Music supervisor

and

from Soul-Sides join Alex Cohen in the studio this week for Tuesday Reviewsday our weekly new music segment.

Morgan Rhodes

Artist: 

Album: "Reality Show"
Songs: "#HoodLove," "Forever Don't Last"
Notes: As reconnaissance missions go, R&B/soul is batting two for two at the moment. We have found D'Angelo and Jazmine Sullivan has returned. Her brand new album (her third) is just what her fans were waiting for. It's been four years since she tweeted her intention to step away from her career for a while, but she is back and has brought that beautiful voice with her.  The word that comes to mind is RANGE. She can hover in an upper register and give you husky alto and move up and down that scale effortlessly. In gospel circles they call that "flat footed singing" - means you don't need gimmicks or anything - you just stand still and blow. The daughter of a former backup singer for Philadelphia International sound, she was signed to a record label at 15 because of a prodigious talent, recorded with Missy and Timbaland, had some breakout singles, most notably "Lion Tigers Bears" and "I'm in Love With Another Man." This album is consistent lyrically - as most of her songs are about relationships - complicated relationships, turbulent relationships. Where she signs is in her acoustic performances.  Google Jazmine Sullivan and you'll find a number of those. She is extraordinarily gifted.

Artist:

Album: "Yesterday's Tomorrow"
Songs:  "Take A Chance," "End Of The Night"
Notes: Whether you think of them as a band or a rap group, there are elements of jazz and rap in a lot of what they do, but they are certainly experimental.  This East Coast group has built a small following over the last two or three years on the strength of three projects. But it was a song called, "If I was A Chair" that led me to them. Heretofore their releases have had a very live recording sound - this release is a bit of departure from that sonically and stylistically.  This is very N.E.R.D. - "Perfect Defect" and it works.  Introspective and mature, I like it.

Artist: The Pluto Moons
Album: "E$pooky"
Song: "$pooky"
Notes: Punk, soul and ska converge on this trio from New York by way of Boston. They're a recent band camp discovery of mine.

Oliver Wang

Artist: N.E.R.D.
Album: " Spongebob Square Pants OST"
Song: "Squeeze Me"
Notes: While we've all been living through the era of Pharrell's uber-dominance, it's been a long time since we've heard him working with his Neptunes partner Chad Hugo and finally, they're back together for this new song off the Spongebob Square Pants soundtrack. Admittedly, "Squeeze Me," feels really disposable; I mean, it makes "Happy" sound like something off of Revolver by comparison, BUT it does feature some classic Neptunes-style production in terms of those big synth chords. Especially as Pharrell's been on some disco-revival tip for the last couple of years, I like hearing him and Chad Hugo revisiting the kind of sound that put those two guys on the map to begin with, back in the early '00s. I hope this isn't a one-off thing.

Artist: Meghan Trainor
Album: "Title"
Songs: "Close Your Eyes," "Bang Dem Sticks"
Notes: I think it's fascinating how early '60s R&B never seems too far from the pop present. Obviously, in 2014, you saw that with Meghan Trainor's "All About that Bass," and now that her new album, just titled, um, "Title", is out, her and her producer Kevin Kadish have clearly double downed with a particular retro-formula. That's not across the entire album but a few key songs definitely riff on Motown and Phil Spector-era girl group styles, perhaps none more so than the ballad "Close Your Eyes." It opens like a country song before slipping into a familiar, finger-snapping groove. All this needs is some background singers singing "shoobeedoowwop." This all said, Title sounds like a hodgepodge of any number of big pop motifs, from Nashville concert halls to Hollywood night clubs. Trainer was one of the big breakout acts of 2014 but personally, I think she has yet to fit a clear identity for who she is. Right now, it just feels like she's interchangeable with any number of other pop acts, from Taylor Swift to Ariana Grande. (Cue Bang Dem Sticks if we have time)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLbqQSrOS7c

Artist:

w/ Kendrick Lamar
Song: "Heaven Help Dem"
Notes: Just in the past week, L.A. rapper Kendrick Lamar has been widely criticized for a series of underbaked comments he made regarding the death of Ferguson's Michael Brown. And as if by magic, here we have an unambiguously anti-police brutality song being released by Montreal's Jonathan Emile featuring a guest verse by … Kendrick Lamar. I'm sure it's just a coincidence in timing but it's notable nonetheless. While that backstory may threaten to overshadow Emile's song, it may also help boost his profile. I don't know how many people remember that this Canadian rapper/singer was nominated for a "Best Rap Album" grammy in 2011 so whatever controversy there is around Kendrick might prove the old adage of "all publicity is good publicity."