Classic high-quality 70s-style soul and gospel by the Atlanta singer on his third solo album, filled with beautiful instrumentation and packed with vocally strong emotions that seek the positive through dark times. The single, Hopeful, rich in gospel voices sums up this overall tone, or indeed Where’s The Love, while the title track opener has a strikingly beautiful and melancholy horn and woodwind introduction. The saxophone has a particularly prominent voice on this album, such as on the easy-paced Explore, which also brings in some gentle psychedelic keyboards. So Low adds more of that genre with rippling synths and flute to a song that tickles more modern R&B. The One has the feel of an early 70s TV theme starring Marvin Gaye, and as well as Harding’s namesake, the great Curtis Mayfield, there are also echoes of CeeLo Green (see the retro-style tongue-in-cheek video for I Can’t Hide below), no coincidence as Harding has worked has his backing vocalist, friend and collaborator. But whether it’s guitar, horns, or indeed piano, such as on closer I Won’t Let You Down, and of course voice, every flavour and pore ooze class and vintage. Overall, another excellent soul record, for which, from Arlo Parks to Celeste, Joel Culpepper to Joy Crookes, 2021 has been a vintage years. Out on ANTI Records.
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