 “Avery Sunshine is not neo-soul” says Avery on her bio notes, speaking in the third person already, just as somebody of her quality and calibre should. Because make no mistake, if the 3 songs on this album sampler are an indication, then her self titled debut album is set to be a killer and possibly Dome’s finest release since Donnie’s “Daily News”. But I beg to differ with Ms. Sunshine on her first point, because this is Neo-Soul. And it’s Neo Soul in all of its glory, up there with Ledisi, Rahsaan Patterson, D’Angelo, Maxwell & Adriana Evans. It’s that good, something to be truly proud of …so it’d be nice if an artist just once came out and said ‘fuck it – I am neo soul, here, right now in 2010’ i.e. meaning the artist admits to making classical soul music, heavily referencing the tracks of the past but without a retro production instead giving it a fresh, newly polished and contemporary perspective, incorporating the fashionable rhythms of the current under the gospel influenced vocals. Because even a track like Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On”, with its new age funk and free jazz influences, was Neo-Soul in 1971 (in that it was a million miles from Ray Charles “I Got A Woman” the first soul record.) So let’s not get too hung up on the term, because truly brilliant Neo Soul can stand shoulder to shoulder, with the most successful music in the world.
Ledisi for one is an artist enjoying continued success (recently being name checked by Michelle Obama as her favourite singer) in the Neo Soul bag & the cuts on this sampler display a class and quality not heard since Ledisi’s indie debut “Soulsinger”. Beautifully crafted songs, sung with power and emotion.
“All In My Head” begins with a creeping moog bass, like Stevie’s seventies engineers Margouleff & Cecil are in the control room, before the stop start rhythm punctuates Avery’s admission that she’d “twisted the words all in my head”, effortlessly flitting between the soft vocal styling’s of Anita Baker to the impassioned wail of Chaka Khan. The Jill Scott styled “Ugly Part Of Me” strolls along with swirling synth's and regretful, tangy muted trumpets. The beauty of the song contradicting the ugly in the title, and as Avery’s composed, tender keyboard playing is given space to breath in an instrumental section; the only thing that’s missing is a congregation/audience member shouting “take your time!” The last track “Blessin’ Me” would have been the best song on Ledisi’s “Lost & Found” album, had she heard it first. A Rhodes led, feel good stunner, ending with gospel style vamp that Ledhead’s could easily mistake for their heroine.
If the rest of the album is as good as this (apparently it features Roy Ayers on a couple of tracks) then Avery Sunshine should breathe new life into the indie soul scene, a scene which had started to resemble the bottom of a Slush Puppie, all ice - no flavour. This sampler is like finding another quart of blueberry juice down there … refreshing. Thirsty Neo Soul fans will love it.
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