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Salakida knows that there is no such thing as overnight success. The Oakland, CA. native has been doing this music thing since she was a teenager. She also knows that perspective and epiphanies often come in the twinkling of an eye. Back in 2007, Salakida was involved in a near fatal car accident. At the time, she'd already released her first album - the self-titled Salakida - to critical acclaim. However, the record went the way of many indie releases. Only those fortunate enough to hear songs like "Good Woman" and "Sick Days" can say they didn't sleep on this record. Unfortunately, there weren't enough of those people to rescue Salakida - the record or the singer with the buttery voice - from relative obscurity.
Salakida knows that there is no such thing as overnight success. The Oakland, CA. native has been doing this music thing since she was a teenager. She also knows that perspective and epiphanies often come in the twinkling of an eye. Back in 2007, Salakida was involved in a near fatal car accident. At the time, she'd already released her first album - the self-titled Salakida - to critical acclaim. However, the record went the way of many indie releases. Only those fortunate enough to hear songs like "Good Woman" and "Sick Days" can say they didn't sleep on this record. Unfortunately, there weren't enough of those people to rescue Salakida - the record or the singer with the buttery voice - from relative obscurity. Salakida was frustrated, cynical and coming real close to questioning the point of it all - and then, to use the language of the church, Salakida was changed - hence, the name of her new album, the rock/funk fusion The Resurrection.
Salakida counts singer songwriters like Alanis Morissette, Me'Shell Ndegeocello and funk fusion masters Sly Stone, Prince and Jimi Hendrix as influences. Those influences can be heard both in The Resurrection's lyrical content and the musical arrangements. A song like "Heart Attack," in which Salakida sings about the toll that the end of a relationship takes emotionally, features the big bass lines and the new wave keyboard work that might remind some of Prince's pre-Purple Rain work. Salakida comes hard on the rock anthem "The Resurrection." The start of this tune might fool some listeners into thinking that Salakida is about to launch into an attack against a lover who left her high and dry. Instead of being a screed, "The Resurrection" actually transforms into a song of praise and a powerful affirmation of her belief that things will get better.
The acoustic mid-tempo track "Wild Hair and Flowers" tells the story of resurrection coming in the form of a chance encounter with a "Southern Gentleman." The song tells the story of one of those chance encounters in which the singer crosses paths with her soul mate. Mini crises turn into opportunities. Forgetting where a car is parked becomes a chance to continue the conversation. A homeless guy happens to have a bouquet of flowers for sale, and not even a bad hair day can disturb this groove. The sparse "All The Way" is the perfect follow up. The song takes the form of a love letter in which the singer declares that she's ready to take it to the next level. The beat created by the drum machines and keyboards is matched by what sounds like fingers tapping the keys of a typewriter.
Salakida said that her near fatal accident made her more grateful. She knows that indie artists have a difficult road, and she definitely made the most of her second chance on The Resurrection. Recommended.
By Howard Dukes