Maximum Fun Forum

Here's the show with UK Soul singer Omar

Omar wasn't the world's most talkative dude, so I tried to let the music speak for him. This is the guy who really invented making soul music in the R&B era... I have all his albums, despite the fact you have to get most of them as expensive imports, and I love them. His song "Little Boy" is one of my favorites of all time.

Anyway, whaddya think?

Whoa, that came out of nowhere. I'm glad you got Omar as a guest, Jesse, he's a hero of mine. I have all of his albums and many of his early singles, I listen to him all the time. He definitely hasn't gotten his due.

To people unfamiliar with him, check out the early classic singles There's Nothing Like This and Music. Of the later albums, I would say that For Pleasure is the best (but all of them are worth checking out). And Jesse, you are completely right, Little Boy is a great song, one of my all-time favourites too.

Too bad the new album is not very good - the first real disappointing output from him, IMO.

The new album isn't perfect, but I still liked it a lot. I wouldn't call it not very good. I'd say it's good rather than great. I've listened to it a lot since I picked it up.

"Not very good" might be a bit harsh, there are some good songs on there, but I expect greatness from Omar, and it just seemed a bit sloppy, like he's so overwhelmed working with Wonder, for instance, that he didn't really care about turning that jam session into a good song or two. If you read Omar's Wonder story in Straight No Chaser you can understand how it turned out that way too. Also, too many guest stars.

Too bad he wasn't all that talkative. He should by all accounts have lots of stories to tell (from that late eighties period you tried to get into, too).

Yeah, I cut some answers that were, uhm, very very very brief. Nice guy, though.