Jerry's Pick: "Make Me Feel"

"Make Me Feel"-Janelle Monáe

If you're one of the many who misses Prince's presence since his untimely death almost two-years ago, a hidden figure has come to your rescue.

I didn't realize it at the time but my ears were first exposed to the voice of Kansas City-born Janelle Monáe during the middle-eight of that 2011 fun. pop chart-topper "We Are Young." To be honest, I really didn't know much about this talented beauty until my eyes fell in love with her image on the big screen portraying NASA mathematician and engineer Mary Jackson in the 2017 Academy Awards "Best Picture" nominated film "Hidden Figures." (Bonus thrill: I discovered she was even more charmingly pulchritudinous when I had the thrill of meeting her at the Critics Choice Awards ceremony in LA last year! *sigh*)

Alongside her recent successes as an actress, Janelle had already proven herself as a model, singer, songwriter, rapper and record producer. Not only has Monáe credited Prince as her musical muse, but the two were working together on her new (soon-to-be-released) collection of songs (Dirty Computer) when he passed away.

Janelle explained to Rebecca Bengal of the Guardian, "It's difficult for me to even speak about this because Prince was helping me with the album, before he passed on to another frequency," but noted, "his spirit will never leave me."

And -- after first listening to Monáe's recently released single "Make Me Feel" -- I'm positive His Royal Badness would deliriously approve.

You'll first notice its tongue-in-cheek start, and I mean that literally. "Make Me Feel" kicks-off with mouth-clicks followed by a simple synth groove that'll transport you back to the 80s. In fact, the song immediately reminded me of Prince's 1986 million-seller "Kiss" with its very similar crisp and funky staccato guitar and oral sound effects... but instead of the clicks you hear on Janelle's record, Prince sent kisses. Plus Monáe -- who has described herself as a sexually liberated woman -- provides plenty of sensual Kinsey Scale fluidity that would make Darling Nikki blush.

"It's a celebratory song," she says. "I hope that comes across -- that people feel more free, no matter where they are in their lives, that they feel celebrated. Because I'm about women's empowerment. I'm about agency. I'm about being in control of your narrative and your body." 

Now, for those who might have forgotten, this is what the color purple sounds like.

Jerry's Pick: "Up All Night"

"Up All Night"-Beck

Here's a track that ain't exactly new. In fact, it's been in my iTunes rotation since last September. And to make me really sound like I'm late-to-the-party, an early version of this same Beck song was available via a FIFA video game toward the end of 2016. It was last week -- after noticing Beck's record label (Capitol) was finally putting its push to radio -- when I decided it was a good time to personally exude the awesomeness of "Up All Night."

The other reason for this post is to come to the defense of Beck. I mean, is there a genre that Beck hasn't yet slayed? You see, since "Loser" over 20-years ago, Californian Beck Hansen has become known as the ultimate alt-indie chameleon with studio creations ranging from folk and country to hip-hop and jig-saw jazz. But now -- with the release of "Up All Night" -- some of his longtime fans are screaming "sell-out!"

What's so wrong with making an extremely commercial power-pop dance single with vanilla lyrics and a catchy chorus? Cannot that be counted as one of Beck's ever-changing musical moods? I emphatically declare, "Yes, it can!"

Case in point: Daft Punk's "Get Lucky."

In fact, that was Beck's mission. He explained to Vulture.com, "I was trying not to be afraid of simplicity on this album (Colors). In those respects, the album is quite successful, as its sparkling production, bouncy rhythms and alluring melodies make it irresistibly celebratory and, well, colorful." He said he wanted "to make something that was uplifting, had a lot of energy, and made you want to sing along."

Mission: Accomplished.

Apparently Beck's inspiration for "Up All Night" was born after his first exposure to Pharrell's mega-smash hit "Happy" in 2013. But I recognized a couple of other popular party-anthems he may have subconsciously plagiarized along the way. Anyone else hear shades of "I Can't Feel My Face" (The Weeknd) and "I Can't Stop the Feeling" (Justin Timberlake)? You could also say there are hints of Passion Pit, Foster the People, Fatboy Slim and INXS with a George Michael "Faith"-like compressed-acoustic-guitar-power-strum-styled opening.

Sure, it's Beck's most mainstream single to date, but who cares?! "Up All Night" works. Wonderfully. It just comes with a ton of hashtags.

#Bright #Bold #Vibrant #Dynamic #Poppy #Funky #Festive #HighEnergy #FeelGood #YourNewDanceAllNightLongPartyAnthem #DriveWithTheWindowsDownSummertimeJam

In a nutshell: #Fun

Jerry's Pick: "Mystery of Love"

"Mystery of Love"-Sufjan Stevens

It’s truly unbelievable the effect that music can have on a person. I say this because my new favorite song just ripped my fucking heart out.

"Oh, oh whoa whoa is me..."

When I write about a particular tune I'm currently enamored with, I try to separate it from anything else it may be tied to, like a music video. But in this case, that was almost impossible.

The song is "Mystery of Love" which was written and recorded by Sufjan (pronounced SOOF-yahn) Stevens for the Academy Award nominated film "Call Me By Your Name," a coming-of-age story of a roller-coaster romance between Elio and Oliver set in 1980's Italy. This intimate recording -- paired with an emotional backdrop of innocence and a youthful summer love -- has the power to move through you in waves from deliriously happy to intensely sad and yet unapologetically hopeful. So much feels in just four-minutes.

In an interview with Olivia Dennis of Lindsay magazine, CMBYN director Luca Guadagnino revealed why he invited Stevens onto the project: "I wanted to have a narration that was not the banal usual literary narration," he said. "I wanted it to be more about something that really came from the soul. I wanted his epiphany in the movie and I had the privilege that he said 'yes'."

"Mystery of Love" (up for a "Best Song" Oscar next month) was recorded splendidly simple... a banjo, a guitar, a piano mixed with subtle strings and delicate vocals that are almost whispers, make this ballad all the more personal and agonizingly beautiful. Steven's lyrics -- which are full of symbolism -- are hopeful ("The first time that you touched me") yet hopeless ("The last time that you touched me.") But overall, the message ("Blessed by the mystery of love") seems to hint that going all-in with your heart is worth the pain that all too often supervenes.

No matter your gender or sexual orientation, I'm positive those with hearts that have been there will find Sufjan's intimation nostalgically familiar.

"Oh, will wonders ever cease?"

Yes, I'll admit it... "Mystery of Love" breaks my heart in all the right ways.