Powerful socially conscious urban messages mix with pleading love ballads on this superb second album from Durand Jones & The Indications. The string drenched opener ‘Morning In America’ yawns, stretches and comes to life with an air of foreboding before the emphatic deep with a beat gem ‘Don’t You Know’ takes over with an upbeat feel that sounds straight out of New York circa 71. Vocal duties are shared on the album with Durand Jones and Aaron Frazer taking turns to lead and it’s Jones’ rasping tones that grace the tough ballad ‘Circles’ while Frazer’s falsetto tones grace the sweet harmony of ‘Court Of Love’. The popping ‘Long Way Home’ has a sanctified feel while the gentle ‘Walk Away’ bubbles under, always threatening to spill over but staying on the side of restrained. The string and horns sections are incredible throughout, none more so than on ‘What I Want To Know About You’ while the simmering ‘True Love’ is an immense call and response gem and a perfect way to end this immense album. The mid-tempo ‘Listen To Your Heart’ is another highlight that sheds the early 70s harmony feel for a tougher beat driven, orchestrated ghetto soul ballad groove while ‘Sea Gets Hotter’ has a warm, drifting vibe that fits with the lyrical content. This is modern day music made by people with their heads and hearts immersed in a crate of golden oldies. It may only be March but this is already firmly planted as one of the best albums of 2019. Essential.
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