Ywada strives to make songs that are honest. “There’s nothing contrived about my music or my singing,” she says in the digital liner notes for her new album Perception Against Reality. Of course, artists who are about as deep as the Rio Grande in August also talk about their musical and lyrical depth, but, to Ywada’s credit, she does bring a lyrical, vocal and topical honesty to the 10 tracks on Perception Against Reality.
Ywada strives to make songs that are honest. “There’s nothing contrived about my music or my singing,” she says in the digital liner notes for her new album Perception Against Reality. Of course, artists who are about as deep as the Rio Grande in August also talk about their musical and lyrical depth, but, to Ywada’s credit, she does bring a lyrical, vocal and topical honesty to the 10 tracks on Perception Against Reality.
Tunes such as “Time Out” show that Ywada has no problem dealing with insecurities that are often a part of relationship. “Time Out” finds Ywada reluctantly announces that perhaps she a couple should put their relationship on hold. Ywada tosses the misgivings to the wind on “Ready to Fall,” while on “Nightmare” she confronts the worst case scenario of any relationship during those lonely and insecure moments when sleep won’t come or when premonitions of unfaithfulness invade her dreams when she finally drifts off to sleep.
She knows how to use her voice to portray the struggle to assert self-control on “Time Out,” the surrender to love on “Ready to Fall” and the nagging insecurity on “Nightmare,”
Despite the lyrical honesty that flows through Perception Against Reality, the disc can be a frustrating at times because of overproduction. Layering all of those synthesized flourishes to tracks such as “Heart Erased” and “Ready to Fall” has the effect of overwhelming the melody. There is simply too much stuff going on. Conversely, sparse and focused numbers such as “End of the Road” are far more satisfying. This track about crisis of familiarity breeding indifference showcases Ywada at her best. Vocally, she brings a mixture of struggle, confusion, frustration and resignation to “End of the Road.”
Ywada uses that formula successfully once again on the kiss off record “I’m Gone.” Going simple clears the deck for Ywada to showcase her vocal dexterity. Listeners get the full force of the sassiness borne out finally being fed up.
Perception Against Reality is an appropriate title. The perception in contemporary R&B is that artists need to deploy a bunch of production room tricks in order to be heard above all the people who are doing the same thing. The reality is that tight lyrics, an identifiable melody and a strong vocalist always result in great musical art. At its best Perception Against Reality has all of these elements. Ywada is an extremely talented singer and songwriter, and, if she listens to her inner muse, one can’t help but feel that Perception Against Reality is but a first step in her development as a special artist. Recommended..
By Howard Dukes