Daddy B. Nice’s replies to your letters – Mailbag January 2020

January 18, 2020: 

RE: “I Love Southern Soul” on Amazon

Gentlemen, 

Happy New Year! 

Have either of you seen the first episode of the Amazon reality show “I Love Southern Soul?” It’s one of the offerings which can be streamed for free with an Amazon Prime account. 

I cannot stress enough that the producers are going for a “Real Housewives”-style affair full of shouting and screaming rather than a more traditional documentary about the genre we all love, but perhaps it will draw some new fans to the music of Stephanie McDee, Rosalyn Candy and whatever artists appear in future episodes. 

Take care, 
Noah 

PS — Daddy is as always free to run my comments in his mailbag. 

Daddy B. Nice notes: 

This letter was cc’d to David Whiteis, whose biography of Denise LaSalle is to be released soon. Both Noah Schaffer and Whiteis write for Living Blues Magazine. 

January 18, 2020:

RE: Best of 2019: Nekita Waller

Hi Daddy B Nice

Thank you for recognizing my friend Nekita Waller’s song.

Nekita was born in Alabama and her parents were raised there. She may have grown up in Connecticut but her southern roots and family are extremely important to her. To be recognized by you is really awesome. I know the song didn’t get much play up here.

I can’t wait to show her your page.

Thank you
Jessica

Daddy B. Nice replies:

Hey, thanks for responding, Jessica. I don’t know if you saw Nikita’s Top 10 Singles charting in March of 2019. You can check it out by going to the Comprehensive Index.

4. “Won’t Stop Loving You”—–Nekita Waller 

Connecticut southern soul! Who woulda thought? Hey, Peggy Scott-Adams recorded her classics in Van Nuys! (That’s Los Angeles.) If it’s got that down-south feeling, it can come from anywhere. And I love the video with the impromptu dancers. Never would have heard this instant classic if not for DJ Sir Rockinghood!

Listen to Nekita Waller singing “Won’t Stop Loving You” on YouTube.

See Daddy B. Nice’s BEST OF 2019.

January 1, 2020:

Daddy B Nice Bias? Music Over Lyrics

Pokey Bear

Dear Daddy B Nice,

I really enjoy your reviews. As a reviewer/critic, do you have any particular biases that would help artists like me?

P.S. Please don’t use my name.

(Anonymous.)

Daddy B Nice replies:

Me? Biases? Are you kidding? Okay, I’ll give you a straight answer. My main and overriding bias. I favor music over lyrics. That doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate lyrics. Lyrics (conveying thoughts) are obviously easier to write about in a review.  And great lyrics, as we all know, will take great music to another level. But what draws me to a song is first and foremost the instrumental track and the vocal–the “sound” of the vocal, not the words.

Crystal Thomas

And it’s often evident in the first few bars of a song, before a singer even gets to the words. That’s what pulls me in. It’s an “ear” thing, a physical thing. I’m looking for a new, favorite melody or dance hook or passionate vocal to get me through the next month of work, commuting and leisure. So as a reviewer, I follow the same formula as I would as a fan.

I do think artists make a mistake by starting with lyrics (sometimes calling it a “concept”) and then searching for music to carry the words. Great lyrics are often wasted if they’re tied to a sub-par instrumental track.

A couple of the most glaring examples of my bias:

Listen to Pokey Bear and Crystal Thomas singing “All I Want Is You”

I was so enamored of the music–the instrumental track (Beat Flippa) and vocals by Pokey Bear and Crystal Thomas (their “sound,” not the words)–including a year-end award (“Best Collaboration”)–that I didn’t realize it was a Christmas song until six months later. And this in spite of the fact “Christmas Eve” is mentioned in the lyrics.

Champagne

Listen to Champagne singing “Mouth On You” on YouTube.

I can’t pretend I didn’t hear the X-rated lyrics to this scandalous Highway Heavy ode to fellatio, but it was the music–Tyree Neal’s incredibly-inspired guitar, H.H.’s smoky, deep-soul organ, and Champagne’s mesmerizing vocal and voice-overs–that hooked me, so much so that I would have given it a #1 if the lyrics had been–

“Let me put my scarf on you.”

Believe it or not.

Daddy B Nice