You wouldn’t know by looking at the cover picture; a heavily-edited photo of her face in makeup and fake eyelashes; but Jill Scott is, apparently, a woman. I’m not sure why that matters, except for the fact that this album, as most from the soul music genre, is enveloped around the concept of romance. Almost every track touches on those kinds of relationships. Even the first song has the singer getting Prepared for a future beau. The presumption is that she’s heterosexual, or at least bisexual, and I guess that’s where her gender comes into play.
There are more notable songs. Jahraymecofasola is sweet, even if its title isn’t, and Say Thank You sounds like a relic from the 1970s. It’s no coincedence these songs are produced by Andre Harris. He’s a wonderful musician. Jill Scott can be a wonderful singer, but she’s not consistent. It’s not her voice but the melodies they carry that aren’t always up to par, especially during the chorus where it counts. The Lighthouse falsettos are annoying. The Aaron Pearce songs are bombastic. Cruisin, a nice summer breezer, deserves a better hook.
my rating : 3 of 5
2015