Nathaniel Merriweather - Lovage
Music To Make Love To Your Old Lady By produced by Dan "The Automator" Nakamura the creative force behind barrier breaking, think-outside-the-box projects such as Gorillaz, Deltron 3030, Octagon, and Handsome Boy Modeling School fame, is a collector's piece. There is serious creativity at work here with serious music as the result. Don't let the tongue-in-cheek presentation fool you, nor the humorous interlude (Herbs, Good Hygiene & Socks featuring Afrika Bambaataa). Music To Make Love To Your Old Lady By is a "5 stars out of 5 stars" release.
I had to laugh at myself when I started recall instances where I would've had this CD set on repeat as I chilled wine and lit candles in preparation for the evening to come. Breathy vocals, sultry moans and groans; tasty samples and a delicious sense of pushing it to the edge without ever sounding contrived make this the absolutely unique offering that it is. Look beyond the knowing humor and camp presentation. As Jennifer Charles dreamily and lustfully intones on the second track, Pit Stop (Take Me Home), "…Take me home, what a wonderful way (to go)."
Lovage was used by the ancient Greeks, who chewed the seed to aid digestion and relieve flatulence. Also in Europe a decoction of lovage was said to be a good aphrodisiac that no witch worthy of the name could be without.
Lovage is best experienced through submission. Let yourself taste the pleasures without questioning the feast. If your inherent sensuality and musical tastes are even remotely conjoined you must pick up this album, you will not regret it.
music to make love to your old lady by
All the songs here were written by the trio of Dan The Automator, Mike Patton (Faith No More, Mr. Bungle) & Jennifer Charles (Elysian Fields). The sole exception is a cover version of Sex (I'm A) written by John Crawford, David Diamond and Terri Nunn of Berlin (Geffen). Each offering is far closer to performance art than straight presentation.
Nakamura wields samples, beats and scratches as if he were conducting the London Symphony Orchestra. Take for example the track Anger Management, which blends romantic strings and piano with Tom Jones styled vocals "…in all my dreams, I never thought I'd see a face that could launch a thousand ships… why must God punish me," and an Endless Summer/Summer of '42 refrain. Trust me, it works, "And can't you see, we could have had it all."
Everyone Has A Summer (they want to remember) features Kid Koala on the decks scratching masterfully to enhance, not over power. Sampled sound bytes from a Hollywood gone by, hip-hop breaks and subtle harmonica accompaniment set a mood that is both whimsical and entrancing.
Book Of The Month: anyone who has ever been lucky enough to see the cult-classic movie Manhunter - the first in the Hannibal Lecter/Silence of the Lambs trilogy will remember the haunting scene where the troubled loner, antagonist Francis Dollarhyde (Tom Noonan) lies in bed with Reba McClane (Joan Allen). Reba is asleep with her arm embracing Dollarhyde after their night of intimacy, the scene is one of the best from the movie first because of its emotional impact (Dollarhyde has never known intimacy, hence his psychopathic search for love) and secondly because of the superb soundtrack.
Dollarhyde lies awake and taking Reba's hand, covers his mouth with it as tears well up in his eyes. He begins to sob: someone has finally shown him love. As the scene unfolds the musical score adds to the melodrama so effectively that even though Dollarhyde is a serial killer, there is so much sympathy evoked that it would be almost tempting to forgive him of his crimes. He just wants to be loved. Book of the Month nails it with the same chilling effect.
Strangers On A Train: What can you say about a song that evokes a visual journey of a trans-European train trip set in a black & white movie? Jennifer Charles is at her best as the sultry traveler who introduces herself with "Pardon me sir, is this seat taken?" And then follows with "You are very charming sir… The stiff one is my specialty."
Add to this a very competent cover of Berlin's Sex (I'm A), the soothing strings of Koala's Lament and the darkly erotic, gothic Archie & Veronica, "Flowers from the grave (I never loved you)… little buttercups and wild daisies by the lily pond remember baby…" "Sitting on a cold slab, feeling my warm stab, you know I'll be missing you. That's why I'm kissing you." "Flowers from the grave… I never loved you." Jennifer Charles and Mike Patton dressed in black.
Nathaniel Merriweather aka Dan "The Automator" Nakamura's Lovage provides more than just Music To Make Love To Your Old Lady By, it allows the listener a taste of what is possible when creativity is allowed to roam… even if it's randy as caged rabbit.
Review by jack "papa" baer - December 12th, 2001
©2001-2005 BIGBAER.com
Dan the Automator: Lovage, Wanna Buy a Monkey & Deltron 3030.
Lovage Lyrics: Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By [Stroker Ace]
