The Bottom Line
Amel Larrieux -- in conjunction with her husband/co-collaborator Laru -- has crafted a mellow, mature album that should appeal mostly to women, especially ones in their 30s & 40s. Morning is a nice change of pace for anyone who's been listening to only commercial urban radio for awhile. Although only 10 songs in length, the CD contains more quality & depth than most albums on the R&B music charts. Although the production is off on a couple of tracks, overall Morning is like a refreshing sunrise.
Pros
- Mellow.
- Mature.
- Uncommon.
Cons
- Some song production is disjointed.
- Some vocals aren't particularly strong.
Description
- Mid-tempo.
- Sensual.
- Relaxing.
Guide Review - Amel Larrieux: "Morning"
Amel Larrieux doesn't have the biggest, loudest voice in the world, and she knows it. And throughout her career, she's wisely not tried to compete with the Mariah Careys and Mary J. Bliges of the world and instead focuses on her strengths - mellow, mid-tempo tracks that often strike an emotional chord.
This formula works for her on her third solo release, Morning. In the tradition of her first two albums, Larrieux and her husband-producer Laru wrote all the songs on Morning and continue to blend R&B, Soul, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Folk and World music.
The best track, by far is "Weary," a song about longing for a lover. It's dripping with emotion and sensuality, as is the lead song, "Trouble," a fun, jazzy song about being smitten. Another goodie is the soulful "Earn My Affections."
The fact that Amel and her husband didn't seek any help from outside writer or producers turns out to be both good and bad. It's good because they obviously know what they do and don't like, and what you hear is a well-defined, cohesive package.
But it's also bad in that a couple songs -- "Magic" and "Mountain of When" flow poorly and sound disjointed. "Magic" in particular is a quirky little ditty that sounds like nothing you'll hear in contemporary music. Words can't really do it justice, but the accompanying music -- basically a series of blips and bleeps -- doesn't enhance the vocals -- it distracts from them. Fortunately, such subpar tracks are an aberration, and the overall product is solid.
This formula works for her on her third solo release, Morning. In the tradition of her first two albums, Larrieux and her husband-producer Laru wrote all the songs on Morning and continue to blend R&B, Soul, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Folk and World music.
The best track, by far is "Weary," a song about longing for a lover. It's dripping with emotion and sensuality, as is the lead song, "Trouble," a fun, jazzy song about being smitten. Another goodie is the soulful "Earn My Affections."
The fact that Amel and her husband didn't seek any help from outside writer or producers turns out to be both good and bad. It's good because they obviously know what they do and don't like, and what you hear is a well-defined, cohesive package.
But it's also bad in that a couple songs -- "Magic" and "Mountain of When" flow poorly and sound disjointed. "Magic" in particular is a quirky little ditty that sounds like nothing you'll hear in contemporary music. Words can't really do it justice, but the accompanying music -- basically a series of blips and bleeps -- doesn't enhance the vocals -- it distracts from them. Fortunately, such subpar tracks are an aberration, and the overall product is solid.
