Urban Legend: 1. A tale circulated widely, told and re-told with differing details (or exists in multiple versions), and is said to be true. Whether or not the events described in the tale ever actually occurred is completely irrelevant to its classification as an urban legend. 2. One who has amassed a large, sort of cult, following restricted to the urban music scene and one who remains overlooked by the mainstream crowd. (see Raphael Saadiq.).

*flips pages furiously*

Saadiq, Raphael: born 1969, Oakland, California. Musician. Youngest of several children. Got start in music by playing bass in church and school. Would go onto win opportunity to play with Prince on his 1984 Parade world tour. Would eventually go on to form one of the most renowned R&B bands of the 90s; Tony! Toni! Toné! Group would go on to sell over 10 million records and rack up over five #1’s. Group would amicably split in 1998. Songwriting and production work for other artists along with many musical ties would lead to formation of another R&B super group with ex-members of En Vogue & A Tribe Called Quest called Lucy Pearl. Group would release lone, self-titled disc in 1999. Lineup changes and creative differences would led to self-destruction of group. 15 years deep into the music game, Raphael would become a man on a mission and become determined to single-handedly introduce the world to his creative style of music, a sound he labeled “Gospodelic.” Weapon of choice; a long-awaited solo opus, Instant Vintage. Released in 2001 to rave reviews yet lackluster sales, Saadiq’s seamless fusion of musical styles, mainly funk, jazz, r&b, blues, hip-hop & gospel with a nice, understated pop sheen, coupled with his profound yet down-to-earth songwriting skills, and his familiar nasally tenor would make Saadiq an even stronger force to be reckoned with on the urban side of the coin. Mainstream attention and success would still elude him but one listen to the project would inform listeners that it’s simply a lack of appreciation on the part of the masses. Note project title; truth in advertising.

Breakdown:
As soon as you press play, you’re sent into a sonic time warp that pulls you back deep into 70s soul, a time warp that barely lets you breathe during the duration of the album. The schizophrenic string section just drips with disco soul and almost makes you wish Doing What I Can was an instrumental but alas, it’s not. It serves as more of an introduction to the album and an introduction to the man known as Raphael Saadiq for those not in the know. Various news clips are dispersed throughout the track that gives a brief history of Raphael, all while he sings that he’s simply doing what he can with his life. The production is so engaging that you may forget to pay attention to the actual song, always a plus in my book. $2.00.

The 70s soul feel runs strong throughout Body Parts, but with a much more funky overtone. The strings dance well with the soulful keys and subtle bassline, all of which comes together with an even stronger edge during a reprise towards the end. Now that I think of it, the sound is very seductive and works well with Raphael’s MO to spend some quality time with his lady friend as he instructs her to, “shake your body parts/let me be the darts/stay low to the ground/I got you now.” Don’t be surprised if you feel the urge to do the same. $3.00.

Now one of the more polished records, one of the ones with a more mainstream feel, was the lead single Be Here, featuring fellow soul cohort D’Angelo. The disco strings are still there but in a more understated fashion that mixes well with the muted bassline, hip-hop drum programming and DJ scratches, all of which forms to make a not-quite-as-funky-but-still-soulful-and-radio-friendly jam. The lyrics are a bit deficient but simplicity, I guess, is key to fit with the production and it still manages to work well. How could you go wrong with a song that boasts the memorable line, “I got more than just a big d!ck and some money”? $2.00.

The second single, and more memorable one, released with was the hip-hop tinged Still Ray. Lifting the beat to Dr. Dre’s “Still D.R.E.” and adding some soulful touches, with a highly subtle cello and tuba (of all instruments!), Raphael basically croons for 3:00, with no discernible hook, about how grateful he is for his woman loving him for him. This is the type of record that might annoy at first but one that slowly grows. It all works so well when it should sound so horribly wrong. I mean, Dr. Dre & a tuba?! $2.00.

OPH is definitely one of the funniest interludes I have ever heard. It starts off with R&B vocalist Joi and some of her friends standing on the street corner talking until they see Raphael pull up. Then they decide to show off their vocal skills. Out of nowhere, a funky-as-all-u know what bassline jumps in and Joi starts vocalizing. Then, in unison, they start singing a funky little ditty, one built around the line, “for the need/for the urge to smoke herb/smoke some herb.” Just the serious yet playful manner in which they sing the song, along with the matter-of-factness of the lyrics, coupled with the carefree bassline is sure to induce at least a smirk on the most conservative listener. $.99.

You’re The One That I Like is another slice of equal parts funk and soul, with a bluesy bassline thrown in for good measure. The bassline holds your attention the whole time and really allows you to slowly fit into the groove of the record more and more. And with this lighthearted tune comes a quite depressing tale of a young lady with potential who let the streets tear her down:

When I pulled up to your house expecting to see a movie star
Girl, you ran out to my ride, you know this really hurts me inside
What has life poisoned unto you, has it dealt a bad hand to you?
You know I started to get sideways, I couldn’t manage to drive away
But I can’t believe my eyes, how much you’ve gone down inside
What you done did to yourself? The state took the kids and the man’s in jail
And all of this is killing me, I wanna help you on your feet
But this is not a job for me, you need to find yourself on your knees

Raphael educates and entertains us in one take. $2.75.

That soulful funkiness continues full steam ahead with the dazzling collabo between Raphael and neo-soul queen Angie Stone, along with then-unknown Calvin Richardson on the bouncy Excuse Me. The formula remains simple to keep the soul and funk intact with nothing but a rhythmic bass line countering well with the toe-tapping percussion and hand-clap drums. Calvin and Angie have relative small parts, only repeating them throughout the song while Raphael’s nasally tenor is a great match to the duo’s honeyed vocals. The lyrical scheme retains its cleverness as Raphael basically approaches a woman he’s had his eye on and lets her know he wants some conditional love and that if she can’t measure up, then excuse him for wasting her time. A funky piece of ear candy that keeps the smoothness of the record intact. $1.99.

Now Raphael decides to break the soulfully funky flow of the record and travel down a more bluesy road with the bizarre Charlie Ray. I don’t mean bizarre in terms of production because it all works ingeniously well, with the bluesy guitar and faint church organ mixing well with Raphael’s voice. But lyrically, I have no clue what the song is about or where the title stems from:

I met you at the age of 4
I was crawling on the kitchen floor
When I made it to the carpet, I saw my father
My father…sitting on the couch, nodding his head
Here’s what I did…so I crawled a little bit closer
And he stepped on my hand
That’s when I met my soul, that’s when I met my soul
That’s when I met my soul

I see you and you see me
How serious can this be?
I see you and you see me
How serious can this be?

This self-indulgent moment that did nothing but break the flow of the record is only forgivable simply because the best has yet to come. $.00.

Raphael seems to have a knack for picking diverse yet complimentary duet partners as he & T-Boz team up to have a spiritual epiphany on Different Times. Another great thing about this record is that Raphael knows when to tone down the production of a song so that the primary focus isn’t on the beat on the song’s message. Here, subtle strings, piano and drum taps match well with the kind-of feverish vocal pace that give the song a more intentional and sincere feel. Raphael and T-Boz both speak on how they both went through rough patches in their lives and how they finally opened their eyes and saw that God was by their side the whole time. Nice sentiments included enhance the sincerity and make this song never cross into preachy territory. $2.00.

I have mad respect for a dude who can craft a simple and elegant love song so Raphael earns a spot in my book with the simple Tick Tock. Raphael seems to channel Prince (to me) sonically and lyrically with this record as it has such an earnest and sincere emotion attached that’s delivered in an simple manner. Production-wise, nothing but a bass, guitar and some drums, nothing special. And to many, the lyrics may also appear to be nothing special as Raphael sings about how they need to reconcile because he can’t stand hearing the “tick tock” of his watch, a symbol for the time spent apart. So although most might view this song as nothing special, it speaks to me for some reason and the untapped beauty that’s conveyed is refreshing. $3.00.

Raphael allows his more socially conscious side to emerge on the haunting People. Yet again, the gritty production, with ominous strings, a sober bass line and sparse horns, is toned down just enough to where the majority of the focus is placed on the relevant message. In a fierce, aggravated/frustrated growl, Raphael voices his contempt over the current state of society:

The government’s the biggest pimp (they take their cut and leave you with)
Nothing at the end of the day
I’m searching for a solitude (but all I find is n!ggas who)
Smile and tell me lies to my face
The industry’s no better cause (they only show you mad love)
When you’re life and soul is living on the charts
But when you’re luck is facing down (those ones, they are not around)
Will take your heart and put it in the ground

The song’s a different fit for Raphael but brings out another ingenious side to him that reaffirms the genuine integrity of his artistry. $3.00.

After the useless Tek #1 ($.00), which just sets up the next track by Raphael citing his friends Jamie Foxx and Lamont as the inspiration, we’re pulled back into that 70s soul time warp with the utterly funky Faithful. Lyrically and conceptually, the song is simple as Raphael professes his fidelity to his girl. But the production is practically intoxicating with the gorgeous strings mixing with the album’s funkiest bass line to create an unforgettable rhythm and groove that’ll have you dancing all the way to the repeat button. $3.00.

Another self-indulgent interlude comes in the form of the needless Make My Day. The soulfully bluesy production is on point but the lyrics are redundant and the whole track seems like a waste of time done simply out of ability. $.00.

Raphael veers left from the soul and funk and drives down into a more modernized blues sound for the outstanding Blind Man. The mournful blues bass line and bluesy percussion evokes the right amount of pain and emotion that fuels Raphael’s story of fighting the temptation to take a blind man’s advice and opt for a quick fix for his pain. His lyrics are vivid and his vocals really sound impassioned with the story and leave a strong impression to repeat. $3.00.

We have yet another segueing interlude in the form of Tek #2, which just cites the inspiration for the next track as loving your birthplace but desiring a change of pace and then switches to some dialogue with Raphael bumping into some of his old cronies and their singing his praises and their trying to get a free handout, albeit all in good nature. Still pointless. $.00.

Uptown is another diamond in the rough and serves as Raphael’s token semi-auto track about refusing to live down to the expectations of his dejected Oakland society by moving away to make his dream of being a star a reality and make a better life for himself. The progressively smooth production, with excellent execution, blends well with Raphael’s hopeful lyrics and the pleading sincerity of his vocals to make it out alive. This is one of those record’s that doesn’t really strike out at you but slowly and melodically draws you into it until you’re forced to appreciate the beauty. $3.00.

The last two tracks seem like impromptu jam sessions to me. What’s Life Like, whose production aside from a barely audible bass line, keyboards and bongos, relies heavily on human sound effects, sounds like a spur-of-the-moment and creation and Raphael’s inquisitive lyrics about life sound like freestyled poetry:

What’s life like living without a soul?
What’s life like if you’re living without a goal?
What’s life like if you don’t even talk to your best friends
What’s life like if you never lend a helping hand
What’s life like if you can’t smell the roses?
What’s life like if you always posing?
What’s life like if you live out of your window?
What’s life like if you never touch the world?
What’s life like if you’re never saying hi to boys and girls
What’s life like if you’re living on the Internet, never touching the world?
What’s life like, you gotta be real with yourself
What’s life like, cause you’re living in a jaded world

There’s such an intimate vibe to the record that makes it sound like you’re listening to a late-night performance in a jazz café that demands a round of quiet applause. $3.00.

Now the closing track, Skyy, Can You Feel Me?, is a definite jam session, at 14:00 no less. With a strong Latin soul vibe permeating throughout, everything works and sounds like it should and elements that shouldn’t work sound harmonious and support Raphael and vocalist Rosie Kaye’s vocals well. The lyrical scheme is a bit thin and redundant but the main focus is on the production which, thanks to the addition of strings towards the end, wants to whisk you away to a higher plane of aural pleasure, ending this album with awe left in your ears. $2.75.

Summation:
Instant: (in’stent) adj. 1. Immediately impending; imminent. 2. Direct, immediate. 3. Urgent.

Vintage: (vin’tij) n. 1. The type or kind current at a particular time; a joke of ancient.

Instant Vintage: 1. A record that earns Raphael a permanent spot in the overlooked musical geniuses of our time and a record that will prove to be a joke of ancient for Raphael as years from now, he will be able to laugh when he is honored for being a musical pioneer and legend while the mainstream hacks who sold their souls for commercial appeal are held in derision as the feeble marks they made have long faded away. He took major risks with this record by bucking the commercial trend of R&B music to encompass his talent and artistry in a fuller scope, which leaves his work being respected by most but not selling as such. But selling only 250,000 is a small price to pay when you’re able to sleep peacefully at night knowing that your artistic integrity hasn’t been compromised and you’re dignity is intact. If something’s deemed a classic, it’s believed to be an exemplary form of its kind and this record is an instant classic because it’s one of its kind. So Raphael and this record should take pride in the fact that it will and he will forever remain an urban legend. Because, although only relatively few do, it’s an urban legend worth putting faith in. Your faith can be assured in the fact that as long as Raphael Saadiq lives and breathes, real music stands a chance of survival.

Great Music to Play While: hoping this extremely verbose review did the album justice. (shout-out to D for inspiration for ending paragraph).

Instant Classics: “Body Parts:: “Tick Tock”:: “People”:: “Faithful”:: “Blind Man”:: “Uptown”:: “What’s Life Like”
Instant Garbage: “Charlie Ray”:: “Tek #1 & #2”:: “Make My Day”
Album Worth: $37.48 - instant gratification.

Recommended: Yes