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22 December 2023
Vinnie gave Schmall: Vic Ruggiero - Living In Sin/Understanding New Jersey
“What the hell is this crap, Vinnie?”
That's what I expected to be saying after listening to his latest contribution to my iTunes library. But I’m not. Instead, I’m diggin’ it like a necrophiliac in a graveyard. Vic Ruggiero (pronounced Ru-jer-oh, or Roo-gear-oo or,.. hell, I don’t know.) has walked the fine line of making music that’s catchy and folksy without being stupid and/or pretentious. It’s a little Woody Guthrie, a little Elvis Costello, and almost no Beyonce Knowles.
Which is a little surprising, because I know how much Vinnie likes Beyonce.
Living In Sin/Understanding New Jersey is the kind of album I’d like to have listened to on a record player while sitting on my front porch, feeling completely laid-back. I don’t have a front porch or a record player, so I listened to it on my computer while sitting on my couch and playing video games. That worked, too. I felt about 75-80% laid-back.
Particularly so, while listening to, “Papa Told Me” and “Out Of My Window”. Didn’t have to think. Didn’t have to ponder anything deep. Just sat back and felt good. Things pick up a bit in places. Most notably on “Tree City USA” and “I Didn’t Think”. But totally in a good way. Like Vic threw together these songs while sitting outside on a particularly sunny day when he was feeling good about life in general. Sure, the lyrics aren’t always shiny and happy (in fact, they’re pretty serious if you listen closely), but I always feel happier after listening to it.
You will, too.
Schmall gave Vinnie: The Roots - Phrenology
Dear ?uestlove and crew,
Forgive me for ever having doubted Phrenology’s excellence. Months before any singles were leaked out to the world, the excitement and anticipation was killing me. A new Roots album? The next step in the evolution of one of the most solid hip-hop artists around? I couldn’t sleep, couldn’t eat. Then “Break You Off” came out to play. I was confused. This was not what I had expected. It didn’t seem to fully encompass the magnitude of what I had seen you do live. (Same with your live album. That was great, but for people who listen to it, but have never experienced your live show in the flesh, they have no idea what they’re missing. For real.) So I waited.
People told me it was good, and others said it was so-so. I was torn. No one would loan it to me. No one would buy it for me. I needed to hear it, to know what to expect. Then, many months later, a friend of mine slips me a copy of it. And I felt terrible.
Phrenology is beautiful. Unbelievable. I loved Things Fall Apart, but this shit is insane! It has everything your live show had-- the skill, the variety, the intensity. And it’s definitely a new step forward. Christ, whenever “Water” kicks in, I’m done for. I get so amped and excited, I feel like I could tear a city down and rebuild it, three times doper! Black Thought is too damn underrated. He kills it on this record. He always does. “Pussy Galore”? “Thought at Work”? “Sacrifice”? “Quills”?
Damn. I think I named almost every song.
Please don’t hate me, Roots. I will never doubt you again. Ever.
Forgiven?
- Vinnie
PS: STARTING the album with Ursula Rucker’s sweet voice? Ooh,.. you hooked me right then and there.
PURCHASE THIS OR SIMILAR ITEMS
“What the hell is this crap, Vinnie?”
That's what I expected to be saying after listening to his latest contribution to my iTunes library. But I’m not. Instead, I’m diggin’ it like a necrophiliac in a graveyard. Vic Ruggiero (pronounced Ru-jer-oh, or Roo-gear-oo or,.. hell, I don’t know.) has walked the fine line of making music that’s catchy and folksy without being stupid and/or pretentious. It’s a little Woody Guthrie, a little Elvis Costello, and almost no Beyonce Knowles.
Which is a little surprising, because I know how much Vinnie likes Beyonce.
Living In Sin/Understanding New Jersey is the kind of album I’d like to have listened to on a record player while sitting on my front porch, feeling completely laid-back. I don’t have a front porch or a record player, so I listened to it on my computer while sitting on my couch and playing video games. That worked, too. I felt about 75-80% laid-back.
Particularly so, while listening to, “Papa Told Me” and “Out Of My Window”. Didn’t have to think. Didn’t have to ponder anything deep. Just sat back and felt good. Things pick up a bit in places. Most notably on “Tree City USA” and “I Didn’t Think”. But totally in a good way. Like Vic threw together these songs while sitting outside on a particularly sunny day when he was feeling good about life in general. Sure, the lyrics aren’t always shiny and happy (in fact, they’re pretty serious if you listen closely), but I always feel happier after listening to it.
You will, too.
Schmall gave Vinnie: The Roots - Phrenology
Dear ?uestlove and crew,
Forgive me for ever having doubted Phrenology’s excellence. Months before any singles were leaked out to the world, the excitement and anticipation was killing me. A new Roots album? The next step in the evolution of one of the most solid hip-hop artists around? I couldn’t sleep, couldn’t eat. Then “Break You Off” came out to play. I was confused. This was not what I had expected. It didn’t seem to fully encompass the magnitude of what I had seen you do live. (Same with your live album. That was great, but for people who listen to it, but have never experienced your live show in the flesh, they have no idea what they’re missing. For real.) So I waited.
People told me it was good, and others said it was so-so. I was torn. No one would loan it to me. No one would buy it for me. I needed to hear it, to know what to expect. Then, many months later, a friend of mine slips me a copy of it. And I felt terrible.
Phrenology is beautiful. Unbelievable. I loved Things Fall Apart, but this shit is insane! It has everything your live show had-- the skill, the variety, the intensity. And it’s definitely a new step forward. Christ, whenever “Water” kicks in, I’m done for. I get so amped and excited, I feel like I could tear a city down and rebuild it, three times doper! Black Thought is too damn underrated. He kills it on this record. He always does. “Pussy Galore”? “Thought at Work”? “Sacrifice”? “Quills”?
Damn. I think I named almost every song.
Please don’t hate me, Roots. I will never doubt you again. Ever.
Forgiven?
- Vinnie
PS: STARTING the album with Ursula Rucker’s sweet voice? Ooh,.. you hooked me right then and there.
PURCHASE THIS OR SIMILAR ITEMS
artid
1475
Old Image
5_11_vinnie&schmall.jpg
issue
vol 5 - issue 11 (jul 2003)
section
entertainmental