Liquid (Tales from the Badlands) - Reviews

Liquid
Tales from the Badlands

Remember the era of Good Times, The Jeffersons and other 70's shows? Recall those old school storytellers such as Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield and Isaac Hayes. Think of some new school artists such as John Legend. Put them together and you will get Liquid.

Liquid is a crooner/emcee who specializes in telling stories typical of his neighborhood in Philadelphia (and in other places for that matter), on his Gotee Records debut, Tales From the Badlands.

In doing so, he injects hope.

"One Time" is a stew of Latin ballads and old school reggae in the style of Bob Marley. The flamenco guitar and horns are lovely and go well with the Liquid’s flair for vivid storytelling. He pays homage to his Puerto Rican heritage "MI Gente", laying down his own midtempo boom bip with electric guitar serving as the final piece of the jam.

On "Back in the Day", Liquid brings in nostalgia in the retrospective a 70's tinged ditty chalked with organ and an infectious groove. The groove continues with "Swing Low", a call to God to help in the time of storm and hard times.

"Gangsta", a cut that tells of what a young man in the hood thinks he needs to do to survive, is laced with infectiousity. Shonlock adds a few bars to further tell the story while Liquid adds the soulful voice and rap to paint a sad picture.

The album also includes ballads for those who like the more chilled out vibe. Liquid brings a little Seal-esque feel to “Sunrise" with his breathy vocals, but that comparison ends as Liquid sings of the beauty of God's rescue just in the nick of time.

"Good to Be Back" is a look into life of convict who is released from prison with a new life in Christ and the joy of being able to go back to his wife. The subtle organ, strings and piano take a back seat to Liquid's lead and layered backing vocals.

"When the Sun Goes Down" is a song that has the feel of Legend's ballads with the acoustic guitar along with a soft percussion sample. Sit back relax and enjoy this one.

Tales From the Badlands is an album to be enjoyed by the hardest of heads to those who want to enjoy music reminiscent of the good ole days.

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Production: Liquid album release date: July, 2006
Gotee Records

— reviewed by Dwayne Lacy —