Lo-Key? | Back 2 Da Howse
This 1994 sophomore Lo-Key? album, "Back 2 Da Howse", released on the Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis helmed boutique label, Perspective Records, via A&M Records, is one that was very unique at the time. During the mid '90's, the Urban music scene was that of a very volatile time period, as the OVERLY PUBLICIZED" East Coast vs West Coast" Hip-Hop rivalry took center stage in the media. Lo-Key? originating from the heartland of America, Kansas City, Missouri, steered clear of such childishness, a.k.a., "STUPID B.S. !!!", and kept the FUNK PARTY in full swing on this CRIMINALLY OVERLOOKED album !!!!!
Simply put, "Back 2 Da Howse" is a, "blue lights in the basement, wood paneling on all four walls, slow grinding with a honey against the wall, "Good Times" or "The Jeffersons" playing on the wire hanger antennae TV in the corner, "aww sookie sookie now"chanting, drunk uncle smack talking, soul food scent emanating from the kitchen, lava lamp, with Ben E. King's "Supernatural Thing", followed by Willie Hutch's "Brother's Gonna Work It Out" blasting from those 1970's long football field looking oak wood stereos" .... type of record.
Co-Produced by Lo-Key? bandmates, keyboardist/programmer Lance Alexander, and lead & background vocalist/songwriter prof. t., this 16 track "Funk Odyssey" is a throwback to a time in the '70's when self contained Funk bands wrote, arranged and produced their own music. Unfortunately, this is a lost art in today's doldrum R&B scene. Now, let's go back to HOWSE, and check out some of the jams this band was kicking ! .... "You Jive Turkey !"
Album title, "Back 2 Da Howse", with it's hip hop fused drum beat, snare, Mini-Moog sounds performed by Lance, {I take it he's playing an earlier model of the Moog Synthesizer before they made them more compact}, group member T-Bone gangsta smooth electric bass line in which he laid down throughout the entire CD, this track is one that the west coast Dr. Dre wished he produced. Along with co-lead singers Dre & prof, the rhythm slides & glides like you're at a Bar-B-Que.
On "Don't Trip On Me", with it's "Parliafunkadelicment Thang" groove, starts off with a George Clinton like vocal intro, then goes deep into the funk ! Lance's Ohio Player's "Funky Worm" Mini-Moog Synthesizer performed lines, quica undertones like that used by Cameo & The P,cool Fender Rhodes by Flyte Tyme alumni, "Big Jim" Wright, and tight group backing vocals sung by Lo-Key?, will have that dance floor packed!
"Getcha Girlfriend", with it's Barry White "Playing Your Game"underlying feel, wah wah guitar, Hammond B3 organ chords, occasional marimba keyboard hits, prof & Dre sharing lead vocal parts {With a touch of ConFunkShun's Michael Cooper styled vocal}, a tad of Snoop Dogg-esque rap thrown in, you have a riding in your 6-4 on Interstate 35 in Kansas City towards Des Moines, Iowa, track !
My personal favorite track, is the Ohio Player'd, Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner lead vocalTIZED, Billy Beck backing vocal inspired, "We Ain't Right". It'll remind you of the classic O.P. track "Lets' Love" .... but done in the "key"of Lo-Key? Mellow vocals, light percussions, Christopher Cross "Sailin'" acoustic guitar undertones, will remind you of the day you brought home The Ohio Players " Honey" vinyl album when it first came out in 1975. .... Oh ! BTW, the lyrical subject matter of this song is that of, ahem, ...... a "Tiger Woods" nature ..... nuff said !
There are LOTS of other tracks on this album I'd LOVE to talk about, but out of respect to my fellow colleagues here at "The Urban Music Scene", I'm going to save some bandwidth for them to bless you with their literal genius. But I hope I gave you a clear idea where Lo-Key? went with this album. I'm sorry it was NOT promoted they way it should have been during the time of it's release, and it's a shame too ! Quite simply? ..... IT'S A DARN GOOD RECORD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ..... and with that being said ?!?!
I, Randy Holmes of "The Urban Music Scene", has pleaded guilty for being under the influence of : The Ohio Players, The Bar-Kays, Bootsy, TheDazz Band, ConFunkShun, Isaac Hayes, Cameo, Curtis Mayfield, Switch, Zapp & Roger, Marvin Gaye, Parliament/Funkadelic, The Gap Band, The Isley Bros., Gil Scott-Heron, Jam & Lewis, Bobby Womack, Al Green,Norman Connors, SLAVE, Earth, Wind & Fire, Faze-O, Heatwave, Mtume, Pleasure, Stevie Wonder, Johnny "Guitar" Watson, George Duke, and last,but certainly not least, Lo-Key? (This last paragraph was, and say the following three words like Max Julian of the 1973 blaxploitation film "The Mack" ..."Ripped Off Man !!" ... from the liner notes of this album.
Happy Listening !
Randy Holmes
The Urban Music Scene
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