(Released in 2001 through 75ARK Records)
lov·age n.
A Mediterranean perennial plant (Levisticum officinale) having edible leaves and leafstalks and small, aromatic, seedlike fruit used as seasoning.
This, I guess, is what you would get if you took two grown men who stick their critically acclaimed noses in everybody's business and a husky, deep-voiced siren in the form of an Elysian Fields vocalist and put them
together to piece together a puzzle of a hip-hop album. Yes, yes, yes. You got that right. Another collaboration.
Dan "The Automator" aka Nathaniel Merriweather is at it again, this time with the super-powers of Faith No More/Mr. Bungle/Fantomas/Tomahawk (etc. etc.) mastermind Mike Patton and beautiful chanteuse Jennifer Charles. The three put on a good concoction of mid-crawl, downtempo hip-hop grooves with no rapping at all. This works surprisingly well in this record's case.
In case you haven't already noticed, this album is an aural aphrodisiac. How these fellows deliver the libido however, is as facetious as it gets. With titles such as "Stroker's Ace" and "Sex(I'm A)", one would probably think of it as a mere joke album. A joke album it is, but the sentiment remains the same. Plain and simple, this album oozes SEX from every corner; none of that "pussy licking" jabberwocky, mind you. It's sophisticated erotica to say the least.
The songs themselves can be divided into three categories: sample'd instrumentals, "normal" songs with both Patton and Charles on vox and that occasional casual interlude that add even more fun to the already humorous tone of the album. Tunes such as "Lies And Alibis" and "Everyone Has A Summer" show Dan's trip-hop flexibility, and how without either Mike or Jennifer both tracks can survive on their own. "Koala's Lament" has a strong Spnanish bossa nova-esque feel to it, complemented by turntable musings, which I'm guessing is Kid Koala's doing.
"Stroker's Ace" may be the first song a lot of people heard and liked, and it's not hard to tell why. Its funky big beat horns and with lines such as "stroke that shiny coat, stroking is the antidote/stroke that, it's a start only for the wild at heart", it could pull almost anyone in. My favorite song and arguably the best would be the cover of Berlin's "Sex(I'm A)", which is about (guess) a prostitute. And with Jennifer Charles doing the honors, it has got to be one of the most rewarding and downright titillating experiences ever in the history of music, especially when she starts moaning at the 5 minute mark. Good Lord.
Not to forget the comedic interludes; they play an integral part in the well-being of this record as well. Just wait until you hear Damon Albarn on "Lovage (Love That Lovage, Baby)".
In its bare bones, the band really is just a stripped down, sexified Handsome Boy Modelling School made more posh. The centerpiece of the three, not surprisingly, is the lovely Miss Charles(but that's not to say that Mr. Patton's suave won't lure in the ladies). Beyond all the humor, she is the spiced meat that makes Lovage so delicious. She lets rip her foxy persona and shows everyone how lethal a femme fatale she really is. She gets you thinking whether or not she's lovemaking in the recording. She's that good.
Of course, this album is not for everyone. If you're looking for a bit more technicality, this probably isn't for you.
Music To Make Love To Your Old Lady By is dedicated to all aspiring connoisseurs out there who prefer good ol' innuendo over vulgar cheesiness. Again, Nathaniel Merriweather certainly does deliver and more.
Running out of excuses to make love to your old lady? Well this may just be the best reason to.
