Most bands on the retro-soul scene seem obsessed with seeing how far they can wander into the past, so it's refreshing that the first track of
American Love Call
, the second album from
Durand Jones & the Indications
, reminds us that they're living in America in 2019, a time and place where not everyone is getting a fair deal. "Morning in America" is a concise evocation of a nation where the haves live the good life while poisoned water, drugs, and injustice are sad facts of the have-nots. The lyrics are incisive and the lean, soulful groove of the music recalls a time in the late '60s and early '70s when R&B artists often sang conscious lyrics about life in a divided United States. "Morning in America" is a powerful kickoff for
, and if none of the other songs cut as deep as a social or political statement, the performances are tough, evocative soul music in the classic East Coast/Chicago style, cool but deeply passionate with top-shelf musicianship and heart-tugging vocals from frontman
Durand Jones
and drummer
Aaron Frazer
.
is the first album this band has recorded in a proper studio, and though the production is cleaner and the arrangements are more ambitious than those on their self-titled 2016 debut, the addition of strings and horns don't clutter the surroundings and instead refine and focus the sound of a band that already had a good thing going. Guitarist
Blake Rhein
, keyboard man
Steve Okonski
, bassist
Kyle Houpt
, and drummer
Frazer
are a remarkably tight band whose sound is clearly rooted in the past, but the emotions behind it are fresh, as is their enthusiasm and commitment, and there's a rich, beating heart behind this music that's free of affectation. And
Jones
is a real find as a vocalist, with the grit, range, and temperament to give these songs plenty of life while also filling them with a personality of his own.
is an outstanding example of how craft and passion can walk hand in hand, and puts
near the top of the heap in the retro-soul sweepstakes. ~ Mark Deming