We’re listening to Raquel Rodriguez’s “Mile High” Live at Blue Dream Studios from her album “310 part 2,” an ode to the Westside. (Can we go see a show at Blue Dream Studios, please?)
It’s special when a singer is golden but extra special when she’s a Los Angeleno. Raquel Rodriquez is real. There’s no pretend.
She embraces the 70s funk with joy but she also takes a bit of 80s drum machine and synths to blend a unique, soul-filled sound.
A pull quote from her site sort of sums it up: “Raquel is the true embodiment of the multi-cultural millennial, fusing the subcultures of the last 20 years of LA style with her nostalgic, yet current, brand of music.”
“Mile High” opens with stiff bass sounds and snaps. Then Raquel’s voice takes over making the melody. All the different instruments blend together, with her voice leading to create a harmony that is R&B at its finest.
Yeah, “Mile High” is full body roll. We think that should be our rating system. How many body rolls does the song make you do?
We chose “Mile High” in particular because we can relate.
“I bought us round trip flight to Paris, baby
Cause I wanna go somewhere and only be with you
I need a break from California lately
Somehow the golden state has got me feeling blue
Well, it seems to me my life is passing by
Things come and go
In the blink of an eye
My soul is craving for a little change
I gotta go, I gotta get away
But oh, my baby”
We have to give a shout out to the fine folks at Kinda Neat where we first found Raquel. They record folks singing in a small room. So you only focus on the singer. Simple. Brilliant. It’s not kinda, it’s super neat!
Here’s an extra treat -“Don’t Owe You a Thing”(with Jamey Arent), a bad-ass, bluesy song that made us stop and listen to Raquel Rodriguez…100 times.
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