Good Things

by Aloe Blacc

I'm a little surprised that I haven't written about this album yet, as I've been playing the hell out of it for months now, but there's something about it that defies easy description for me.

I loved Blacc's last album, Shine Through, although the two things are such different creatures as to almost be from completely different artists.  Shine had a very Latin vibe to it, and still featured Blacc rapping on a few tracks.

Good Things is more of a soul album than anything else.  Blacc sings on each song, and his hip-hop roots are completely absent.  The songs are about financial need, and the mainstays of R'n'B, love and relationships.  This has been described as a political album, but that's not really the case after the first few tracks.

The album opener, 'I Need a Dollar' is a catchy anthem, but my favourite songs are 'Femme Fatale' (which reminds me a little of Mayer Hawthorne), and 'Mama Hold My Hand'.  Aloe Blacc is an artist undergoing a transformation, one that I look forward to seeing the end result of.