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The current rage in the industry seems to be the retro-soul movement, with artists like Amy Winehouse, Duffy, and Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, to name a few. I enjoy the music because it offers a refreshing alternative to the stuff being labeled as "soul" and "R&B" these days. I don't know who encouraged Solange Knowles to go in this direction musically, but no better decision could have been made for her. I never thought I would like - much less buy - anything by Solange, but I was pleasantly surprized at just how GOOD this is! With this CD, I feel that she has found her niche in the music world - a retro-soul diva-in-training. I'm glad she took this route and did something completely dissimilar from what most current R&B females are into. If she had recorded yet just another standard urban contemporary CD, she would have gotten lost in the sauce with all these other R&B chicks, along with still having to endure constant comparisons to her older, more famous and commercial sister. God knows that is annoying for anyone, always being compared to a more popular sibling when you yourself are an individual and not just so-and-so's brother or sister. I've been there, so I know how that feels.
Instead, Solange hooked up with some excellent writers and producers to create something that was fresh and new, but at the same time, enveloped an old-school vibe. The result was SOL-ANGEL AND THE HADLEY ST. DREAMS, a wonderfully tight musical affair that celebrates the music of the '60s, '70s and '80s. If you're fully into today's contemporary R&B sound and looking for Beyonce-like tracks, you won't find them here. Also if you don't care for old school music or the retro sound, then you probably won't like this, either. But for what Amazon is currently offering for this CD ($6.99), consider giving it a chance. Fans of classic soul and R&B, Motown, disco, and electronica, this is something you should pick up and give a serious listen to. I certainly hope that this eclectic mix is actually music that Solange loves, because she really excels in this area.
A lot of the material truly sounds like something I listened to growing up as a child in the late '60s and '70s - you can thank Solange's producers for that. The lyrics (some which do include some profanity, but not much) are insightful, clever and shows Solange to be pretty prolific as a songwriter.
The tracks:
"God-Given Name" is smooth and mellow, with Solange asking you to accept her for who she is. "I'm not her, and I never will be", she sings, in response to those out there who will not put away the comparisons between her and Beyonce.
"T.O.N.Y." (which stands for "The Other Night, Y?"), a song about a one night stand that has echoes of Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra, and the bridge sounds very much like the beginning of Marvin Gaye's "Mercy Mercy Me". An exceptional cut.
"Dancing In The Dark" REALLY has a '60s sound to it. The horn section is so on point, you'd swear it was Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass on this track, honestly! (Actually the song uses a sample called "Feeling Young" from a German classical/easy listening genre composer named Heinz Kiessling.) Very cool and quickly becoming one of my favorites.
"Would've Been The One" is a take on Diana Ross and the Supremes, and a pretty good one at that. Solange uses the exact type of phrasing and intonation that Ross utilized on those old Holland-Dozier-Holland songs. Although there are parts of the tune where she sounds like she's straining, she manages to capture Ross' back-in-the-day vocal delivery.
"Sandcastle Disco" is not really disco, but it is an upbeat and infectious dance number that will make you feel good all over. I only wish it were longer. It was an excellent choice as the CD's second single and a song I am totally feeling! I play it over and over.
"I Decided Pt. 1", well, what more can be said about this song? Pure '60s Motown and catchy as hell. The opening immediately reminds you of the Supremes' "Where Did Our Love Go" and "Baby Love". This was Solange's first hit and one that she should be proud of.
"Valentine's Day" has some nice harmonies, cool lyrics and a soulful '70s vibe, kind of like The Emotions meet Erykah Badu.
"6 O'Clock Blues" uses a Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings' sample ("Soul Racket") to build upon, and gives Solange an earthy Memphis sound. This was produced by Mark Ronson, the current Svengali of the retro-soul movement who also worked with both Amy Winehouse and Sharon Jones. One of the best tunes on the CD.
"Ode To Marvin", a tribute to Marvin Gaye, has a "What's Going On" feel.
"I Told You So" is a neo-soul jam with a hypnotic beat and features Solange doing some mean lyrical gymnastics.
"Cosmic Journey" features R&B singer Bilal (although Solange really didn't need him on it). It is a trippy, eclectic number that brings to mind disco queen Donna Summer's work from 1976-'78. It starts off dreamy, like you're floating through space with a light, steady beat and Solange's gossamer vocals fit this perfectly - then later it goes into a fast-paced techno-pop tempo. Definitely one of the more adventurous tracks on the CD and one of my favorites.
"This Bird", a song with layered vocal techniques at work, again expresses Solange's desire to recognized as an individual and no matter what comes her way or what people say, she's going to keep doing what she's doing. I didn't catch it the first time, but upon listening to it a few times more I noticed that she actually sings to those who are hating on her to "shut the f**k up". Okay, I didn't have a problem with that, because I'm not hating on her. However, the song itself seems a bit disjointed and it's probably the only track on the CD that I don't love.
"I Decided Pt. 2" is basically a remix of the hit single with an '80s pop feel to it.
Vocally, Solange is no Aretha, Patti, Gladys, Whitney, or a Mary J., but she certainly can hold her own up against any of the current crop of R&B divas (yes, that includes Beyonce) and this CD proves it! Those who continue to bash this sister, think about this: If this were a CD by Beyonce, you'd all be falling all over yourselves, saying what a masterpiece it was and how ingenious it was of her to go off the beaten path with something like this. But because it's by Solange, all yall can do is criticize. Get over it!
This CD is really enjoyable. I'm glad I purchased it. It makes you wonder just where did music like this go, and why have we settled for the trash that is called R&B today when we have THIS? Get SOL-ANGEL AND THE HADLEY ST. DREAMS right now - that's why you're reading these reviews, right?
Rating: 4 1/2 stars
- Audio CD (August 26, 2008)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Label: Music World Entertainment
- ASIN: B001CK1D3A
- Average Customer Review: 151 customer reviews
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Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
#39,766 in CDs & Vinyl (See Top 100 in CDs & Vinyl)
- #1166 in Pop Rap (CDs & Vinyl)
- #1984 in Soul (CDs & Vinyl)
- #17963 in Rock (CDs & Vinyl)
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