Glenn Lewis returns after 12 years...

It's been twelve years since Glenn Lewis turned up with his soulful debut album "World outside my window."  He was part of the surge of what was dubbed 'Neo Soul'. Over the past few years I've often reminisced over the days when this music was so prominent. Neo Soul promised the revival of what everyone yearned for... real soul and RnB.

Music Soulchild, Carl Thomas, amongst others where all promising our ears that melodic, lyric driven, meaningful music. That surge inevitably died out. Here's what happened. Imagine coming home after a hard day at work, with plans of relaxing in your sanctuary with all the ingredients for a peaceful evening.  Then just as you open up your book and begin reading, the neighbour decides to turn on the loudest, most offensive baseline driven dance music that penetrates the walls thus disturbing the peace.

That's kind of what happened to 'Neo Soul'... It promised to bring a little of the old school back.  A little subtlety, a little romance. Only problem was Hip hop and RnB decided to join forces at the same time.  RnB singers started point blank swearing in misguided love ballads, which were sung over aggressive Hip hop-esque beats. Simultaneously, Rappers did away with RnB singers and decided to start singing their own choruses fashionably out of tune, then singing their own songs without rapping at all.  (One famous Rapper who became so successful from this, (Ja Rule) actually suffered a huge death blow to his career when 50 cent decided he'd had enough of him. The contradictory thing about this scathing, career ending attack was that rappers included in the attack such as 50 Cent himself, Busta Rhymes and even Eminem had very successful hits by employing the same tactics themselves! However, I digress). This distorted RnB and commercial Hip hop dominance obliterated any hope of a resurgence of soul... which was reincarnating as Neo-Soul.

The reason for this complete waffle/rant on my part? It's that Glenn Lewis has decided to randomly bring out his second album. I usually cringe when I hear old successful artists returning to the game, even though I want them to.  I cringe, because they usually attempt to be relevant to the here and now. This usually incorporates enlisting features that don't gel, and busy disjointed production that doesn't work in the artists favour.

Even though I've only listened to this album once, which is admittedly not the fairest of ways to pass judgement.  It doesn't, in my opinion, pass the 'goose pimple' factor with me.  (Whenever I hear music that blows my socks off, I usually get goose pimples, or the hairs on my arms and neck stand up. I'm not kidding you, strange as it may sound).

However, it's definitely a throwback album. A very solid, soulful body of work, accompanied by melodic backdrops that serve to compliment Glenn's vocals rather than overpower it.  It's quite an interesting experience listening to it, amidst a decades worth of non stop uninspired music specifically made for the clubs and sales.

Nice work Mr Lewis... It definitely passed the "I didn't have to skip a track on the album", don't leave it so long next time eh.

Joshua, TCC