Recently I've been amazed by the seeming rebirth of a more classic sound - not quite Motown, but something close, mixing R&B and soul with modern songwriting. Artists like Amy Winehouse, Joss Stone, Duffy and Adele remind me a bit of the soul music greats like Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, and Gladys Knight. It was an era where you could feel the blues and gospel roots shining through, and I think we're starting to see that style again as new artists are gaining traction on the pop charts.
Gaby Moreno takes the bilingual skills of an artist like J. Lo and puts a bit of a Duffy/Adele spin on them without losing her own originality along the way. She's capable of smooth ballads in Spanish and hot songs like "Mess a Good Thing." Her new album, Illustrated Songs, is impossible for me to lump in one category, however. It spans multiple genres and would sound just as at home in a French cabaret, a jazz club in New Orleans, or on "Top 40" radio. Though I compare her to Duffy and Adele, she both is similar and yet not at all similar to both artists.
To add to the confusion, I swear Moreno has one of the most genre-defying voices I've heard in a long time. In one song I'm reminded of the new soul movement, in another I'm reminded of Judy Garland, and in yet another I think her songs would seem at home in any Randy Newman-inspired Disney/Pixar movie soundtrack.
Of the dozen songs on the album, "Mess a Good Thing" is by far my favorite. The rocking soul guitar, strings and horn section behind her sultry voice just drive home that this woman has some serious soul. At no time did it feel like the song was out of her control, as can sometimes happen when you sing with such a large band. She knows she's a good catch and her man won't be leaving her: "Baby, you won’t be messing a good thing / Hurrying off with the break of day..." But though the lyrics may say he won't be leaving her, her voice drives the point home hinting that if he does he'll be in trouble!
But "Garrick" is one of those songs that just can't leave my brain. The fact that she's singing in Spanish makes no difference at all. It's the amazing arrangement of strings, guitars, and clarinet that really makes this one groove. I can't help but see her singing in front of a big band in some 1920s speakeasy or French cabaret. She's just at home here as in her sultry soul mode, adding to the mysterious mix of genres she's comfortable with.
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