| Soul music fans old enough to remember 12-inch | | | | aggressive. Almost recalling a Dre-era hip hop track, |
| remixes are these days being frequently hit with terms | | | | A dark piano line creeps beneath heavy drum sounds |
| like "neo soul", "hip hop soul", "indie soul" and, most | | | | to further paint Choklate's frustration. The |
| to-the-point, "grown folk's music". It's interesting | | | | instrumentation reflects the emotion again when |
| because one of the supposed benefits of being | | | | Choklate shows her vulnerable side. On "The Blues", |
| "grown" is not having to keep up with the newest way | | | | the horns are not unlike a smile trying to hide the inner |
| of referring to something old. Labels aside, what | | | | pain that the stirring chord progression so clearly |
| we're having a harder time finding these days is | | | | emotes. |
| GOOD music...music that comes FROM the artist's soul | | | | The production, mostly provided by Derrick "Vitamin D" |
| and manages to touch the soul of it's listeners. With | | | | Brown, is top notch. Brown's ability to make those |
| her sophomore album, "To Whom It May Concern", | | | | swirling 70's synth sounds work over heavy, hip hop |
| Choklate has once again managed to give us what | | | | flavored beats is well worth taking note of. |
| we're looking for...GOOD music. | | | | Choklate takes advantage of the freedom that being |
| Choklate picks us up right from the get go and takes | | | | an independent artist allows. An artist working inside |
| us "knee deep into some good ol' goodness" with | | | | the big machine (ie signed to a major record label) |
| "Sun's Out". Shining of the same positive spirit that | | | | could never fuse hip hop, R&B, classic soul and |
| tracks like Omar's "I'm Still Standing" or Incognito's | | | | even (gasp) disco and still manage to have their album |
| "Positivity" do, it's difficult to not feel ready to make | | | | actually hit a store shelf...even if it were done as well |
| good things happen when this song's playing. | | | | as on "To Whom It May Concern". For that reason, it |
| Choklate manages to inspire again on "The Tea", a | | | | would almost be unfair to call out any of the few |
| track that uses some clever samples to create a | | | | major label artists making soul music today. |
| genuine disco groove that will have you looking up for | | | | However, since one or two of them have really taken |
| a mirror ball. | | | | to trying to sell us "grown folk's music" lately (and |
| Things get a bit more sensual on "Grown Folks". | | | | some of it sounds closer to elevator music than soul |
| Reminiscent of a mid-90's Keith Crouch production, a | | | | music), they should most certainly be taking notice of |
| melodic bass line laced with wah-wah guitar licks melts | | | | Choklate after this second album. I AM "grown folk", |
| underneath Choklate's smooth vocals. A smart | | | | and THIS is my music. |
| vocalist, Choklate's delivery changes to reflect the | | | | If you'd like to comment on this review, please feel |
| emotion she wants to convey. When she's clearly | | | | free to drop by the Fullasoul Music Community and do |
| finished pretending a relationship is what it should be | | | | so! |
| ("I'm Sorry"), the delivery becomes far more | | | | |