3.5/5 stars
In the past year, critics heralded a recent renaissance of innovation in R&B and soul music and have championed artists that defy conventions of the genre. However, "Give the People What They Want," the new album from Brooklyn-based band Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, asserts that traditionalism still has its place in R&B and soul. The record draws upon influences like Phil Spector and classic Motown to create a pleasing throwback to the 1960s.
"Give the People What They Want," originally scheduled for release in August, was delayed until 2014 due to front-woman Jones’s cancer diagnosis (now in remission). Jones sounds wonderful as ever and deserves to be mentioned in conversation with the all-time greats. On tracks like the sensual 'Slow Down, Love,' her versatile voice is reminiscent of both Dionne Warwick’s tenderness and Aretha Franklin’s power.
Her backing band, The Dap-Kings, is equally excellent. The production and composition on each track is impeccable—every song seems calibrated to perfectly combine Jones’s formidable vocals and her band’s funky instrumentals. On the album’s highlight, 'Retreat!,' crashing horns, a slinky bass line and strident backing vocals create the perfect surrounding for Jones’s tale of an independent woman. 'Retreat!,' the opening song, functions as a great and catchy introduction to the group's essential style that they hone to near-greatness over the ensuing nine songs. Other tracks, like 'Now I See' and 'Get Up and Get Out,' draw upon Latin and country music to shake up the soul formula a little.
The album’s main problem is its lack of lyrical themes. The large majority of the songs deal with a woman scorned, which unintentionally makes some songs—particularly the ones in the mid-tempo-heavy middle portion—seem incredibly similar to one another. A more conceptually diverse album could have been great; as a result, 'Give the People What They Want' is merely good.
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