Shara Nelson - What Silence Knows (1993)

Shara Nelson came up with Massive Attack, singing and/or cowriting almost half of Blue Lines, including "Safe from Harm" and "Unfinished Sympathy", their first two hits. Aside from one non-album track, that's where her involvement with The Wild Bunch ends, and I'm guessing it's because she started pursuing a solo career. What Silence Knows, her first solo record, is built on the same kind of danceable, soulful trip-hop that she made with Massive Attack, but skew more pop/R&B/soul. It's a great record, and I think it sold moderately well in England, but it didn't make much of an impression anywhere else, and seems to have largely fallen from pop cultural memory.

Track listing:

1. Nobody

2. Pain Revisited

3. One Goodbye in 10

4. Inside Out

5. Uptight

6. Down That Road

7. Chance

8. Thoughts of You

9. How Close

10. What Silence Knows

But if you hurt what's mine

I'll sure as hell retaliate

If you like this, listen to:

A Guy Called Gerald - Essence (2000)

HÆLOS - Full Circle (2016)

Guitar Red - Hard Times (1976)

First and only solo album by Guitar Red, aka Chicagoan guitarist Paul Johnson. Hard Times rides the fine lines between soul, funk, and old-school rhythm and blues, with a lo-fi, synth-y, drum machine-driven twist. I get that Guitar Red was the man's stage name and that he had a career outside of making this album, but guitar really takes a backseat to synth here. The kind of record that was destined from day one to be ignored by the many and absolutely adored by the few, then reissued by some boutique label a few decades later. Wish I could remember which of the old mp3 blogs I got this from -- Mutant Sounds, maybe? 

(The title track is not to be confused with the classic Baby Huey track of the same name.)

Track listing:

1. Hard Times

2. Fantasy

3. Share Your Love

4. Space and Time

5. Sad Day

6. Disco from a Space Show

7. Love Walked In

8. Sad Day - Inst.

Today I saw the rat in the alley eating onions and crying

If you like this, try:

The Diddys Featuring Paige Douglas - Agony & Extasy (1977)

The Kaplan Brothers - Nightbird (1978)

How to Dress Well - Just Once (2011)

Still my favorite How to Dress Well record. The Just Once EP strips away the harshly lo-fi textures, beats, and samples, leaving behind just Krell's emotive vocals awash in the stately melancholy of a string quartet.

Track listing:

1. Suicide Dream 1 (Orchestral Version)

2. Suicide Dream 2 (Orchestral Version)

3. Suicide Dream 3 (Orchestral Version)

4. Decisions (Orchestral Version)

What would it mean to live a life that wasn't like this?

If you like this, listen to:

Beacon - No Body (2012) + For Now (2012)

James Ferraro - Cold (2013)

Wally Badarou - Back to Scales To-Night (1980)

Related:

M - The Official Secrets Act (1980)

Debut solo record from synth/keyboard session man Wally Badarou; I'm not even going to try to start naming all the great artists he's played with. Laid-back, synth-fueled, reggae-tinged lite funk/pop-rock/R&B that's positively perfect for summer nights. Yes, his second album, Echoes, is his masterpiece, but DO NOT sleep on this record.

Track listing:

1. Back to Scales Tonight

2. Sing Me Your Song

3. One Day, Won't Give It Away

4. Dream on the Sand

5. London Town (Instrumental)

6. He Was a Rasta in London Town

7. She Turns Me On

8. Lady Finger Blue (Instrumental)

9. Preachin'

Leaving this place

If you like this, listen to:

Wayne Henderson - Emphasized (1979)

Kimiko Kasai - Kimiko (1982)

Was (Not Was) - Are You O.K.? (1990)

Previously on OPIUM HUM:
Was (Not Was) - Was (Not Was) (1981)

Brilliant fourth album by art-funk iconoclasts Was (Not Was). Crafting pop-rooted songs whose true genius only reveals itself upon close listening was always this band's specialty, and they never did it better than they do here -- if you're not paying attention, "In K-Mart Wardrobe" pretty much sounds like an impeccably produced ad jingle.

Track listing:
1. Are You Okay?
2. Papa Was a Rolling Stone
3. I Feel Better Than James Brown
4. How the Heart Behaves
5. Maria Navarro
6. I Blew Up the United States
7. In K-Mart Wardrobe
8. Elvis' Rolls Royce
9. Dressed to Be Killed
10. Just Another Couple Broken Hearts
11. You! You! You!
12. Look What's Back (Out Come the Freaks)

Broiled chickens sang us love songs from the skewer
Have you ever been this close to going down the sewer?

You should also hear:

Nile Rodgers -
B-Movie Matinee (1985)

Che -
Narcotic (1985)

Taana Gardner - Taana Gardner (1979)

Sultry, hella-groovy disco. Gardner's a gifted, emotive vocalist, and her higher-register voice occasionally suggests what it might sound like if Kate Bush made a disco record. If the opening groove on "When You Touch Me" hasn't been sampled for a rap song, folks are seriously dropping the ball.

Track listing:
1. When You Touch Me
2. We Got to Work It Out
3. Just Be a Friend
4. Paradise Express
5. Work That Body

Ain't nothing above it
Oh, how I love it

Also listen to:

THP -
THP #2: Tender Is the Night (1978)

Musique -
Musique II (1979)

Res - How I Do (2001)

A true gem of artful but pop-oriented neosoul with tinges of reggae. How I Do is front-to-back tight, but I feel like I have to specifically mention "They-Say Vision", a minor hit that's one of my all-time favorite pop songs.



Track listing:
1. Golden Boys
2. They-Say Vision
3. 700 Mile Situation
4. Ice King
5. Sittin' Back
6. How I Do
7. If There Ain't Nothing
8. The Hustler
9. I've Known the Garden
10. Let Love
11. Tsunami

I wanna try that pill that people take
That makes them believe all the things that people say

You might also enjoy:

Eg and Alice -
24 Years of Hunger (1991)

Milosh -
III (2008)

Overweight Pooch - Female Preacher (1991)

Old-school 90s hip-hop gold from a virtual unknown. My older brother was one of the many suburban white kids who got into rap via Vanilla Ice, and given his complete lack of knowledge of the form, he mostly ended up with a bunch of random cassingles, of which "Ace Is a Spade" was one of my favorites. (I was like 8 at the time, so my main takeaway was that her name was hilarious.) Some subtly subversive stuff for sure -- see "Who's Pimping Who" -- but nothing heady or serious enough to get in the way of the party.

Track listing:
1. Feeling Good
2. Ace Is a Spade
3. Boogie-In
4. Pooch's Pimpin' Playhouse / Who's Pimping Who
5. Kickin' da Blues
6. I Like It
7. Female Preacher
8. The Overweight Jam
9. Queen of Rap
10. Hip House Party
11. Chat Trax

I don't think they have a clue

You should also listen to:

Luscious Jackson -
In Search of Manny (1992)

Kokane -
Funk upon a Rhyme (1994)

Alexander O'Neal - Alexander O'Neal (1985)

Bulletproof debut LP from Minneapolis soul great Alexander O'Neal. A seven-song sequence of sleek, late-night slow jams with just a whiff of electro-funk, and endless replay value.

Track listing:
1. A Broken Heart Can Mend
2. If You Were Here Tonight
3. Do You Wanna Like I Do
4. Look at Us Now
5. Medley: Innocent/Alex 900/Innocent II
6. What's Missing
7. You Were Meant to Be My Lady (Not My Girl)

I was yours and you were mine

You'll probably also enjoy:

George Howard -
Asphalt Gardens (1982)

Kimiko Kasai -
Kimiko (1982)

Billy Paul - War of the Gods (1973)

Monumental, ornate psychedelic soul. Given Billy Paul's then-recent success with "Me and Mrs. Jones", it would appear that his record company was prepared to throw some money his way, and he took full advantage by producing the kind of compositionally and instrumentally ambitious album that can be hard to pull off, especially back in the day, without the proper budget. Spacious songs with a cloudy, shimmering feel courtesy of an extensive backing band that incorporates horns, strings, harp, synth, and more.

Track listing:
1. I See the Light
2. War of the Gods
3. The Whole Town's Talking
4. I Was Married
5. Thanks for Saving My Life
6. Peace Holy Peace

The time has come for bad things to end
The time has come for life to begin
The time has come for the war of the gods

If you like this, you should also listen to:

Phil Flowers and His United Family -
Alpha and Omega (1973)

Angelo Bond -
Bondage (1975)

Che - Narcotic (1989)

A criminally overlooked goldmine of inventive, synth-y art-funk/pop. Starts off sounding like a lost Prince album, and ends up taking on a sinister, almost industrial quality. Records like this languishing in obscurity is a great reason to not believe in God.

Track listing:
1. Scream Like a Swift
2. Fireflies in Summer
3. I Wish He Didn't Trust Me So Much
4. Moving the Silence
5. Imperfections
6. Be My Powerstation
7. Jerusalem
8. View from a New Perspective
9. Celebrating Life

I'm scared of what I'd do

You'll probably also enjoy:

Mazarati -
Mazarati (1987)

Eg and Alice -
24 Years of Hunger (1991)

Godley & Creme - The History Mix Volume 1 (1985)

Kevin Godley and Lol Crème were founding members of 10cc who left the band in 1976, shortly after the band's commercial breakthrough, to form a duo. The History Mix Volume 1 serves as a perfect introduction to the world of Godley & Creme, and not just because it's their best album and it contains one of my absolute favorite songs -- much of the record consists of songs and musical elements from throughout their career (including with 10cc), completely remixed and presented as parts of epic, mind-melting megamixes.

Track listing:
1. Wet Rubber Soup / Cry
2. Expanding the Business / The 'Dare You' Man / Hum Drum Boys in Paris / Mountain Tension
3. Light Me Up
4. An Englishman in New York
5. Save a Mountain for Me
6. Golden Boy
7. Cry (Extended Remix) [Bonus track]
8. Snack Attack (Extended Remix) [Bonus track]

You don't know how to ease my pain

You might also like:

Jane Siberry -
The Walking (1987)

Eg and Alice -
24 Years of Hunger (1991)

The Deele - Eyes of a Stranger (1987)

Smooth, synth-y, slow-burning R&B from a group that included Babyface. Def some Prince influence at work here. "Two Occasions" is one of the all-time great slow jams, and the rest of the album isn't far behind.

Track listing:
1. Two Occasions
2. Shoot 'Em Up Movies
3. Let No One Separate Us
4. Eyes of a Stranger
5. Can-U-Dance
6. She Wanted
7. Hip Chic
8. So Many Thangz
9. Eyes of a Stranger (Reprise)

I only think of you on two occasions
That's day and night

Also listen to:

Roger -
The Saga Continues (1984)

Mazarati -
Mazarati (1987)

Teena Marie - Starchild (1984)

Slick 80s pop that takes equally from airy disco, electro-funk, slow-burning R&B, and twinkly soft rock. Teena Marie certainly got an initial boost from her friendship and collaborative relationship with Rick motherfucking James, but her best albums (Starchild, for instance) came when Teena took the creative reins.

Track listing:
1. Lovergirl
2. Help Youngblood Get to the Freaky Party
3. Out on a Limb
4. Alibi
5. Jammin'
6. Starchild
7. We've Got to Stop (Meeting Like This)
8. My Dear Mr. Gaye
9. Light

White lines on the dresser

More, more, more!:

Adrian Gurvitz -
Il Assassino (1980)

Mazarti -
Mazarti (1987)

Mazarati - Mazarati (1987)

Well, there's no way around this: Mazarati is a shameless rip-off of Prince and the Revolution. Released by Prince's Paisley Park Records, it's the exact same mix of 80s funk, chiming keyboards, pop beats, rock guitar shredding, and slightly effeminate vocals. Less effective songs, of course, but still, who the fuck doesn't wish there were a lost 80s Prince record floating around out there somewhere?

Track listing:
1. Players' Ball
2. Lonely Girl on Bourbon Street
3. 100 M.P.H.
4. She's Just That Kind of Lady
5. Stroke
6. Suzy
7. Strawberry Love
8. I Guess It's All Over

Make me shout

Child Actor - Promise EP (2013)

Hazy, R&B-ish electropop. Music to fall in love to, then make sweet, sweet love by. Free/pay as you will via bandcamp.

Track listing:
1. Everything Falling Star
2. Ordinary World
3. Promise
4. Mirror

Here it comes again

Nona Hendryx - SkinDiver (1989)

An alluring, lush album of artfully crafted, R&B-flavored, downtempo pop. From what I understand, SkinDiver is a relatively experimental outlier in Hendryx's otherwise radio-friendly discography, and the only other one I've heard, Female Trouble, is certainly enjoyable, but also seems to confirm this. SO explore her other records at your own risk.

Track listing:
1. Off the Coast of Love
2. Women Who Fly
3. No Emotion
4. Love Is Kind
5. Tears
6. Skin Diver
7. 6th Sense
8. Through the Wire
9. Interior Voices
10. New Desire

There's a man, unaware
He calls it happiness

If you like this, check out:
Eg & Alice - 24 Years of Hunger (1991)

Eg and Alice - 24 Years of Hunger (1991)

24 Years of Hunger is so sophisticated and subtle, it's hard to believe that it's the result of a one-off collaboration between two then-unknowns [EDIT: Ignore that part. An astute commenter noted that Eg previously was a member of a boy band, of whom I had never heard, called Brother Beyond. Do you know them? I guess they had a number of hits. So maybe, just maybe, I should stop pulling ill-informed 'facts' out of my ass.] and not that of a team of seasoned studio veterans. This is mostly laid-back, smooth pop/R&B with simple but evocative lyrics. Kinda reminds me of D'Angelo's Voodoo -- not in the sense that they necessarily sound the same, but that despite being pop records, it's hard to imagine a mainstream audience fully embracing them. So although it makes sense that this record wasn't a hit, the internet really should have granted it more retroactive fame by now.

[9/2/18: Updated with much better rip.]

Track listing:
1. Rockets
2. In a Cold Way
3. Mystery Man
4. And I Have Seen Myself
5. So High So Low
6. New Year's Eve
7. Indian
8. Doesn't Mean That Much to Me
9. Crosstown
10. I Wish

You always talk of suicide
Well, you know that talk is cheap

James Ferraro - Cold (2013)

Desolate, warped electro R&B. Slow, industrial beats, stuttering samples, and autotune/pitchshifting abuse make for the kind of music that an android might make while strung out after a two-week, molly- and blow-fueled bender.

Track listing:
1. Intro
2. Fade
3. Blood Flow
4. E178 TH
5. Light Skinned
6. Dove
7. Sentinel
8. Slave to Rain
9. Coda (Let Me Burn)
10. Gargoyles
11. Plated
12. Tinted Windows
13. Rata
14. C Lord
15. Turned Opp
16. Vapor Weight
17. Outro

Hell

Roger - The Saga Continues (1984)

Second solo album from electrofunk pioneer Roger. During his time with Zapp and as a solo artist, Roger created some of the most irresistibly fun, sample-friendly dance music you'll ever hear. For whatever reason (certainly not its content, as this shit is DOPE) this album doesn't get the same kinda love as The Many Facets of Roger.

Track listing:
1. In the Mix
2. Play Your Guitar, Brother Roger
3. The Break Song
4. I Keep Trying
5. Midnight Hour
6. Bucket of Blood
7. T.C. Song
8. Girl, Cut It Out

I'm gonna wait 'til the stars come out
So I can see that twinkle in your eye