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M&C| WEDNESDAY | 3.2.2016| MACEANDCROWN.COM
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Santigold ‘99¢’
Courtesy: Atlantic Records
American singer and producer Santi White, better known by her stage name as Santigold, has released her third studio album, “99¢,” on Feb. 26. The genre-bending pop singer goes for broke, imagining herself as a dollar store knickknack, yet desires to create big pop influences from an eclectic list of inspirations such as African music, punk rock and reggae. Before the official release of “99¢,” the new record was preceded by three singles: “Can’t Get Enough of Myself ” featuring B.C., “Who Be Lovin Me” featuring iLoveMakonnen and “Chasing Shadows.” The singles revealed her new compilation to be
fun, playful and a joyful dance record showing her best when pushed towards something unexpected. The album art is rather striking and telling of the nature of Santigold’s argument. As she is displayed in shrink-wrap among life’s other commodities, she pokes fun at the ways people are self-indulgent in selfies and Instagram. She makes fun of the way people focus on capturing the moment instead of experiencing it. As Santigold satirizes people’s continual need to market themselves online, “99¢” displays a certain musical code-switching element as it shifts between electronic pop, R&B
and the raucous arena-rock aesthetic. From track to track, she commands her agency and power through musical collaborations with John Hill and Dave Sitek. Santigold’s musical arrangements tend to sit in a comfort zone of predictability. Utilizing classic and newer electronic sounds, the sonic pallete grooves unchallenged and at times flatlines. It is perhaps her vocal approach that suffers at times from an uninteresting accompaniment. A more challenging backing track would push her voice into new, more appealing territories.
Bonnie Raitt ‘Dig in Deep’
“Dig In Deep” is the 17th studio album by veteran singer-guitarist Bonnie Raitt. Released on Feb. 26, her new album is her first in more than a decade. Raitt’s career has garnered 10 Grammy awards and ranks at No. 50 in Rolling Stone Magazine’s list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time and No. 89 on their list of Greatest Guitarists of All Time. Raitt recently came back into the spotlight, teaming up with Chris Stapleton and Gary Clark, Jr. on the 2016 Grammy stage in a memorial tribute to blues legend, B.B. King. Raitt also
returns with her new album after the painful passing of her mother in 2004, her father a year later and her brother in 2009, who succumbed after an eight-year battle with brain cancer. At 66, Raitt has a reputation as a tenacious perfectionist in full control of her music, yet she knows when to lighten up, be loose and have fun musically. Her opening track, “Unintended Consequences of Love,” sees the slide guitarist back in top form after two years of intense touring. The second track covers INXS’s “Need You Tonight,” allowing her
rhythm section to stretch and fill out with some power. Her voice seems a little rougher today, but she plays it to her advantage by throwing grit into her lyrical phrasing when needed. She revels in those moments when the rhythm section cuts back so she can deliver her sensual, seductive vocal phrasings. “Dig in Deep” is a self-determined, heartfelt offering from Raitt that continues to exemplify her intertwined trademark of musical and emotional intelligence. Courtesy: Redwing Records
Tweet
‘Charlene’
Courtesy of eOne Music
The Mace & Crown
American R&B, soul/neo soul singer-songwriter and guitarist Charlene Keys, known by her stage name Tweet, has released her third studio album, “Charlene,” on Feb. 26. The new compilation sees production credits from longtime friend Missy Elliott as well as added producer contributions from Craig Brockman and old-time collaborator, Timbaland. After a tremendous amount of label troubles in 2015, the two-time Grammy nominated Tweet signed a deal with the independent eOne Music label and announced her new album would be completed and released. The lead single, “Won’t Hurt Me,”
debuted on iTunes in Sept. 2015 and the follow-up single, “Magic,” came out in Jan. 2016 to various music sites. Born into a musical family, Tweet’s mother and father worked in gospel groups and her siblings were proficient at one to several instruments in her early years. After a hopeless future trapped in the girl group Sugar, the project ended, and she suffered from severe depression as a result. Missy Elliott invited Tweet to sing on her album “So Addictive.” Afterwards, Elliott helped Tweet arrange a deal with Elektra. Her 2002 LP, “Southern Hummingbird,” reached No. 2 on the R&B charts and earned
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her a string of “best new artist” awards. “Charlene” presents a somewhat organic musical track, lifting her seductive voice into the forefront as heard in the track, “Magic.” Mentor Elliott is featured on the cut, “Somebody Else Will.” “I Was Created for This” brings us into an intimate place with Tweet. The new album plays it safe musically and vocally within the R&B and soul spectrum, laying a definitive groove and rhythm for the listener to feel throughout.