If you have had a Pandora account and have utilized it for
any extended period of time, you are probably aware of how you can create
stations that are based on completely different artists or genres. If you have listened to these stations for a
while and shaped them with thumbs up and thumbs down, you have probably also
experienced a point when some of the songs appear in multiple stations. This point, at which your taste draws
completely different musical bases to a common sound, is what I call a musical
sweet spot. The concept is epitomized by
Elle Varner’s debut album, Perfectly
Imperfect. In this project, Elle
sews together various sounds – including soft rock, folk, hip-hop, and
traditional rhythm and blues flavors – holding them together with the
consistency of the sweetest vocals. Here’s the skinny:
1)
Only
Wanna Give It To You – This, for many, was the joint that introduced Ms.
Varner. It has an old school hip-hop
sound, complete with a smooth bass line, scratching, and a simple break
beat. The sound, coupled with her “Like
that y’all” near the end, makes you want to pop and lock a little.
2)
Refill
– Track two is another banger. The track
opens with a country-esque fiddle that is quickly joined by what sounds like a
three-piece drum set, and subtle bass line.
A xylophonic sound enters during the hook and hangs around for the
remainder of the track. This coupled
with the adorable “conversational lush,” who is portrayed in the lyrics, is slightly
addictive.
3)
Sound Proof
Room – Sound Proof Room is just sexy.
I can’t think of a better word to describe this one. It hearkens back to an era of rock before it
became too metallic. On top of that, lyrics
about an overwhelming desire that requires the edifice of a sound proof room to
be quenched make this song.
4)
I Don’t
Care – This song isn’t bad. It just has
a Corrine Bailey Rae feel to it that I don’t feel is the best sound for Elle. After hearing it once, I would skip it if the
remote was in reach.
5)
Not
Tonight – This was another track like #4.
It just sounds like something that I’d heard from someone else
before. Skip it.
6)
Leaf –
Track #6 breaks the brief “skip it” streak.
The lyrics are a little sappy but the composition’s marriage of a light
lead and bass with snaps, bells, etc. is kind of funky and makes it worth a
listen.
7)
Oh What a
Night – Oh What a Night is just a fun song with verses that march along
until they burst loose with a reserved but lively hook. We even get a taste of
Elle’s skills as an emcee.
8)
Stop the
Clock – We get more strings in this track, but they are of the spooky variety that you expect to hear in select scenes of horror flicks (lol…).
However, they are more than appropriate for a song about a woman who has
reached her breaking point within a relationship. It’s an interesting song, as not only the
lyrics but the accompaniment sound crazy, literally.
9)
Welcome –
Boring. Skip it.
10) Damn Good Friends – A love repressed
and unrequited that spills out over an acoustic guitar and strings. This track is one of my favorites on the
album and has me ready for an unplugged album or concert, already.
11) So
Fly – This is another fun one. To
some this may sound sexist; however, I found these lyrics about a woman, who
alternates between picking apart her physique and consideration of alterations,
funny. At the end of the song, the
artist reveals that she is more content with herself than the song may have
initially led the listener to believe.
Overall, this is a good buy and
well worth the wait. Elle Varner is an
awesome vocalist and the majority of the album showcases her talent. There is something for almost every type of
music fan. Don’t bootleg it. Buy it!