I'm so into Guy

I'm having sort of a new jack swing renaissance, taste-wise, lately. I blame it on the spring-like weather -- for some reason, new jack swing just feels warm to me. On a whim, I made Tammy Lucas' version of "Is It Good to You" my ringtone, but what's been really fueling my hunger is this two-disc special edition reissue of the first Guy album that came out last year. Packaged with the original album is a 45-minute bonus disc of six 12" remixes of singles from the album. I'm sorry to get all Time Life infomercial here, but having all those previously vinyl-only mixes in one place is insanely awesome. Even though the special edition was released in July, I didn't buy it until the last week of 2007, which sucks because it would have been No. 1 on the reissues second of my Idolator ballot.

I have no idea why this album was rereleased except to appeal to the small segment of the music-geek community that cares about new jack swing (or maybe the smaller segment within that group to whom Guy is not too black or obscure). And Prince fans, apparently. But whatever, I'm just glad that they did it. The best thing about these bonus remixes is that they sound infinitely better than their album-version counterparts -- I don't know if Teddy Riley ran his sound feed through muddy water or what, but the sound on the first Guy album is fucking murky. Why, oh why hasn't it been remastered? Anyway, the remixes hail from a time when remixing meant not revising a track's musical basis entirely, but just sort of beefing it up with choppy editing and sound effects. It makes for dynamic tracks that sound particularly obsessed with the what now feels like meager technology at Riley's fingertips. The track I'm most obsessed with, "I Like," is the most revamped with a more pronounced beat to push it from mid-tempo ballad territory into being a straight-up dance jam. If gay marriage and music marriage were both legal, I would have proposed to this track at this point. I love that the percussion is constantly shifting -- it's truly, truly exciting...especially when it goes backwards.

I did end up getting the 12", as you can see in my scan above. Maybe even more than the song, I'm fucking obsessed with the single cover because the three members of Guy are, like, seriously in like and all with different things: Timmy Gatling likes Aaron Hall, Aaron likes the glasses he's wearing and Teddy Riley likes that by sitting where he's sitting, it looks like Aaron's pocket carnation is tucked behind his ear. God, remember when shit was just, like, inherently gay always? I look at our culture now and I see nothing but regression.

Oh and this new jack swing re-obsession caused me to (of course) troll YouTube for videos of SWV performing "Weak" live, which are all ridiculous in their own way. I like the one below the best:

And you know why I like it so much? One word: nails. Coko is so fucking inspiring:

Oh wait, this one's even better:

 

Comments

[Hateraid]

"I Like" and "Piece of My Love" are classics of New Jack Swing.

I have a new found respect for you Rich.

[Jacbak]

I love that you dig this genre! You just made my day.

[miss nee]

I LOVED Guy's first album and still play it to this day.

Bless Teddy Riley and New Jack Swing.

*Turns on "Groove Me"*

[Kristasphere]

Are you sure you aren't black? :-)

One note, that isn't Timmy Gatling, that's Damion Hall, brother of Aaron. "That's Aaron, that's Dame, and I'm Ted-dy" is what Teddy raps on one of the songs that escapes me.

Still this is a good look. I have fond memories of new jack swing rocking many a party and cookout during that era.

[bee]

you say: "I have no idea why this album was rereleased except to appeal to the small segment of the music-geek community that cares about new jack swing (or maybe the smaller segment within that group to whom Guy is not too black or obscure)."

is guy really considered an obscure footnote in "urban" music? i thought they would always be considered a super important group!!! it freaks me out when those crazy kids of today have no idea who teddy riley is. that's like not knowing who timbaland is.

[yungrii]

this music does nothing for me, so instead i am just going to focus on swv's crazy nails. i forgot how absolutely implausible those were. she must have had a bidet, i mean, can you imagine how many hours she would have to dedicate to cleaning her behind with those claws?

[kitty]

She'd be spending hours cleaning her behind AND THEN cleaning everything that got under her nails. Eww.

[DJ Danny Shaffer]

Wow, I was trolling around the video sites for SWV this week as well.. Check out this interview with Coko:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=-xIMnDweIzs

[RD]

Saleisha's awful, infamous ANTM haircut--also inspired by Leanne "Lelee" Lyons.

[Bapril]

I bought a SWV Christmas CD about 3 years ago for 99 cent at a music store that was going out of business and it's been in my holiday rotation ever since. SWV covering "My Favorite Things"? Manna from Heaven. I think they actually mention macaroni-n-cheese. For truth.

[mskoko]

Koko should have been bigger than she was. That part at the end where she hands it off to Lelee, "kick it Lelee". And then takes it right back with that firecracker display of melisma had the makings of diva written all over it. That and the nails - which is to Koko as hair was to Diana Ross or sweat was to Whitney.

[Jesse]

I'm still bitter that my high school prom committee stuffed the ballot box so "Let's Chill" wasn't my prom song! (Instead it was that bullshit Tevin Campbell "Tomorrow" song. Bah!)

[produzentin]

I wish Guy were Gay.

[somedude]

new jack swing is probably one of the most underrated styles/periods of music.. it's alot better than much of what's coming out these days that's fo shizzle. great post!

Ohhhhh SWV! I had that cassette & WORE IT OUT. My favorite was "Is my living in vain?", which can barely be called a song... and though I am not "religious", it made me cry just about every damn time I played it. The other day it was actually on the radio (viva Jack fm!) and gave me chills. Still. Sisters with Voices, man... they kill it every time.
Jules
House of Jules

[Maryland grad]

Sooo thrilled to see you bringing up Guy. I thought everyone had forgotten about them after TR started Blackstreet. Very, very nice Rich. I'm always excited to see what you are going to bring up next.

[Pete]

Rich

I love you are as Jersey as I am

[Alex]

I adore the new header so much!
It's Fourfour, not cry cry!

[dalia]

i like! let's chill so you can groove me.

i'm stupid, i know, but also delirious, 'cause i just downloaded one of my fave new jack tunes, like, ever!

thanks rich!

[Law Diva 1908]

Yep that's Damion, Timmy Gatling was originally in the group and is on the original cover of the first album (Guy) but had been replaced by the time the group was introduced to the public with Aaron's brother Damion

[superlotado]

Wasn't "Is My Living in Vain" Xscape, though? Regardless, loved them both.

[kate]

I wore this cassette single out-"Sugar, I LOVE YOU!" This was and still is my favorite song, never fails to put my heart in a good place. I adore you Rich!

[Janine]

I echo bee's "is Guy really obscure" comment? Maybe it's just my inner-philly optimism (huh?) that expects that people recognize. Anyway, next time I'm in town will you dance to "I Wanna Get With You" with me????????

[mamabraxas]

Thank you thank you thank you! I *still* wear out all my New Jack Swing CDs and i don't know why Teddy Riley and the genre in general don't get the ass-licking respect they deserve. Hell, i was running to "Her" in the rain yesterday thinking that it might be the most perfect piece of dance R&B in the history of asses that shake. Thanks for the post, Rich. Scuse me while i go put "Rub You the Right Way" on repeat.

[bob smith]

in my condishun i dont wanna be a-looooone