Jacob Banks, Village

Jacob Banks, Village

With the British, Nigerian-born future soul singer’s full-length debut, Jason Banks discovers the point at which today’s forward-thinking alternative R&B comes full circle and connect with classic R&B. Banks’s arrangements are contemporary, much of his instrumentation electronic and advanced, and he makes relevant enough cultural references to blend in with the hip hop set. his voice, though, recalls the soul men of yore, with a mighty, stirring baritone of which he is in full command. His voice rings out with power and sensitivity in equal measure. Banks brings some fusion from outside R&B world too, with traces of reggae and African sounds. This one’s worth checking out even if you don’t think you like soul or R&B. Highlights: “Kumbaya,” “Caroline,” “Unknown (To You)”

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Richard Thompson, 13 Rivers

Richard Thompson , 13 Rivers Richard Thompson — 13 Rivers Arguably the most consistently engaging artist of the last 50 years, Richard Thompson continues to write deep, dark folk-rock songs with an acerbic wit married to a soft, calm wisdom. This new album isn’t widely divergent from his established catalogue but miraculously Thompson, who was already a guitar hero in the 1970s, still manages to grow as a guitarist and sound fresh. Working highly intricate riffs into the undergirding of each song’s frame, he also solos on every song and as usual, his virtuosity remains connected to the music, always moving the songs forward rather than grandstanding. Plus, Thompson’s one of a kind voice only deepens in resonance over time. Highlights: “Trying,” “O Cinderella,” “Bones of Gilead”

Santigold, I Don’t Want: The Gold Fire Sessions

Santigold , I Don’t Want: The Gold Fire Sessions Philly-based rennaisance woman Santi White’s latest release is full of ridiculously catchy tunes, most of them bright, melodic pop songs undergirded by rhythms of myriad inspirations, but especially dancehall and dub. White’s voice delights in her upper ranges and bounces along with such day-glo radiance, it’s all the more satisfying when you realize the songs have both depth and lyrical dexterity, and that the music underneath is so intricately rich. This album is technically a mixtape — in the rap sense of the word, not the cassette compilations Gen X-ers made — rather than an album; there’ll be no singles, no push to make it commercially successful, she’s just releasing songs for free to get recognition. That doesn’t stop it from being one of the very best pop records of the year. Highlights: “Coo Coo Coo,” “Valley of the Dolls,” “Crashing Your Party”

Fantastic Negrito, Please Don’t Be Dead

Fantastic Negrito , Please Don’t Be Dead With the sophomore effort of the third incarnation of Xavier Dphrepaulezz’s musical career, the eccentric bluesman surges ahead on a wave of confidence bestowed by the long-sought success of his 2017 release The Last Days of Oakland. This album is one of a kind; blues is Fantastic Negrito’s homebase, but for the purposes of this album it’s simply springboard to a fantastically diverse array of sounds. From soulful paeans of resistance, to all-out rockers with theatrical guitar wigouts, to off-kilter grunge progressions, to anthemic chanting in exotic scales, Dphrepaulezz is unpredictable and impossible to pin down. Sometimes the only things tying the album together are the progressive message and the personal mojo of its artist, but that’s all it needs. Highlights: “A Letter To Fear,” “A Boy Named Andrew,” “A Cold November Street”

Album Reviews by Stefan Wenger

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