SOUNDTRACK: SHELLEY [fka D.R.A.M.]-Tiny Desk (Home) Concert #198 (April 26, 2021).
I’m always puzzled by the FKA in a singer’s name. Is it part of the singer’s name? Is this singer’s official name Shelley FKA D.R.A.M.? I don’t think so, I think it’s just for us to know who Shelley used to be.
When D.R.A.M. played the Tiny Desk back in 2017, he made a couple of things clear to us: His playfully dynamic personality was primed for the spotlight, and beneath the catchy hooks, there’s a real singer waiting to come out. For his Tiny Desk (home) concert, he does a complete 180. “It’s like a new beginning. Full circle. So this time, call me Shelley.” he says, following the opening track, “Exposure.” Everything is new. Silk pajamas and slippers replace the trench coat and plush beanie, and thanks to lifestyle changes, he’s slimmed down quite a bit and goes by his government name now: Shelley.
I enjoyed D.R.A.M and his vulgar silliness. But Shelley is one of those singers who intends to hit every note every time he holds a long note. He whines up and down the octaves constantly and I hate it. I know that there are listeners who love this as the blurb admires
The shift from lighthearted melodic hip-hop to full-on R&B crooner shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who’s seen him perform live. It feels like it’s his way of saying, “Now that I have your attention, allow me to introduce myself.” We still get glimpses of the “Big Baby” here and there — the charm, a little bit of silliness, and the million-dollar grin — but other than that, it’s grown folks business and vocally flawless performance.
For the Shelley Show, he gathers a groovy band in front of a massive bookshelf and runs through selections, including the premiere of “Rich & Famous” from his upcoming self-titled project, due out on April 29, his late mother’s birthday. If D.R.A.M. was the ploy to break into the music industry, then Shelley is the longevity play.
“Exposure” and “The Lay Down” really accentuate his new vocal style. But I liked the music of “Cooking With Grease.” The simple drum beat from Keith “KJ” Glover and then the live viola from Yuli (a highlight throughout). Sensei Bueno follows the melody on guitar and the song grows from there.
Of the four songs, I liked “Rich & Famous” best. Trey Mitchell plays a grooving bass line, the backing singers Crystal Carr and David Fuller are ah ha-ing. Sensei Bueno is wah wahing the guitar and SlimWav is floating the keys around. Shelley’s voice stayed low and less whiny. Is he really going to try to make it with the name Shelley?
[READ: May 10, 2021] “The Way We Are”
Reading this essay in 2021 was a really uncomfortable experience. David Sedaris is not afraid of saying a risqué thing or three. But it’s amazing how much things seem to have changed in 13 years.
This essay begins in Normandy with David saying that the city shuts off the water without any warning. Usually it’s a construction project or something. It usually happens when David gets up around 10:30, which is practically the middle of the day for Hugh and the neighbors.
What they do at 6AM is anyone’s guess, I only know that they’re incredibly self righteous about it, and talk about the dawn as if it’s a personal reward bestowed on account of their great virtue.
The last time the water went off, David had a coffee problem. In order to think straight, he needed caffeine. In order to make this happen he needed to think straight. One time he made it with Perrier which sounds plausible but isn’t. He tried leftover tea which might have worked if the tea weren’t green. This time he decided to use the water in a vase of wildflowers that Hugh had picked. (more…)
