![]() “Feelt the Real” is long, dense and mostly fulfilling, but Musiq’s omnipresence also requires commitment to get through its more than 97 minutes at once.ĭoubling down on varied aspects of love and romance, from the popular theme of friends with “Benefits” and the insistent-but-not-in-a-stalking-kind-of-way persistence of “Sooner or Later”, to the Stevie Wonder-sounding “Like the Weather” and its determination to outlast the forecast, to the head-over-heels passionate abandon of the title track, the man born Taalib Johnson has crafted an often truly spectacular set.Īs with many, if not most, double albums, quality control seems to slip a bit on the second disc, despite its highlights. ![]() Musiq Soulchild, “Feel the Real” (eOne Music)īesides its double-album length, the most ear-catching aspect of Musiq Soulchild’s “Feel the Real” is the chance to hear the Philadelphia-born artist during nearly every moment of his eighth album. You could say “The Long-Awaited Album” reflects Martin’s tally of Grammy Awards - three for music and two in the late 1970s for comedy records - and that feels just right. The band formed in 2000 by students at the University of North Carolina more than hold their own and Woody Platts’ lead vocals carry the best songs. The Steep Canyon Rangers prove their worth throughout on their second studio album with Martin. Of the instrumentals, shining brightest are the oddly-named “Office Supplies” and “So Familiar”, the latter written with Edie Brickell, Martin’s other recent musical partner. Opener “Santa Fe” winningly combines bluegrass with Mariachi horns and Martin’s lyrics reach an accomplished balance between humorous and touching. “This type of song is rare in bluegrass, as there’s not much sailing in Kentucky”, Martin says. Lyrically sharper are “Girl From River Run”, a sweet and fairly straightforward tale of romance with a happy end, and “On the Water”, about a boat trip and the importance of spending time with friends. ![]() Several degrees closer to comedy, “Strangest Christmas Yet” lengthily describes a family gathering/traumatic experience and, perhaps understandably, reaches a “can’t wait ‘til next year” conclusion despite all the mishaps and embarrassments. ![]() It has a cracking, virile refrain calling out for the object of the protagonist’s affection, who has left him “in the middle of a third-floor parking structure”, but the verses are clunky and break down long before the end. Take “Caroline”, the first single from “The Long-Awaited Album”. ![]()
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