SUNDAY DROP - SPIN # 115 FROM THE R'NR WITH RYLO RECORD COLLECTION
If you are currently enjoying the Kings Birthday Long Weekend in Australia, Welcome to Sunday! The sun poked its head out from the clouds for a part of yesterday and today and we sure did make use of the outdoors during that time. I'm feeling sore, but strong after completing 405 push-ups over the first 4 days of the Push-Up Challenge for Mental Health Awareness. It doesn't seem like a lot, but each day that figure changes and slowly builds up over the 4 weeks in June. By the 28th of June, I should be looking back on completing 3,249 push ups. Today was my first rest day from completing push-ups and we spent some time with friends. Always good to let the little ones play with their mates too. They had been looking forward to seeing them all week and started crying when we told them we were seeing them on Sunday and not Saturday. I've already reached beyond the $500 I was hoping to raise towards headspace in Wollongong. Thank you all for your generosity. I know it will go towards some much needed support for the youth in our local area.
This weekend we are spinning a later album from the amazing artist, known again as Prince. This album has become a personal favourite of mine and I hope that you have a copy to enjoy. If you have it in your collection, take out LP 1 and place it on your turntable. It's time to drop the stylus on 2006 album - '3121'. I had leant my Prince albums to my parents recently and almost forgot that they still had them. They also like Prince and were experiencing his underrated guitar playing and production by spinning a couple of classics. I'm a newer fan of Prince, I guess I slept on his music up until a few years ago when I was enlightened and I haven't looked back. I only had 'Purple Rain' in the R'nR collection until I got schooled in the ways of the Purple One. I now have six of his albums in the collection and will be looking to add more in the coming years. Do you have any recommendations? I have 'Purple Rain', '3121', 'Controversy', 'Sign of the Times', '1999' and 'Come'.
There is something soothing about his voice, layered over the high quality production that he would have demanded during recording. The album starts off with the title track '3121' and the hip swinging, 'LOLITA'. I say this as I look over towards our two children, they are literally swinging their hips as Prince sings, "Lolita, U're sweeter but U'll never make a cheater outta me". (Yes that is the correct spelling, as per the lyric sheet). The third song on the album really strikes a chord with me. It makes me feel like I'm grounded and listening to some inspiration for the latest, The Mars Volta record. 'TE AMO CORAZON' has a similar sound and is such a soothing song. If you look at the lyrics closely, you will see that Prince has included some emoji's. I'm sure Ben (Waxx Lyrical Legend) would agree with me, that these records are super sexy and funky. I'm sure countless babies have been made during the listening of his albums because they truly are sexual beacons for frivolous behaviour. There is so much swagger dripping off each line during the next track, 'BLACK SWEAT' and it's another favourite track from the album. To be honest, just when I think I've locked down my stand out track from the album, another banging song comes through the Marshall Woburn II speaker and I'm back to square one. On 'INCENSE AND CANDLES', Tamar offers additional vocals in the duet style song and there is also a bit of spoken word thrown in for good measure.
A funny moment happened with our kids this week. Our daughter has been talking a lot more and she was pretending to build something with her brothers toy hammer. She doesn't call it a hammer though. I quote - "Dad, I dropped my knockers". Night Kat Kiz and I have a laugh every time she refers to the toy hammer as her knockers. "Oh no, my knockers!". The beats being made on this album are severely underrated. As I was writing about our daughter, the next song, 'LOVE' started playing. I can't help tapping along as Prince sings, "Like a bird flying over the hilltops. Love is like the sky U know, it never stops. From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Love is whatever....whatever...U want it 2 b". See Ben, this is why I couldn't confirm which track was our favourite!
Earlier in the week, our son wanted to stay awake and watch something on television with Night Kat Kiz and I. I think we were watching Ramsay's Hell on Wheels show and we said that he could stay up if he met certain conditions. He had to say his alphabet backwards (using the letters from his book as assistance). If he made a mistake, he would then need to go to bed. He didn't make a mistake. The next condition was he had to eat an apple that was cut into slices. He doesn't love apple but it was funny watching him show determination to stay up. Our son put the slice of apple towards his mouth and took a bite. Night Kat Kiz and I could see his lips curling up, almost as if he was going to dry heave. As he ate it, he looked up and said "so.....good". That was it! I lost it and started laughing deep belly laughs uncontrollably. He admitted defeat eventually but it was good to see that he has gumption.
I can't remember the last time that I laughed that hard and it really is good for you and your soul. We get so busy with our lives and the pressures of money, that we often lose sight of these moments. I had to capture it here so they can look back and read about it when they're older. The image within the gatefold is of a house in LA - 1235 Sierra Alta Way, that actually belonged to NBA player - Carlos Boozer. Prince rented it out during the time and threw some epic parties, changed the carpet, added his symbol and even a hair salon. There are a lot of images online of the changes he made. One that I like a lot was putting his symbol on the pool table felt. I couldn't get a better image, but see below for an example. 'THE WORD' is an incredible song performed and arranged entirely by Prince. It made our children stop and shuffle around the room like they were a choo choo train. It's funny seeing what effect different music has on them. This album is definitely one that you put on to lift your mood and spirits and another track that is as easy to listen too as it is breathing air comes on - 'BEAUTIFUL, LOVED AND BLESSED'. I don't think this album gets enough praise and hopefully writing about it helps more people discover it's beauty.
Plus, the finale song is called, 'GET ON THE BOAT'. No, it's not like the song from Step Brothers movie (Boats 'n' Hoes), but it is just as enjoyable. I might have to record it and make it my ringtone for when I'm getting on boats at work. There is a cacophony of sound coming through the speaker and it seems like a perfect way to end an essential album to own in your collection. If you don't have it, go and buy a copy! Thanks for taking time out of your weekend to catch up with us here at R'nR with Rylo. I hope that you enjoyed yourselves and discovered another album that you need to own. Hug your loved ones, enjoy a good laugh with friends and family and don't be afraid to let loose from time to time. Something a bit heavier might be next week. I can't remember what I've chosen, but check in on Wednesday for our MWSP clues.
Until our next Spin......
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