and Prosper! Hi there! Welcome back! Hope you're okay!
As you know by now, just to your right are all the links you need to follow me so that you'll always be up to date, no matter if you're near, far, where ever you are! (fantastic song, "My Heart Will Go On", Céline Dion, 1997). So! I'm going to talk about world building today! This one isn't as long as the last one though, so their's no need to worry about getting comfy! Let's just get started! What is world building? Well, that's an awfully vague and generic header, but let's just roll with it! Now, world building means a lot of different things to a lot of different people, so I can only really tell you what it means to me. For me it's about creating a rich back story and sometimes even future to the world around you're charterers. Does this include writing a backstory for my characters? If so, how do I do that? Of course it includes writing a backstory for your characters! A lot of writers will write their backstories differently. Some write only a couple of paragraphs and some write a page! Like I keep saying, everyone is different so there is no write or wrong answer (did ya notice? I don't think you did! Go back, read that sentence again!). For me, I usually write about a page but then, other times I will write a book. Yes, a literal book. In fact that's what I'm doing now! Stay tuned because I'm trying to get some news to you soon! So, it really depends on you and how much you feel is necessary and how much you want to write, really. Here's quick tip! When writing you're character's backstory ask your self the following questions: Who are their parents? What did their parents do for a living? How was their up-bringing? Did they have many friends? Questions like these will help determine who your character really is and why their personality is a certain way. What did you mean when you said "writing the future"? Exactly what I said. I write, not just a back story but also a future story, if you will. I tend to write around the story. I like to know exactly where the character comes from and exactly where the character goes next. I will often do the back story and "future story" in separate documents. Other News Okay, okay... I know. This post was trash compared to yestarday's, so, I apologise for that. Though, there is a reason for this. The reason is, I have had an extremely long and busy day re-writing a script. Ascript that we're now looking to actually move forward with and develop. With this new re-write we feel the story is in a place that is strong enough to start developing other things, whilst we refine the script. I will share as much information as I can on this script as we move forward through coming months. I will also share with you ways that you could maybe able to get involved too. Along with the script, I have also started writing that book, the same book I spoke about just a couple of paragraphs a go. More information that will be on it's way too. That's it! I'll see you tomorrow when I give you a list of the 6 best YouTube channels that will help you as a film-maker and as a writer! See you soon! Live Long and Prosper! |
About Dan BarkerHi there! Welcome to my blog! Here you'll find me and my journey as a writer and film-maker. Archives
February 2019
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