Of all the places in America that something strange and lovely could be washing ashore, the mid-Atlantic coast doesn't seem the likeliest of candidates.īut boldly answering the dreamy, oceanic trip-folk of fellow Baltimore natives Beach House, Wye Oak rolls up with a sophomore album that fairly explodes with the stuff.Ī 10-story tower of Jenn Wasner's ringing (then ripping) guitars and her ethereal but robust death-spiral vocal work, "Civilian" draws you in just close enough to blow your doors off.Īnd even though most of the songs clock in under four minutes, Wye Oak offers enough mood and mode changes to feel like a collection of epic sonic journeys from point A to wherever the tide decides. Steven Potter, Special to Journal Sentinel Tracks such as "More Fire," "Podium," "Who Really Cares" (featuring Frankie Flowers) and "Don't Try This at Home" (featuring DNA) find the emcee at his best, throwing down faster, more aggressive rhymes over quicker beats. The party track "Rock with Ease," blends into the heartfelt "Lose Control" followed by the short, romantic, down-tempo "You & Me."
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Local emcee SPEAK Easy isn't your gun-toting, drug-selling kind of rapper - and he'll tell you so, repeatedly.īut once you get past the explanations of what he isn't, you'll find SPEAK's new project, due out Tuesday, full of expression about what he aims to be: a good father, husband, emcee and, as the song says, an "Undiscovered Superstar."īuilt primarily on mid-tempo beats, the album flows smoothly through its 14 tracks with very few hiccups. Sam Seiler, Special to Journal Sentinel "Good Night" is a kiss on the forehead and a door closing on lives and lifestyles gone by.Įven if it's not out of line to criticize the RAA for sticking too close to the formula that made its debut LP so haunting and lovable, "Departing" is still a smooth on-ramp to a band well worth the ride and capable of greatness.
"North Star" recalls the loose aim of a summer road trip, with keys and drums marking the quiet mileposts.
The deliberate acoustic stomp of "Two Lovers" finds Edenloff's nasal creak exploring what could have been - if he hadn't been the one whom the girl in the song let get away.
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If the Rural Alberta Advantage's 2008 semi-breakout "Hometowns" was the sound of a young man trying to sync his heartbeat with the throbbing pulse of a town he knows he has to leave, then the band's follow-up album is a series of postcards to that same simple piece of Northwest Alberta real estate.īut singer and primary songwriter Nils Edenloff isn't just pining from the road for a bed more comfortable than a van seat or a piece of pie that compares to mom's. Geraud Blanks, Special to Journal Sentinel The production - which includes efforts from Just Blaze on beautiful second single "Far Away," Rich Harrison ("Late Nights & Early Mornings") and Andre Harris and Vidal Davis on the enchanting "Your Hands" - is superb, allowing Ambrosius, who also produces seven tracks herself, the proper platform to take you where she wants to. The erotic "With You" and introspective "Lose Myself" sound, respectively, like songs Keys and Hill would sing themselves, only interpreted by Ambrosius - which is a treat to hear. Superstar R&B artist Alicia Keys and superstar recluse Lauryn Hill pen songs for Ambrosius (who does most of the writing herself). When examining the majesty that is "Late Nights & Early Mornings" - Ambrosius' first solo album since she left poetic soul duo Floetry - it's hard to find much fault with this 13-song, silky-smooth exploration of genuine love and sexuality. Somewhere between Pavarotti and Michael Jackson, the 33-year-old R&B/soul singer's tone and range is as much at home in an opera house as it is on top 40 radio. Vocally, Marsha Ambrosius' range is unbelievable.