This is a great album, but his is not an album for you to "listen" to. It's more of a chillout or romantic album. Jay Denes, (the creator of this album) has said as much in the liner notes, which include a quote of Catherine Russell (one of the featured singers): "Oh I understand, its a ---- record. OK, roll the tape".
In that light, the similar mood of the songs, the thick earthy vibe and the super-soulful sensual vocals are actually perfect. It creates a constant mood over the full time frame of the CD, so you can simply escape to a world of raw unbridled sensuality. Taken individually, only one or two of these songs are 5-stars. As a body of work - an album - they hold together impeccably and create the desired effect. You cannot assess them as "singles". That doesn't seem to have been the objective here. By the way the production is crisp and top-notch on every single track. You feel like you could have been in the studio with them, the sound has that much presense and life.
Jay Denes used a top notch crew of NYC funkateers, including Mark Anthony Jones (thefunkiestmanalive) on guitar, and Jonathan Maron (way, way underrated bass player from the Groove Collective). Bob Power (engineer/producer on Stetsasonic and De La Soul's classic album) appears here on guitat. Flutist Richard Worth of Groove Collective also appears on "Its love".
The singers (Ada Dyer and Catherine Russell) are not famous - but damn they SHOULD be. They give a master class here in deep soul singing. Not for them the rabid histrionics of Christina Aguilera, Mariah Carey and a million misguided "Idol" contestants all over the world, but REAL modern soul singing, in CONTROLLED voice. if this were the 60's and not the MTV age, I suspect these women would be up there in fame with the Betty Wrights and Shirley Jones's.
I think they all did a perfect job for what they set out to do.
