R&B/Soul singer-songwriter Syleena Johnson may be one of the more underrated artists in urban music, but she's been able to not only survive, but thrive as an artist due to a combination of talent and business acumen. Two of the latest examples of that acumen are on display now: one is her role on the TV One network's reality show "R&B Divas," alongside Faith Evans and other singers facing the struggles of the music industry while living in Atlanta. The other is her latest musical project, Acoustic Soul Sessions, which is the commercial release of an online concert she performed while promoting her previous studio album. Acoustic Soul Sessions, which will be released in the U.S. Sept. 25, 2012, is a brilliant showcasing of her abilities as a pure and genuinely talented vocalist.
An Intimate Feel
On Sept. 27, 2011, Syleena Johnson released her fifth album, Chapter V: Underrated. And on the same day, she performed an acoustic concert online at stageit.com to promote the album. For those fans who didn't know about the show or were unable to tune in, the concert's highlights have been packaged as a seven-song, 43-minute digital EP. Acoustic performances are becoming increasingly rare in today's music world because so many artists are dependent on super-producers and the technical tricks that they use in the studio to embellish a singer's talents to make them seem greater than they actually are. But on Acoustic Sessions, we get Syleena's voice as it truly is, pure and varnished, accompanied by a few background vocalists and studio musicians. The result is outstanding; Syleena's vocals are powerful yet tender, strong but emotionally vulnerable. The stripped-down setting gives the EP a very intimate feel, and the recordings' quality is high enough to almost make you feel like you're right there in the studio.
Among the highlights are the live version of "Angry Girl," a song from the Chapter V album. Just like the album version, Syleena shares vocals with guest performer Tweet, but the mellow, silky-smooth acoustic version is arguably even better than the more melancholy original. The live version of another Chapter V song, "A Boss," is also a top-notch display of Syleena's vocal firepower.
Among the highlights are the live version of "Angry Girl," a song from the Chapter V album. Just like the album version, Syleena shares vocals with guest performer Tweet, but the mellow, silky-smooth acoustic version is arguably even better than the more melancholy original. The live version of another Chapter V song, "A Boss," is also a top-notch display of Syleena's vocal firepower.
Near-Perfect
One of the more surprising performances is Syleena's cover of "Wild Horses," the 1971 Rolling Stones hit. "This doesn't have anything to do with the albums, but I love the song so much," she explains in her intro to the song. "I just thought it would be really nice because it's a really good acoustic song." She then proceeds to knock it out of the park vocally, giving the song a soulful dimension that Mick Jagger would never have been able to accomplish.
Syleena evens previews her next album, Chapter VI, with a deeply personal song called "I Cut My Hair." The song tells the tale of a woman who began cutting her hair seven years prior because her man liked it, then trims it as a symbol of her independence after the relationship crumbles. "I cut my hair to cut out all the things you put me through, to cut out all the memories of you, to cut out all the ties I have to you, I cut my hair to show you you don't have control of me no more, I'm not afraid to let you go." But perhaps the best performance of the seven here is the final track, "Stone Wall," where Syleena sings about how despite the difficulties of the music industry, she's still able to continue pushing forward thanks to her iron will and spirituality. The song's a testament to not only her talent as an artist, but her character as a person.
For people who aren't familiar with Syleena's work but are getting to know her through the "R&B Divas" reality show, Acoustic Soul Sessions is the perfect jump-on point, because it not only gives you a snapshot of her past, present and future as a recording artist, it also is a near-perfect showcasing of her singing and songwriting talents.
Syleena evens previews her next album, Chapter VI, with a deeply personal song called "I Cut My Hair." The song tells the tale of a woman who began cutting her hair seven years prior because her man liked it, then trims it as a symbol of her independence after the relationship crumbles. "I cut my hair to cut out all the things you put me through, to cut out all the memories of you, to cut out all the ties I have to you, I cut my hair to show you you don't have control of me no more, I'm not afraid to let you go." But perhaps the best performance of the seven here is the final track, "Stone Wall," where Syleena sings about how despite the difficulties of the music industry, she's still able to continue pushing forward thanks to her iron will and spirituality. The song's a testament to not only her talent as an artist, but her character as a person.
For people who aren't familiar with Syleena's work but are getting to know her through the "R&B Divas" reality show, Acoustic Soul Sessions is the perfect jump-on point, because it not only gives you a snapshot of her past, present and future as a recording artist, it also is a near-perfect showcasing of her singing and songwriting talents.
Disclosure: A review copy was provided by Shanachie Entertainment. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.