A love story told with intention. That’s how Savoy Ellis describes his latest project that melds together gospel, jazz, soft rock, and 70s soul. The former dedicated singer turned both producer and songwriter for this project, taking a more commanding role in the creative process of the music. To Savoy, his artistry lives and breathes on his voice — pure, gifted, and controlled. Growing up in a musical family with parents that adored gospel and soul music instilled in Savoy from an early age his own dream. Now, he wants to bring back the old school soul to a new generation.
During a recent interview, Savoy Ellis was quoted as saying, “The story I want to tell with this album is something I think everyone can relate to: heartbreak. Everyone is going to get their heart broken at some point in life. The question is how do you bounce back? Better or bitter? I’ve been on both sides of it. So for this album, I wanted to tell that story in a way that people can tap into their own story and see similarities, but also the possibilities.”
‘The Love Album’ is the kind of project you’d want to hear in a jazz club, live and soaking in the performance of it all. Filled with collaborations and jamming, it’s one of the purest forms of soul you’ll hear all year. On the second minute of track two, ‘Over and Over Again’, there’s a vocal harmonisation between Savoy, Blaze Johnson, and Anna Moore that is just elation set to a tune. And the album just continues to regale you with moments like that, moments of collaboration and harmonisation between Savoy and the featured artists to make each track a verifiable single worth its own release.
Particular moments of strength that would undoubtedly be hits on even mainstream radio like ‘Favorite Song’, a soul and afrobeat mix, are bound to make even the most meek individuals hop on the dance floor and groove alongside. For me, the strongest performance on the album comes on the penultimate track, and the real closing piece, ‘Maybe I’m Amazed’. The slow jam ballad, which incorporates an achingly emotive electric guitar solo takes Savoy’s immensely powerful soulful voice into a classic rock production.
Fans of soul music would undoubtedly fall in love with this album. But it’s speciality possibly lies in its wider appeal, its ability to make each song something palatable to a different audience. ‘The Love Album’ is a success across multiple levels, and well worth your listen.
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