Juan Neira/Contributing Writer
How many under-appreciated albums does it take for an artist before he goes bad? After listening to the new Aloe Blacc album “Lift your spirit,” the answer is clearly two of them.
Aloe Blacc, once recognized for his amazing soul style and R&B feeling, has now gone pop. The last time we heard of his work was in the amazing album of 2010 “Good things” that had songs such as “I need a dollar” and “Green light.”
It reached enough success to get sampled by mainstream media disc jokeys, such as Avicii. So from being an uprising talent, he became a recognized voice without a name in the pop world. When was the last time you heard someone say “Wow, that Avicii sample is beautiful. I wonder who sings it?” I even wonder if around the pop culture there is an understanding of sampling.
The decision seemed to be clear for Aloe Blacc. Instead of aiming to his loyal fan base, he decided to please the group that once heard him co-produce a song with Avicii but have no idea who he is. So let’s state the obvious: there is no way you will be able to aim an album to be pleasant for both old Aloe Blacc fans and pop fans. It will be messy and unstable. I wish someone would have told him this before he released “Lift your spirit.”
The album doesn’t flow; it seems like an album of different genres. His once impressive voice is not taken to its maximum capability. And what is Aloe Blacc without his signature flow and tones? The answer is just another pop artist. Even the album cover gives me shivers. What are you trying to be, another justin Timberlake?
If we see this as another pop album, it is not so bad. Is is quite “new” for the pop industry, so I will give it a 7/10 in the pop world. But this is not a fantasy land in which you can get a passing score for being average. In the music world, this doesn’t deserve more than a 3/10.
life@fiusm.com
Be the first to comment on "Aloe Blacc changes style for ‘Lift Your Spirit’"