Esperanza Spalding
is back again, this time with her newest contribution, Radio Music Society. It’s not exactly what you’d expect coming from
the pouffy bristled singer, but let’s say the name says it all.
While this is an album sporting more popular and R&B
influences, and contribution in production from Q-Tip, one couldn’t help but notice the conflation—songs about the news, the ups and downs of that old four letter word, and the
personification of a cinnamon tree show Esperanza’s versatility. She could’ve crooned
“Strange Fruit” on this album, too, if she wanted to, but amidst the shock
value is a purity that only Esperanza can deliver.
Do you want to know what to expect when Radio Music Society drops on Tuesday, March 20? And/Or you want to
LISTEN to the album yourself and get your two cents in? Those two things for
you after the jump….. Flick that switch and read on.
In “Radio Song” the jazz aficionado takes all she knows of
muffled horns and R&B to describe how one just kid can’t control himself
against the beat. “This song is the one!” he exclaims, because it makes him
want to jam. With a jazzy breakdown, Esperanza’s vocals speeding up during the
bridge, a bossa-nova-ish beat, and piano and guitar riding out the end,
Esperanza says you absolutely have to “sing it out with love in your heart,
because you’d like to, because you need to.”
Esperanza does well to personify inanimate objects on “Cinnamon
Tree.” Slow like a movie’s musical score, she describes the wisdom and
sturdiness of the tree, exclaiming “The spice in your smile is magic to me,”
and “I like your honesty.” Electric guitar plays on the bridge.
In “Crowned & Kissed,” royal horns blow the announcement of
the king coming through, who Esperanza wouldn’t mind being the queen to. “I’m
here to love you” she professes to the sounds of the trumpet and piano.
“I Can’t Help It,” is
a saxophone ridden, guitar plucked, bass strung, and a general pleasant jazz
take on the song made famous originally by Michael Jackson but written by
Stevie Wonder. We’ll take it!
“Hold On Me” sounds like an old Hollywood symphony. One
can image the lights flick on automatically, Esperanza in a black dress,
talking about “Until my love runs dry/I’m gonna keep holding on…” Needless to
say, this song cuts off oh-so-curtly at the end, when you’d think it would fade out. Hmm…
It took until the end of "Vague Suspicions" to realize that
Esperanza was watching the news, when for minutes she described senseless
killings and civilian deaths, crying “My God!” Then she sings at the
end, “Next on Channel 4, celebrity gossip.” And the light bulb goes off.
All she had to do was present the information here, and we get the
sensationalism and shock value of the news and what it’s done to us watching,
too.
“Let Her” is an R&B flavored song about a breakup. A boy
calls his girls phone after seeing a letter and keys on the table, and hears, “You know you’re sorry you missed me if I’m
sorry I missed you--Leave a message.” Esperanza is telling him to get over it, “She’s gone, bye
bye so long, let her go.” Phone convos from both parties color this picture in
very well.
Esperanza ends the album wishing she and her man could be two happy people and "Smile Like That." Like what? From cheek-to-cheek (wild guess ;).
Other tracks on the album include "Land Of The Free," "Black Gold," "Endangered Species," and "City of Roses."
Other tracks on the album include "Land Of The Free," "Black Gold," "Endangered Species," and "City of Roses."
You’ve heard my spiel, and now you can have your own. Listen
to Esperanza’s album, Radio Music Society, HERE, and don’t forget to come back and let me know what
you think!
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