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Written
by Larry Robertson, posted by blog admin
Nick
Black’s 2012 debut The Soul Diaries announced the arrival of a near prodigy
talent on the R&B/soul music scene and his development since then has been
nothing short of startling. Black is a guitarist and vocalist of eye-popping
skill who weaves funk and blues influences, as well, into his work and it’s
resulted in three albums, thus far, packed with superior musical material and
considerable punch. He’s working with some of the best talents at play in
modern music today both as a songwriter and in the recording booth where Black
is joined by famed Memphis sound auteur James Bennett. Grammy winning engineer
Brad Blackwood handles the mastering chores for his new album Summer + Spring
and the combined work of this creative brain trust keeps the album percolating
from the first. Its more than a worthy follow-up to Black’s 2015 release Deep
Blue and Black’s been on the road ever since, honing his live act in a manner
that his new music derives countless benefits from.
The
opening number and a key album single, “Joy to the Girl” illustrates the
essentially good nature pervading this release. Black’s music, even when it
tackles heavier issues, places a high priority on entertaining the listener. The
horn section on the song is an important part of Summer + Spring’s overall
package and provides a nice blast of color laid over a free-flowing, intensely
rhythmic attack from the bass and drums. Black’s breezy vocal style never fails
to deliver plenty of musical substance. The cool strikes of guitar interspersed
throughout the entirety of the title track give it a little added urgency, but “Summer
& Spring” is part and parcel with the rest of the album in the relaxed way
it carries itself. Black turns in another well directed performance perfectly
in tune with the needs of the song. After a few initial vamps from the band, “Nick
at Night” begins chugging along at a respectable clip and features an equally
romping Black vocal. It’s impossible for me to not like how the production puts
Black’s voice and torrid guitar work high in the mix while never giving the
surrounding players short shrift. Summer + Spring covers all the bases with
extraordinary skill.
The
humor of “Nick at Night” gives way to the hefty lyrical concerns of “Changes”,
but Black’s songwriting and vocal alike tackle the subject with such grace that
it lightens the listener’s dramatic load and lets them simply enjoy the tune
far more then they might have otherwise. He indulges his affection for the
blues with “Runaway Heart” and it’s an obvious pick for his live set thanks to
the dramatic orchestration of its construction and wrenching climaxes lent more
weight by Black’s guitar work. “Lay It on the Line” mixes smooth urban R&B
with some funkier passages with seamless transitions between the styles. Black
proves an equally sympathetic vocalist and makes those shifts without ever
missing a beat. There’s a light jazzy air, spiked with a hint of the Caribbean,
on the song “Diamonds” and Black underscores the vibe with a nicely rhythmic,
breathy vocal that never strains for effect. It’s one of the album’s more
satisfying stylistic turns.”When You Say Love” bears some bluesy similarities
to the earlier “Runaway Heart”, but it’s much more of an R&B/soul number than
the earlier tune. Summer + Spring further strengthens Nick Black’s claim to
being one of the most compelling new performers in the R&B/soul/blues genre
to emerge in the last two decades and he continues to make more of an impact
with each new release.
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