I began listening to Ursula Rucker almost 10 years ago. The first track I ever heard is one called 'Millenium Sanhedrin,' where she was a guest vocalist on A Guy Called Gerald's 'To All Things What They Need' LP (!K7 Records, 2005). 'Millenium' is a dark, brooding song filled with ominous lyrics of impending doom and apocalyptical demise. The swirling, moody, otherworldliness of the track is enhanced by a healthy dose of digital delay. Somehow, amidst the menacing vibe conjured up in the song, emerges Rucker's definitive sound, a seductive, even soothing, voice and cadence which is juxtaposed against incisive, blunt, lethally truthful lyrical content.
Calling Rucker merely a spoken-word artist is perhaps missing the point. Sure, the Philly-based native holds a degree in Journalism from Temple University. And yes, she's been writing poetry since childhood. But it's her 'Voice,' both in terms of its lyrical content as well as the actual sound and delivery of it, that have set her apart from other spoken-word and lyrical maestros. As a result, she's been able to weave together a seemingly organically-grown body of work covering nearly two decades, as both a solo artist and as a perennially in-demand collaborator with dozens of artists across multiple genres of music, including hip-hop, downtempo/trip-hop, house, techno, drum and bass, neo-soul, and jazz.
The Rucker track I've selected today is called 'Read Between the Lines,' off her 2008 solo release Ruckus Soundsysdom. I had a hard time choosing a track today, considering so many other stellar ones in her repertoire, including many of my personal faves, such as the aforementioned 'Millenium Sanhedrin,' 'You Don't Know Me' (with Zoo Brazil), 'One Million Ways to Burn,' 'Rise' (with Richard Earnshaw), 'Womansong,' and 'Intersections,' with Alix Perez.
'Read Between the Lines' is a seminal Rucker track, not only because of its unrelenting pulsating groove and seamless integration with Rucker's lyrical flow, but also because it is a particularly 'light-hearted' Rucker tune, relatively speaking. While some listeners (and detractors, I suppose) may find the majority of Rucker's artistry, centered around themes of societal injustice, race relations (or lack thereof), womanhood, and calls for social activism and unity a bit of a heavy listen, for those seeking a slightly 'breezier' Rucker, then 'Read' is the track for you! In fact, in 'Read,' Rucker very consciously and deliberately addresses her critics, and masterfully so, with wicked humor and incisive wit, without compromising the essence percolating at her core. All in all, it's an upbeat listen filled with witty lyricisms, pop cultural zingers, infectious beats, and a memorable chorus which stays with you. Simply put, Ursula Rucker. Resonates.
'Read Between the Lines, Maybe You'll Find...Me...
Read Between the Lines, Take Your Eyes Off the Surface,
Look Beneath the Cover, 'Cause Perception is a Mother...'
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