Culture of Love Album Review - by DJ Liv Strong

Revolutionizing how Gospel has been done in music production, promotion and publications, Russell Leonce has created at the end of his journey the 'Culture of Love' album.'Speaks to me', 'Inspirational', Moves me to tears', 'Something I can relate to', are just some of the wonderful comments I've received concerning this album, however DJ Liv Strong again gives an in depth look into the album's content.

Artist: Russell Leonce

Album: Culture Of Love

Record Label: Camari Music

Release Date: 14th March 2009

Synopsis:

If I were to do the near impossible task of defining this abum in one word I would use 'crisp'. In all aspects this album is complete. The finished product may have been the product of 5 years of hard work, but as Solomon stated, "for everything there is a time and season". Russell Leonce's breakdown of the Culture of Love is what the world should adopt, and is definitely an accurate rendition of the Culture of God in a musically diverse R&B form.

Breakdown:

The begining interlude speaks for itself, letting you know the purpose of the album and what slant you should take when listening to the songs. This is all too important in album production, becasue listeners can severley critisize an album when they don't know what context they should listen to it from, similar to most things that pertain to life and faith in God.

Opening the selections is a song entitled "Stand Up". It simply encourages listeners to stand up for what is right. Simple message but the delivery of the vocals is as I said before ,’crisp’. As any listener would come to realise, the delivery of choruses is one of Russell's greatest strong points, and the amount of work he put into them definitely resonates in one's ear drums via his distinct hook variations.

The title track "This Love" seems to encourage the breakout of some fusion of the funky chicken and the dance Carlton does on the Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Complete with the trumpets and organs this jam is catchy. The switch to a thursday night Jazz session shows the musical versitality of the album. With the clear message that it is only by Christ's love that we are redeemed from sin this song has a nice mixture of message and catchy beat.

"Why I love You" tones it down to more to a scarcely melodic song, with a bpm (beats per minute) of of no more than 80. The switch up on the flow here I would not say is unwelcomed, but it may not have properly fit into the flow of the album, seeing that one of the best songs on the album "Smile" is next. It however seems to be the general feel of the album with the bump-smoth-bump format in song placement.

Track 5 does nothing but make you "Smile". Vanessa Briggs and Russel Leonce is like a Trini R&B dream duo that fits like a surgical glove. Production, vocals, and Antus Keith on the track definitely adds to this album's crisp complete feeling. Antus brings the inspirational Hip Hop flow with an uncompromized message of smiling through the storm because of God. What more do you want for a mainstream uplifting R&B song? Smile :-)

After a funky interlude, no pun intended, we hit the highlight of the album. "Troubles Won't Last" is the lyrical version of telling someone "I know what you are going through". It more than transcends the emotional level of a person, but it impacts the spirit and soul of a man, exposing that soul to Jesus' provision for us.

The most evangelical track on the album is no doubt 'Runaway Child' with lyrics alluding to opening one's heart, Jesus knocking on your door and judgement on it's way. It's carries a melody that can be described as more of a meditative with the use of good old ivory. Russell's vocals here seem to drag at times but that can easily be exchanged for passion due to the pleading nature of the song.

On "Don't Cry" ft. Shiselon, we bounce up another one of those beat changes. It adds that dynamic freshness that this album infuses into the sound receptors of the listener. If there was a ‘2nd most motivating track’ on the album it would be this one. Even if you are crying still, you would know why you should not be crying. It doesn't seem like the track is meant to make you smile, but it is meant to comfort a dismal heart. Very similar to "Troubles won't last" minus Shiselon's well placed verse. It's not common to put the emcee in the center of the song, but then again, this album is not your common R&B.

Have we had any purely acoustic instrumentals on the album yet? No. The last track on the album is the closest that we will come to acoustics with a simple piano/keyboard arrangement that acts as the platform for Russell's strongest vocal display. The span of his vocals in this track again highlights his smooth crooning. Shades of soundtracks for old 70's love story movies come to mind. For the theologically versed, this song is an expression of God's undeserved love that is bestowed upon the ungrateful children of Israel and humanity by extension through the Atonement for sins made possible by the sacrificial death of Christ on the Cross.

The conclusion of this is simple. Never before has Trinidad and Tobago seen a R&B album of this caliber. From promotion all the way up to delivery of the songs this album is an example of hard work and dedication which took 5 years as he often alludes to in his interviews. The album crosses the bar easily and appeals to its tarted audience with pinpoint accuracy. Anyone who want solid Christ Centered motivational R&B, should pick this one up online or at your favorite CD outlet. Why? Because it delivers no questions asked.

Meters:


MILK AND MEAT

TIMBREL AND HARP

JEW AND GENTILE

Written by :

Esther James

 

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