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Ledisi - Turn Me Loose (Advance Review) (2009)
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On its face, hitching Ledisi with Raphael Saadiq, Chucky Thompson, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Ivan Barias and Carvin Haggins made perfect sense. Jam and Lewis and Raphael Saadiq were hitmakers known for creating musically dynamic, organic soul for everyone from Janet Jackson to D'Angelo, while Chucky Thompson (Faith, Mary J) and Ivan and Carvin (Musiq, Jill Scott) were renown for soft, seductive ballads and intricate mid-tempo arrangements that are the major classics of the 1990s through the early 2000s. Linking Ledisi to these legendary producers was sure to create the iconic album Ledisi has long deserved. The issue is that few of these producers have consistently created exciting and innovative material in quite some time, as evidenced by Jam and Lewis on Ruben Studdard's latest disappointment and Saadiq's recent pristine museum artifact album, The Way I See It. Instead, the expensive icons have consistently co-written and produced songs that are usually completely detached from the singer or her subjects.
Depending on the composition and the producer, there are times I don't believe Ledisi when she sings these songs. She is always beautifully voiced, but there is an audible disconnect between Ledisi's technically strong vocal interpretations and the late 60s/ early 70s retro-light productions like Thompson's "Everything Changes." For instance, on "Alone" Ivan and Carvin's blinding production seems completely at odds with its dark material. There is something strange and unsettling about having a song about loneliness musically expressing a brightness-without irony, mind you-that so strikingly conflicts with the seriousness of its subject. Conversely, Saadiq's bumping country accents on "Love Never Changes," a tune describing the unchanging nature of love, offers a low wattage aura that prevents the tune from rising off the ground, where more of the Philly team's bright awe and exuberance would have been in order.
The producers who hold up best on the project are Rex Rideout and Lorenzo Johnson, who appeared on Lost and Found, and the lesser known, hungrier production team of the Frye Dept. Rideout, who regularly produces Maysa, Lalah Hathaway and Will Downing with mixed smooth jazz results, consistently does his best work with Ledisi. He has a synergistic ease and understanding of Ledisi's voice that makes them a dynamic duo on the Hammond and drum powerhouse, "Turn Me Loose." The operatic moments on the current Rideout produced single, "Goin' Through Changes," and the soul-tugging drama of Ledisi's performance on Johnson's "The Answer To Why" are lessons in how to make fairly routine R&B slow drags and acoustic-guitar driven pop into personal testimonies of uncommon, soul searching beauty. Intuitively Rideout knows how to get out of the way of an unleashed Ledisi on Willie Nelson's "Crazy" and Buddy Miles "Them Changes," allowing her to take this classic material from a whisper to a rousing soul scream.
Like the storied musical courtship of Rideout and Ledisi, The Frye Dept. delivers the best marriage of music, composition, arrangement and voice for Ledisi on their star turns. The funk that is ever present in Ledisi's vocals is again allowed room to breathe under Adam Deitch and Adam Krasno. "Knockin'" and "Say No" are artifice free, grade A rhythm and blues. The duo's expert production makes checking out their other work a priority on this reviewer's to-do list.
The hit makers of old aren't all crash and burn. It's unexpected to hear neo-Philly soul producers Ivan and Carvin delve into the synth pop sub-genre with a jazz and funk diva like Ledisi, but the compelling track could hit -- it's certainly light years above the grating anthems driving Jennifer Hudson to the top of the charts. Saadiq also redeems himself on "Please Stay," the kind of lilting soul pop that The Corporation readily produced for the Jackson 5 on their first homeruns.
As is usually the case with Ledisi's work, when the producers get out of her way and the song allows her space, the work just shines. When this all boys club doesn't abdicate to her interpretive talents, especially on songs that feel too tightly constructed, the band too lethargic, or when the lyrics are unmemorable, the project's starpower notably dims. When Ledisi's voice is the only element making any of it make sense, making any cohesion of this material, her music becomes a frustrating work. Ledisi is a jazzy, funky, soulful powerhouse of an artist, so do what the album says and just turn her loose already! We think she's so much better that way. Recommended.
By L. Michael Gipson
Comments
Wow, I don't think I
loutha - July 28th, 2009
Wow, I don't think I listened to the same music the reviewer did at all. I'm loving every track I've heard so far, including many of the one's by the "declining producers." Alone is one of my favorites and in listening to the whole song, I hear where there is a glimmer of hope, the desire to work things out, in the lyrics. The music is reflective of that, in my opinion.
What would have been predictable is if this had turned into "Lost & Found" part 2. Every Ledisi album is a unique musical experience and I hear growth in all areas of her musicianship, especially lyrically.
Different strokes I suppose...
loutha
SWEAT OUT THE GREAT SONGS OR
ashimasongs - August 2nd, 2009
SWEAT OUT THE GREAT SONGS OR HUNT HIGH AND LOW TO FIND THEM. IF YOU LIKE BLAND MELODIES AND TRITE LYRICS PASSIONATELY SUNG AND WELL PRODUCED, YOU'LL LIKE THIS RECORD. THAT SAID, IF LEDISI COMES TO YOUR TOWN LIVE, GO SEE HER, SHE IS A NOT TO BE MISSED PERFORMER!
i'm really excited about the
JAMES DAY - August 21st, 2009
i'm really excited about the blues/rock influences on this cd, especially 'them changes,' the title cut, & knockin'...this style totally fits ledisi's 'full throttle' live approach to this record.
now in response to the person who thinks that SALES = QUALITY...your system would indicate that britney spears is a million times more talented than ledisi...and i find it hard to believe that you would think that is true. you're just hurt when someone critiques one of your fave artists, which i understand, i'll cut a bitch who comes after my faves lol! ;-) but...i appreciate this writers points and it doesnt make him a hater. and soultracks is one of the most supportive sites for artists in the world, so that is definitely not 'what time it is' here.
what SPIKE SALES indicate is that Verve is doing a wonderful job by their artists! they are as MAJOR as MAJOR can get now and i hope they start a whole division and start signing & promoting artists like rahasaan patterson, india arie, frank mccomb, lalah hathaway, eric roberson, and trina broussard the same way. how exciting would that be!
also...Ledisi does an outstanding job promoting her music live...i have never heard anything but raves about her after any performance! this adds up to long term sales which is more of an indication of QUALITY. i have no doubt her live shows will achieve this!
"now in response to the
loutha - August 25th, 2009
"now in response to the person who thinks that SALES = QUALITY...your system would indicate that britney spears is a million times more talented than ledisi...and i find it hard to believe that you would think that is true. you're just hurt when someone critiques one of your fave artists, which i understand, i'll cut a bitch who comes after my faves lol! ;-) but...i appreciate this writers points and it doesnt make him a hater. and soultracks is one of the most supportive sites for artists in the world, so that is definitely not 'what time it is' here.
what SPIKE SALES indicate is that Verve is doing a wonderful job by their artists! they are as MAJOR as MAJOR can get now and i hope they start a whole division and start signing & promoting artists like rahasaan patterson, india arie, frank mccomb, lalah hathaway, eric roberson, and trina broussard the same way. how exciting would that be!
also...Ledisi does an outstanding job promoting her music live...i have never heard anything but raves about her after any performance! this adds up to long term sales which is more of an indication of QUALITY. i have no doubt her live shows will achieve this!"
You're making quite a few assumptions, Mr. Day. Yes, I disagreed with the reviewer, it happens. I didn't take it personally. The person who responded after me, wrote a very long, insulting tirade about Ledisi and TML, which I saw before it was edited. I was responding to that person.
With regard to your input, it might also be that sales spike because people actually like and enjoy the music! I don't know, within the realm of possibility perhaps? Will everyone like it? Of course not, we're all entitled to our opinions, but to suggest that the only reason that "Turn Me Loose" is selling well is because of Verve or her live performances, is pretty much discounting the music on the album, which I would like whether I was a fan or not. If you don't like it cool, but your back-handed compliments pretty much cement the vibe I'm feeling in this space.
A lot of people like this CD, not just her hard-core fans, she's gotten rave reviews from many reputable publications, writers and consumers. No, sales don't necessarily equate to quality, but I think in this particular case, they indicate that Ledisi's music is being enjoyed by more people than ever. Not bad for someone who a few short years ago, was selling CD's on her own label. That's something to be celebrated rather than to be jealous of or hate on...
I COMPLETELY agree with the
sujag91 - August 25th, 2009
I COMPLETELY agree with the reviewer's assessment. The CD isn't bad, but it's not mind-blowing. I love Ledisi and her style and I really enjoyed her previous work. I think if you broke the CD up in segements...maybe three songs at a time, it could be enjoyed more. It's a good CD, but just all over the place and it's hard to get into. Her voice is great on every song, but on a few of the songs, the voice doesn't match the music or lyrics. As the reviewer stated, you can totally tell that there are distinct differences in using all of those producers. It's a mishmash of Amy Winehouse/Joss Stone meets Martha and the Vandellas/Bonnie Raitt with a little of the old Ledisi that we remember from her previous efforts. I think she tried to do too much on one CD and she needed to find one or two themes throughout and stick with that. I will probably skip through it to get to a few favorites, but it's not one I would play from beginning to end consistently.
@ loutha what is backhanded
JAMES DAY - August 28th, 2009
@ loutha
what is backhanded about saying i like the blues/rock elements to this record? with repeated listening on my ipod i actually LOVE the 3 songs i mentioned: Knockin, Turn Me Loose, & Them Changes. this album blends alot of different things together and that is simply the music on it i enjoy the most and the style i think works best for ledisi. just my opinion. now what i state about promotion and spike sales (1st day/first week) is not just opinion...it is knowledge. it is great promotion that makes that happen...good for Verve and good for Leddy, there are alot of artists I wish had that kind of support as well. this is a convo about the music business, not Ledisi or her record. it happens to be in this thread b/c you used sales as an argument that the reviewers (or someone elses opionion in this thread) was wrong b/c the record sold alot. and that is exactly how the MAJORS try to TELL people what music is good...and also what INDIE music and INDIE sites have to fight against.
@James Day, I'm a little
loutha - August 28th, 2009
@James Day, I'm a little perplexed. Bottom line, everyone has their likes and dislikes. I was not saying that sales automatically meant that anyone's opinion was wrong. Simply stating that quite a few people heard things differently. I don't like "trite melodies or bland lyrics" and am sure many people who like Ledisi don't either. That's what I was addressing, as I stated previously.
This convo was about Ledisi and her record, you're the person who made it about something else. She worked long and hard to get where she got. Years of hard work, owning her own independent label, gigging for little to no money. She's finally getting the recognition that she should have had years ago. You're hating/envious because she is now reaping the benefits of her hard work? Maybe now, some of the artists that you believe to be more deserving of the attention, will be able to get it because she's paving a path for them. She got to #1 on the Billboard R&B charts with no video or any major network tv appearances. A lot of the promotion has been done via the internet, blogs, word of mouth and Ledisi interacting with fans. I think that there was more involved than Verve's marketing and promotion. I think a lot of it has to do with her making a great record. My opinion, which seems to be shared by many. But if you want to attribute her success solely to her being on Verve, then that's what you believe. Doesn't make it fact though.
You're not the only one with knowledge...
@loutha the word hater has
JAMES DAY - August 28th, 2009
@loutha the word hater has been used to the point where it is meaningless. this is not a zombie fan site, it is an indie music site.
i had several points to make in this discussion and youve distorted it and me beyond recognition.
1. the first thing i said was how much i enjoyed the blues/rock cuts on the new record.
2. was to defend the reviewer and soultracks from the statements your back peddling from now. your perception of 'what time it is' at soultracks is completely false.
3. was to point out that charts do not make anyones opinion more or less valid, they are simply expensive marketting tools.
bottom line? theres nothing left to discuss here. if you have a problem with me take it offline and hit me up by email anytime: jamesdayemail@gmail.com
this is soultracks & leddy's space. let others have their say. congrats leddy on all your accomplishments, i am jammin to you in my ipod!
