Soul Express CD Review

This is another CD that has taken some time to digest. What Calvin has done on this, his second album, is to continue and develop his own blend of Southern-fried gritty neo-soul with vocals again reminiscent of Jonathan Butler, tinged with the rough sandpaper essence of Bobby Womack. I like the set, but it has to be split up by other artists and songs. Basically, the style is so similar throughout that one tends to forget what track you are listening to. Individually, though, they are all great. The foundation of this set is definitely soulful, and possesses what I would deem a pulpit quality of vocal delivery.
The crucifix is prominent attire on the cover and offers us a hint of where this man comes from – I suspect it is the church. For example on the opening song, "Keep On Pushin’" Calvin executes a fantastic performance that kick-starts very much in a Sam Cooke style. I almost expected him to break into "A Change Is Gonna Come". The Hammond organ reverberates and the unhurried slapping, clapping beat is an excellent backdrop and should please even the most hard-faced of soul fans. I think what Calvin is trying to do is sound a lot older than his years and the songs and tunes contained on this CD will definitely NOT appeal to the average Mary J. Blige devotee.
The southern guitar and spoken intro to "Falling Out" will definitely please the Womack lovers out there and proves that Mr. Richardson is no lightweight, however much he tries (or is made to) to appeal to the MTV generation on the cover. My personal favourite cut on here, and I would argue the most different, is "I’ve Got To Move"; an infectious yet simple tune led by guitar and hand claps. Truly a magnificent subtle example of gritty soul / funk that you will find outside of an Erykah Badu / N’Dambi / Kindred set. "I’m Worthy", again is a quality song that develops on Calvin’s more than ample vocal chores but is superceded, I feel, by the dirty ballad "More Than A Woman" which has a flair of the Pete Belasco "Deeper" album to it.
I was reminded slightly of Babyface / Kevon Edmonds with the more smooth and contemporary "Not Like This" with its haunting backing synth. This cut is straight out of the mid 1990s quality department and would not be out of place next to tracks such as "The Way You Love" by Four Sure or "I Do Care" by Classic Example.
Funkier and chunkier rhythms come in the form of "She’s Got The Love" which is an OK track but rather something of nothing – definitely saved by the vocals this one. Skipping the horrendous (c)rap track, "You Got Me High" we hit another quality head-nodder crammed with aching vocals which is "Put My Money On You". What Calvin does next is to attempt more of a traditional song arranged in a traditional fashion. The lyrics work fine, but the insensitive arrangement tends to detract from the vocal.
"I Wansumo" is not a blinding song musically and is rather odd with its annoying keyboard arrangement; too disjointed and this is sad as the song is a serious attempt (and a successful one at that) at a social message. The daft noises detract from this and what he was trying to achieve with this is anyone’s guess. My first thought was it was recorded next to a Circus! Deary me!
The closing song is an OK song but is nothing vastly different than what we have had already – the CD does not end with a bang! I highly recommend this CD but my one word of comparison and advice is this: should you be in your local record store with this in one hand and the Anthony Hamilton in the other – I would personally go for the other. However, do not overlook.
- Barry Towler