ON ROTATION

I wish I could say that there is a good reason why Scatteredbaw has been kind of lying dormant for the past month. But there really isn't any. We'll just call it spring fever and the need to be outside.....but with lots of great music! So here is some of that music that has kept me company.

THEESatisfaction, awE naturalE
Being from Seattle, I try to keep my finger on the pulse of local music. How I had missed the duo of Stasia Irons and Catherine Harris-White, better known as THEESatisfaction, for so long is beyond me. Having met at the University Of Washington, Irons and Harris-While have been writing, producing, and playing together for a number of years now. On their new release, awE naturalE, the hip-hop duo more than impress with their unique mash up of soul, funk, rap, and jazz. This album is very creative and satisfying as they continually shift and blend rhythms, sounds, and beats.
Queens  

Alabama Shakes, Boys & Girls

Alabama Shakes' Boys & Girls has been getting a lot of attention since its release, and rightfully so. Boys & Girls is a very strong debut album and one of best that I have heard so far this year. Behind the amazing, huge, and soulful voice of Brittany Howard, the Alabama Shakes whip up rich, soulful, and groovy southern rock, that is just so good. While their are aspects to the band's sound that seem so familiar, the band is stepping on fresh ground by adding a Motown twist to their southern sound. 
Hold On   

Electric Guest, Mondo
Any album with Danger Mouse attached to it can only be good. Don't ya think? I do. With Danger Mouse, aka Brian Burton producing, Electric Guest have released one of the cooler albums that I have heard this year. The band has a strong affinity for the many sides of R&B that have come and gone over the decades. With Mondo they pay a kind of tribute to its many sounds and styles from those of the Supremes in the'60's to Michael Jackson in the early '80's to today's more electronica infused sound. I guess you might call it contemporary reto. I just call it a smart and entertaining musical journey.
This Head I Hold  

De La Soul, Plug1 & Plug 2 Present...First Serve
When De La Soul's new album came up on my radar, I found myself reflecting fondly on their debut album, 3 Feet High And Rising. It was such a classic hip hop album, but 1989 was a long time ago. For better or worse Dave, Maseo, and Posdnous, have been having to try and live up to that album for decades now. Perhaps that is why De La Soul has not released an album for 8 years. Fortunately for us, Dave and Posdnous (not sure where Maseo went..he was not involved with this new project) are back with a wickedly entertaining album that they quietly released last month. Conceived as a movie not on screen, First Serve is a concept album that tells the fictional story of two childhood friends who dream of making it big as a hip hop duo. I loved the two characters and the storyline that Dave and Pos have created. They had me completely engaged from the opening credits to the ending credits. I just loved this album.
We Made It (explicit)