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"Music," the first song and lead single from Leela James' first album, bemoans the death of music. She reminisces about Aretha, Gladys, Tina, and Chaka, and asks, "Can we just put the thongs away?" Her argument is flawed and tired. All four inspirations released new material during the early 2000s, and James is the latest in an extended line of artists, stretching from American Idol to any anonymous keyboard lounge on the East Coast, claiming to rescue real music. James should turn off BET and go to a record store: issue solved. The remainder of A Change Is Gonna Come -- named after the Sam Cooke song, covered here -- isn't nearly as nauseating, thankfully enough, even if it retains a nostalgic tint. James has the stature of a woman who should possess a squeaky voice, but she sings with demonstrative grit. More importantly, she doesn't see her inspirations merely as artists to mimic; she sees how they learned from the past and applied it to the present. The past is built upon (if only a little), rather than simply revisited. Kanye West, Raphael Saadiq, Chucky Thompson, and James Poyser are in on the action, giving James the kind of apt support she could've only imagined prior to recording the album. There's plenty of thematic range, whether there are blue lights in the basement, tears on the pillow, sweat on the dancefloor, or sun showers on the porch. Hopefully listeners won't hear all those names during "Music" and get the idea to listen to Lady Soul or Ask Rufus instead.
© Andy Kellman /TiVo
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Jamie Siegel, RecordingEngineer - Ray Wilson, AssistantEngineer - Denise A. Williams, Contributor - Leela James, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, ExecutiveProducer - Gordon Williams, Writer - Comissioner Gordon, Mixer, RecordingEngineer, ExecutiveProducer - Al Perrotta, AssistantEngineer - Brian Dozoretz, RecordingEngineer - IAN CROSS, RecordingEngineer - John Peretti, AssistantEngineer - Walt Bass, RecordingEngineer - Serge "Sergical" Tsai, RecordingEngineer
© 2005 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2005 Warner Records Inc.
Bobby Ross Avila, Producer, Writer - Scott Parker, Writer - Jamie Siegel, RecordingEngineer - Ray Wilson, AssistantEngineer - Denise A. Williams, Contributor - Leela James, Additional Arrangement by, Additional Production, Writer, Performed by, MainArtist, ExecutiveProducer - Neal Pogue, Mixer - Comissioner Gordon, Mixer, RecordingEngineer, ExecutiveProducer - Al Perrotta, AssistantEngineer - Brian Dozoretz, RecordingEngineer - IAN CROSS, RecordingEngineer - Issiah Avila, Writer - Iz, Producer - John Peretti, AssistantEngineer - Walt Bass, RecordingEngineer - We Fly Music, Additional Production - Serge "Sergical" Tsai, RecordingEngineer - LOUIS BROWN III, Writer
© 2005 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2003 Warner Records Inc.
Puff Johnson, Writer - Kenton Nix, Writer - Jamie Siegel, RecordingEngineer - Ray Wilson, AssistantEngineer - Denise A. Williams, Contributor - Leela James, Additional Production, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, ExecutiveProducer - Gordon Williams, Writer - Comissioner Gordon, Mixer, Additional Production, RecordingEngineer, ExecutiveProducer - Al Perrotta, AssistantEngineer - Brian Dozoretz, RecordingEngineer - IAN CROSS, RecordingEngineer - John Peretti, AssistantEngineer - Walt Bass, RecordingEngineer - Serge "Sergical" Tsai, RecordingEngineer
© 2005 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2005 Warner Records Inc.
Jerry Duplessis, Writer - Wyclef Jean, Producer, Additional Production, Writer - Jamie Siegel, RecordingEngineer - Ray Wilson, AssistantEngineer - Denise A. Williams, Contributor - Leela James, Additional Production, Writer, MainArtist, ExecutiveProducer - JERRY "WONDER" DUPLESSIS, Producer - Comissioner Gordon, Mixer, RecordingEngineer, ExecutiveProducer - Al Perrotta, AssistantEngineer - Brian Dozoretz, RecordingEngineer - IAN CROSS, RecordingEngineer - John Peretti, AssistantEngineer - Walt Bass, RecordingEngineer - Serge "Sergical" Tsai, RecordingEngineer - Jerry Wonder, Additional Production
© 2005 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2005 Warner Records Inc.
Jamie Siegel, RecordingEngineer - Ray Wilson, AssistantEngineer - Denise A. Williams, Contributor - Leela James, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, ExecutiveProducer - Gordon Williams, Writer - Comissioner Gordon, Mixer, RecordingEngineer, ExecutiveProducer - Al Perrotta, AssistantEngineer - Brian Dozoretz, RecordingEngineer - IAN CROSS, RecordingEngineer - John Peretti, AssistantEngineer - Walt Bass, RecordingEngineer - Serge "Sergical" Tsai, RecordingEngineer
© 2005 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2005 Warner Records Inc.
Jamie Siegel, RecordingEngineer - Ray Wilson, AssistantEngineer - Denise A. Williams, Contributor - Leela James, Additional Production, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, ExecutiveProducer - Raphael Saadiq, Producer, Additional Production, Writer - Comissioner Gordon, Mixer, RecordingEngineer, ExecutiveProducer - Al Perrotta, AssistantEngineer - Brian Dozoretz, RecordingEngineer - IAN CROSS, RecordingEngineer - John Peretti, AssistantEngineer - Walt Bass, RecordingEngineer - Serge "Sergical" Tsai, RecordingEngineer
© 2005 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2005 Warner Records Inc.
Bobby Ozuna, Writer - Jamie Siegel, RecordingEngineer - Denise A. Williams, Contributor - Leela James, Additional Production, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, ExecutiveProducer - Raphael Saadiq, Producer, Additional Production, Writer - Comissioner Gordon, Mixer, RecordingEngineer, ExecutiveProducer - Brian Dozoretz, RecordingEngineer - IAN CROSS, RecordingEngineer - Walt Bass, RecordingEngineer - Serge "Sergical" Tsai, RecordingEngineer - Jake & the Phatman, CoProducer - Glen Standridge, Writer
© 2005 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2005 Warner Records Inc.
Jamie Siegel, RecordingEngineer - Ray Wilson, AssistantEngineer - Denise A. Williams, Contributor - Leela James, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, ExecutiveProducer - Gordon Williams, Writer - Comissioner Gordon, Mixer, RecordingEngineer, ExecutiveProducer - Al Perrotta, AssistantEngineer - Brian Dozoretz, RecordingEngineer - IAN CROSS, RecordingEngineer - John Peretti, AssistantEngineer - Walt Bass, RecordingEngineer - Serge "Sergical" Tsai, RecordingEngineer
© 2005 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2005 Warner Records Inc.
Puff Johnson, Additional Arrangement by, Writer - Jamie Siegel, RecordingEngineer - Ray Wilson, AssistantEngineer - Denise A. Williams, Contributor - Leela James, Additional Arrangement by, Additional Production, Writer, Performed by, MainArtist, ExecutiveProducer - Gordon Williams, Writer - Comissioner Gordon, Mixer, Additional Production, RecordingEngineer, ExecutiveProducer - Al Perrotta, AssistantEngineer - Brian Dozoretz, RecordingEngineer - IAN CROSS, RecordingEngineer - John Peretti, AssistantEngineer - Walt Bass, RecordingEngineer - Serge "Sergical" Tsai, RecordingEngineer - Gordan Williams, Writer
© 2005 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2004 Warner Records Inc.
Jamie Siegel, RecordingEngineer - Ray Wilson, AssistantEngineer - Denise A. Williams, Contributor - Leela James, Additional Arrangement by, Additional Production, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, ExecutiveProducer - Comissioner Gordon, Mixer, Additional Production, RecordingEngineer, ExecutiveProducer - Al Perrotta, AssistantEngineer - Brian Dozoretz, RecordingEngineer - IAN CROSS, RecordingEngineer - John Peretti, AssistantEngineer - Walt Bass, RecordingEngineer - Serge "Sergical" Tsai, RecordingEngineer - Aaron Harris, Producer, Writer - Ahmad, Writer
© 2005 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2004 Warner Records Inc.
Eric Stefani, Writer - Jamie Siegel, RecordingEngineer - Ray Wilson, AssistantEngineer - Denise A. Williams, Contributor - Leela James, Additional Arrangement by, Vocals, MainArtist, CoProducer, ExecutiveProducer - Comissioner Gordon, Mixer, RecordingEngineer, ExecutiveProducer - Al Perrotta, AssistantEngineer - Brian Dozoretz, RecordingEngineer - IAN CROSS, RecordingEngineer - John Peretti, AssistantEngineer - Walt Bass, RecordingEngineer - Serge "Sergical" Tsai, RecordingEngineer - GWEN STEFANI, Writer - Renee Neufville, Additional Arrangement by
© 2005 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2003 Warner Records Inc.
Jamie Siegel, RecordingEngineer - Ray Wilson, AssistantEngineer - Denise A. Williams, Contributor - Leela James, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, ExecutiveProducer - Gordon Williams, Writer - Comissioner Gordon, Mixer, RecordingEngineer, ExecutiveProducer - Al Perrotta, AssistantEngineer - Brian Dozoretz, RecordingEngineer - IAN CROSS, RecordingEngineer - John Peretti, AssistantEngineer - Walt Bass, RecordingEngineer - Serge "Sergical" Tsai, RecordingEngineer
© 2005 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2005 Warner Records Inc.
T. Lewis, Writer - Vikter Duplaix, Composer, Producer, Writer - Carvin "Ransum" Haggins, Lyricist - Jamie Siegel, RecordingEngineer - Ray Wilson, AssistantEngineer - Denise A. Williams, Contributor - James Poyser, Composer, Producer, Writer - Leela James, Lyricist, Additional Arrangement by, Additional Production, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, ExecutiveProducer - Comissioner Gordon, Mixer, Additional Production, RecordingEngineer, ExecutiveProducer - Calvin Haggins, Writer - Tena Dyer-Lewis, Lyricist - Tend Lewis, Writer - Carvin Haggins, Writer - James Mtume, Additional Production - Al Perrotta, AssistantEngineer - Brian Dozoretz, RecordingEngineer - IAN CROSS, RecordingEngineer - John Peretti, AssistantEngineer - Walt Bass, RecordingEngineer - Serge "Sergical" Tsai, RecordingEngineer
© 2005 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2003 Warner Records Inc.
Kanye West, Producer, Writer - Jamie Siegel, RecordingEngineer - Ray Wilson, AssistantEngineer - Denise A. Williams, Contributor - Leela James, Additional Arrangement by, Additional Production, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, CoProducer, ExecutiveProducer - Anthony Mills, Additional Arrangement by - Gordon Williams, Writer - Comissioner Gordon, Mixer, Additional Production, RecordingEngineer, ExecutiveProducer - Al Perrotta, AssistantEngineer - Brian Dozoretz, RecordingEngineer - IAN CROSS, RecordingEngineer - John Peretti, AssistantEngineer - Walt Bass, RecordingEngineer - Serge "Sergical" Tsai, RecordingEngineer - Renee Neufville, Writer
© 2005 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2005 Warner Records Inc.
Kanye West, Producer, Writer - Jamie Siegel, RecordingEngineer - Ray Wilson, AssistantEngineer - Denise A. Williams, Contributor - Leela James, Additional Production, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, ExecutiveProducer - Comissioner Gordon, Mixer, Additional Production, RecordingEngineer, ExecutiveProducer - Al Perrotta, AssistantEngineer - Brian Dozoretz, RecordingEngineer - IAN CROSS, RecordingEngineer - John Peretti, AssistantEngineer - Walt Bass, RecordingEngineer - Serge "Sergical" Tsai, RecordingEngineer
© 2005 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2005 Warner Records Inc.
Chucky Thompson, Producer, Writer - Puff Johnson, Writer - Jamie Siegel, RecordingEngineer - Ray Wilson, AssistantEngineer - Denise A. Williams, Contributor - Leela James, Additional Production, Writer, MainArtist, ExecutiveProducer - Comissioner Gordon, Mixer, Additional Production, RecordingEngineer, ExecutiveProducer - Al Perrotta, AssistantEngineer - Brian Dozoretz, RecordingEngineer - IAN CROSS, RecordingEngineer - John Peretti, AssistantEngineer - Walt Bass, RecordingEngineer - Serge "Sergical" Tsai, RecordingEngineer
© 2005 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2005 Warner Records Inc.
Jamie Siegel, RecordingEngineer - Ray Wilson, AssistantEngineer - Denise A. Williams, Contributor - Leela James, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, ExecutiveProducer - Gordon Williams, Writer - Comissioner Gordon, Mixer, RecordingEngineer, ExecutiveProducer - Al Perrotta, AssistantEngineer - Brian Dozoretz, RecordingEngineer - IAN CROSS, RecordingEngineer - John Peretti, AssistantEngineer - Walt Bass, RecordingEngineer - Serge "Sergical" Tsai, RecordingEngineer
© 2005 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2005 Warner Records Inc.
Sam Cooke, Writer - Jamie Siegel, RecordingEngineer - Ray Wilson, AssistantEngineer - Leela James, Production, Vocals, MainArtist, ExecutiveProducer - Comissioner Gordon, Mixer, Production, RecordingEngineer, ExecutiveProducer - Al Perrotta, AssistantEngineer - Brian Dozoretz, RecordingEngineer - IAN CROSS, RecordingEngineer - John Peretti, AssistantEngineer - Walt Bass, RecordingEngineer - Serge "Sergical" Tsai, RecordingEngineer
© 2005 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2005 Warner Records Inc.
Jamie Siegel, RecordingEngineer - Ray Wilson, AssistantEngineer - Denise A. Williams, Contributor - Leela James, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, CoProducer, ExecutiveProducer - Gordon Williams, Writer - Comissioner Gordon, Mixer, RecordingEngineer, ExecutiveProducer - Al Perrotta, AssistantEngineer - Brian Dozoretz, RecordingEngineer - IAN CROSS, RecordingEngineer - John Peretti, AssistantEngineer - Walt Bass, RecordingEngineer - Serge "Sergical" Tsai, RecordingEngineer
© 2005 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2005 Warner Records Inc.
Album review
"Music," the first song and lead single from Leela James' first album, bemoans the death of music. She reminisces about Aretha, Gladys, Tina, and Chaka, and asks, "Can we just put the thongs away?" Her argument is flawed and tired. All four inspirations released new material during the early 2000s, and James is the latest in an extended line of artists, stretching from American Idol to any anonymous keyboard lounge on the East Coast, claiming to rescue real music. James should turn off BET and go to a record store: issue solved. The remainder of A Change Is Gonna Come -- named after the Sam Cooke song, covered here -- isn't nearly as nauseating, thankfully enough, even if it retains a nostalgic tint. James has the stature of a woman who should possess a squeaky voice, but she sings with demonstrative grit. More importantly, she doesn't see her inspirations merely as artists to mimic; she sees how they learned from the past and applied it to the present. The past is built upon (if only a little), rather than simply revisited. Kanye West, Raphael Saadiq, Chucky Thompson, and James Poyser are in on the action, giving James the kind of apt support she could've only imagined prior to recording the album. There's plenty of thematic range, whether there are blue lights in the basement, tears on the pillow, sweat on the dancefloor, or sun showers on the porch. Hopefully listeners won't hear all those names during "Music" and get the idea to listen to Lady Soul or Ask Rufus instead.
© Andy Kellman /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 19 track(s)
- Total length: 01:04:47
- Main artists: Leela James
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Warner Records
- Genre: Soul/Funk/R&B Soul
© 2005 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2003, 2004, 2005 Warner Records Inc.
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