cletta1201's Full Review: The Once and Future by Jazzyfatnastees
The Once And The Future is one of those overlooked albums that everyone who owns it loves and talks about. It’s one of those albums that’s perfect for romancing, for sleepless nights and just quite reflection. Too bad most people have never heard of it. The Jazzyfatnastees hail from Philadelphia, PA which seems to be the home of all good things in music. Comprised of two female singers, Tracey Moore and Mercedes Martinez, the Jazzyfatnastees should be huge, enormous even, but they’re not, at least not yet. The name “Jazzyfatnastees” breaks down to Jazzy for the lyrics, Fat for the harmonies, and Nasty for the tracks. The Once and the Future is all of those things, a perfect blend of jazz, R&B and soul that will blow you away. Not only are Moore and Martinez vocally talented but also between the two of them they either wrote or co-wrote every song on the album. Part of the extended Okayplayer family that includes big name acts like The Roots, Common, Jaguar Wright, and Dilated Peoples.
The album begins with The Wound, which is the only song that I ever remember seeing a video for. The bass line on this one thumps, but the music is sweet and melodic. From the moment that the music drops, everything about this one is good.
How Sad is perhaps my favorite song on the album. As far as sound goes, I think the harmony between Moore and Martinez is so strong on this one. About being in a controlling relationship, musically, it is from the same vein as “The Wound”. Strong drums, strong bass and strong guitar. “I can’t do nothing for you/ I’m not the one who’s being bruised/ By the man who swore he’d never hurt you/ It’s all up to you/ Even though/ If I had my way/ I’d make you see/ That he/ Has got you on the ground/ But you say/ This can’t be/ He lets me move around/It’s always the last time/ At least in his own mind/ But what about you?/ What are you gonna do?” Funny is that you really have to listen to this song to get the message because the music is so strong, that you might just start bobbing your head and miss the whole point, I know I did a few times.
Breakthrough sounds funky and jazzy. Perhaps if you thought about it, it feels kind of like a nightclub song. About trying to get closer to a lover who acts distant. It’s hard to pick “outstanding” tracks on this album because everything is so good. Behind “How Sad” I would pick “Unconventional Ways” as being a song that had unlimited potential as a single. ”Don’t need the house/ The picket fence/ To show the world/ That we connect/ Don’t need a church/ A diamond ring/ To prove our love’s/ A lasting thing/ Don’t big to confine/ To deep to define/ This is yours and mine/ No stronger tie could bind”. I think this is the essence of a good love song. Once again, I have to reiterate the harmonization of the two vocalists, amazingly strong, that sometimes you can’t tell them apart. BEAUTIFUL.
Hear Me finds the album picking up a little. I like the positivity within this album. This one is about a woman who is about to become a mother, her hopes and dreams for her child. Another element of this album that stands out for me is that all the music is simple. Nothing overly complex, perhaps because the Jazzies (as they are sometimes affectionately called) ran out of budget while making this album, and later ran into Many problems with the label that this album was released on (for more info see the website below). The complete opposite of “Hear Me” and much darker is Sail The Seas, which is about the death of a child (I looked that up, trust me I didn’t know), after listening, it’s pretty obvious – maybe I’m stupid. This song (like all the others) is very simple, just lyrics and a piano, which adds to the sincerity of the emotion.
Related To Me is about friendship, or at least that’s what I get out of it. I like this one once again for the message. The music is contagious, you can also hear within the tracks a violin or a cello (I’m not sure). The Lie is another of the tracks that I’m fond of. ”Rounding the corner she’s chasing the dream/ Is it will or whim?/ Is she the fatal femme?/ Cuz many of road that she’s taken before/ Left her scared or bored/ Left her wanting more.” Even before I ever really opened my ears and “listened” to the lyrics of this one I liked it. It sounds funky (think Brand New Heavies) and little bluesy.
Why is a good track also (hey, I told you there was nothing bad on this one). Right off the bat, you hear some sounds created by a synthesizer and maybe some string instruments, but you can never be to sure, they can create anything on machines these days. This song is about breaking out of a bad relationship, another of the up-tempo treats of the album. The last dish served is Let It Go which is kind of dark, a surprising end to the album. What I get from it is a message of soul searching. About moving forward. I like that within this album, you can kind of tell where the jazzies heads were at, either that or they’re able to draw on some really strong experiences and history.
I think there are definitely messages to be found within this album, and surely even more good music. This is the album that I have referred to many times, short (only 10 songs) but high on quality, I vibe on that and appreciate it when artists don’t insult me with filler.
Although I’ve never been myself, the Jazzyfatnastees perform weekly at Black Lily in Philadelphia, PA (for dates and times, check the website). I’ve heard that they (and the other artists featured) give an amazing show. If you haven’t heard this album, I suggest looking for it. You may have to do a little digging, but you will be rewarded.
Track Listing
1.The Wound
2. How Sad
3.Breakthrough
4.Uncoventional Ways
5.Hear Me
6.Sail The Seas
7.Related To Me
8.The Lie
9.Why
10.Let It Go
Jazzyfatnastees Website – http://www.okayplayer.com/jazzyfatnastees
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