No, you are not in an alternate universe, I am reviewing an album. I’m actually just flat out recommending it.
As an author and creative I make playlists for every novel, I have a general writing playlist, and I play music when I’m crafting (and usually singing along, but that’s another story for another day). So, I’m always looking for music that influences or provides certain moods. A lot of times I’ve found new music from movies or shows that have some of the same themes as I’m writing. Or just good stuff.
I realized I found 2 songs by one artist–Lucky Daye–and put them on the same novel playlist (my current WIP Book 2 in the Accidental Series). One from a TV show, one from a movie I watched several months later. I had to find out who Lucky Daye was. Painted (Deluxe Edition) has both of these songs on it. It’s his 2nd of 3 albums, the most recent being Table for Two.
Listening to Painted is like taking a trip through soulful R&B from the seventies to now. “Real Games” is that laidback 70s R&B, “Paint It” and “Try Your Fire” evokes that fun 80s R&B feeling, “Shoulda” is an awesome remix of a popular 90s hit, and “Floods” is 21st century R&B with a little Houston chopped “icing” for street cred. Daye even gives us Mingus-esque/”Love Jones” vibes on “Misunderstood”.
It’s been a while since I’ve wanted to buy a soul R&B album and just listen all the way through. And as much as I appreciate those overseas efforts to move “new” R&B to the forefront (where it should be), I have a feeling of ownership for soul R&B. (This my opinion, and as an opinion, it’s as valid as anyone else’s.) The most authentic version of true soulful R&B to me is American, Black, and swimming in emotional ups and downs. And Painted by Lucky Daye has that.
Check it out on Spotify. Then go buy it.
And while you’re on Spotify, check out the latest episode of Nerdy Romantics Podcast!