"On How Life Is"
Gray starts from a solid foundation of retro funk and soul and builds on it by adding hip-hop signifiers and modern studio techniques. The result is one of the better debuts of the year, thanks to Gray's blunt proclamations ("I've committed murder... and I don't feel bad about it") and inimitable vocal phrasing. On How Life Is offers the sass of a '20s blueswoman plus the don't-mess-with-me strength of a 21st-century R&B icon-in-the-making.
Copyright Amazon.com 2000
Macy Gray's debut draws heavily on '70s funk traditions to make its progressive-R&B points. With help from a band including former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Arik Marshall, she uses her raw yet controlled voice to celebrate sex ("Sexomatic," "Caligula"), God ("I Can't Wait to Meetchu"), and injustice ("I've Committed Murder"). Gray's songwriting doesn't seem fully developed yet, but On How Life Is is a striking first shot nonetheless.
Copyright Amazon.com 2000
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A Promising Debut
The opening track on Macy Gray's debut album, a slice of laid-back party funk called Why Didn't You Call Me, is nothing special. It might be good enough to convince the average listener to try out a few more tracks, however, and in that case the album is as good as sold. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what elements separate Gray from most of the other hip-hop/soul divas on the charts. There's her scratchy, distinctive voice, which is reminiscent of Nina Simone and Billie Holiday, and which works equally well on sultry ballads ("Still") and screaming funk jams ("Caligula.") There's the even more pronounced influence of classic 1970s soul, most apparent in the lush, orchestral production (courtesy of Fiona Apple's producer, interestingly enough.) But when the reason this album truly works (as it does, surprisingly well, on more than half of the tracks) is the strong writing. Lyrically, the album veers from frank sexuality (the unmistakable "Sex-O-Matic Venus Freak") to intense religious devotion ("I Can't Wait to Meetchu") to ambiguously moral storytelling (the slightly reggae-ish "I've Committed Murder"), without missing a step, all of which promises to keep things interesting. The music is inconsistent, and in some cases doesn't withstand frequent listening. There are some indelible hip-hop grooves and interesting sampling, but some of the melodies are rather uninteresting and self-indulgent. This is Gray's first album, so maybe we shouldn't be so rash to criticize her. She is clearly talented both as a singer and as a writer, as is especially evident from the sublime and pervasive radio hit "I Try" and the moving "Still." I don't doubt that we have much to look forward to in the coming years from this artist, who is already, for my money, on a par with Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill.
By KRossHoff
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