Coultrain

R&B albums rarely combine the multiple musical legacies of one given city and catch the zeitgeist of its time as masterfully as PPP’s sophomore disc, Abundance (Ubiquity)As the title suggests, producer Waajeed and multi-instrumentalist Saadiq—the group’s two brainiacs—pack so much historical reference, so much modern perspective, so much deft musicality, so much lyrical ingenuity, and so much vivacity that Abundance is full of artistic riches.

Hailing from Detroit, it comes as no surprise that PPP (formerly Platinum Pied Pipers) bolsters much of Abundance with the epochal sounds of Motown, which celebrates its golden anniversary this year. But Motown, particularly its ’60s halcyon years, has informed a motherlode of recent albums, notably Amy Winehouse’s 2006’s breakout disc, Back to Black (Island), Solange Knowles’ nifty Sol-Angel and the Hadley Street Dreams (Music World/Geffen, 2008) and Raphael Saadiq’s fawning The Way I See It. Referencing Motown now seems purely trendy if not passé.

Although syncopated handclaps, snazzy snare-drum intros and soulful doo-wop harmonies rouse songs like “Go Go Go,” “Countless Excuses” and “Rocket Science,” Abundance channels more of Norman Whitfield’s urgent soul psychadelica that he wrote for the Undisputed Truth and Edwin Starr rather than Holland-Dozier-Holland’s sweet innocence that other current Motown-inspired discs bite.

PPP also prevents Abundance from being middling Motown pastiche by drawing upon a fuller spectrum of Detroit’s musical legacy. Songs, like the body-jacking “Smoking Mirrors,” the scalding “Luv Affair” and the forceful “Angel,” reconcile Motor City’s Motown, P-Funk, garage rock and electronica, all at once, and still are palatable for hip-hop heads. More impressive, however, is how PPP executes its ambitions minus the irony-at-gunpoint gauche that mars so much hipster culture.

This is where genuine song craft, animated by strong vocal performances, comes in. On Abundance, PPP recruits four new powerful singers: Karma Stewart, Jamila Reagan, Coultrain and Neco Redd—all destined for greatness. Coultrain, in particular, wins the MVP award for contributing the lion’s share of witty lyrics and hooky melodies.

The vocalists repay in kind. Stewart infuses just the right amount of Saturday night sass and Sunday morning gospel fervor on the punchy lead single “On a Cloud,” while Reagan effectively brings out the lovesick apprehension in “Go Go Go.” Redd plays a convincing call girl on the cabaret-driven “American Pimp,” while Coultrain projects the free-spirited friskiness of a playa on “Pigeonhole.”

Abundance deals mostly with romance, detailing the games people play and revealing how everyone plays the fool. Coultrain reveals the ambiguities of a love affair on the spiteful “Rocket Science” on which he and Stewart sing: “I can’t win/When you found a way to fight it every step of the way/Afraid to be afraid/it gets far more than complicated/Touché.’” He addresses suspicion on the thunderous ballad “Ain’t No Ifs or Maybes” opening with “She says she only wears open toes for me/Well if so then she’s a thief/cuz I’ve caught the faint scent of cologne/money comes and money goes/and when it’s gone she’s out the door.” Bliss occurs, too, as on the idyllic “Sanctuary,” on which Coultrain questions the stability of a romance with the lines: “How do you know when to kiss your freedoms goodbye?/And be certain it be for the last time,” amid a cloud of swooning strings and suspended cymbals.

Love may be the overarching theme of Abundance, but on several songs, PPP sneaks in a subtext dealing with self-identity, self-reinvention and self-determination. “How far are you willing to go/To work to look and breathe like somebody else,” PPP asks on the galvanizing New Wave romp “Smoke & Mirrors” as they critique fashion slaves with “How will you ever get to see your growth?/When you bought your style right off of the shelf.” Coultrain articulates the complexities of constant reinvention, especially as he opens “Pigeonhole” with “Now let’s see/ who shall I be?” before warning his paramour that he can be “shallow as a dry well” or “noble as a statue.”

PPP tackles those aforementioned themes best on the title track. Against a caffeinated boogie-woogie piano riff, Coultrain croons: “Don’t know who I am/Don’t think I ever did” to a wary lover as he explains that he once was trapped by definitions imposed upon him. Soon he delivers the boastful chorus: “See you’re a slave to tradition if you don’t wanna have it all/If revolution ain’t your picture, then you’ll cease to exist at all.” Here, PPP gives us “Dancing in the Streets,” the Motown classic that epitomized excitement of the mid-’60s.

The ebullience of “Abundance” recalls the fervor of late-night Nov. 4, 2008, when Barack Obama became this country’s first black president. The lyrics, while not overtly political, evoke the self-determination of Obama’s ascension and perhaps his sentiments to black naysayers, who earlier in his campaign doubted that he could reach his ultimate political goal. Both the song’s lyrics and energy evoke the optimism of many black Americans reevaluating and transforming themselves, fighting long-held stereotypes and striving for, as Coultrain sings, a newfound “slice of abundance.” - The Root- John Murph

I was inspired when Peanut Butter Wolf put together a Valentine’s Day mix last year, which featured some real classics, e.g. Bobby Womack’s “How Could You Break My Heart,” and The Jacksons, “Blues Away.” Despite the expectations days like this hold, I choose to honor the underlying sentiment: the feelings of admiration and affection (insert studio audience, “Awww.”) So, that’s what I plan; a few choice selections that are great for days like today.

- Michael Jackson, “Lady In My Life”/Thriller – I know, an album full of #1’s, but often the least mentioned track off that album, in my opinion; this song is what the 90’s New Jack Swingers and current sap singers strive(d) to be like. “Lady In My Life” has it all: the bridge, the break down, the vocals…Michael takes no prisoners on this track, and whether he used this track to his advantage or not, there is no denying this song is a romancer. “I want you to stay with me…” It’s a wrap.

- Duke Ellington, “In A Sentimental Mood”/Duke Ellington & John Coltrane – I first heard this song when I was about 12 on The Cosby Show (I know I’m not the only who heard it from Bill first). Back then, I thought jazz was “grown up” business, and wanted nothing to do with it…I just went back to bumpin’ BDK. However, over the years, I’ve become quite fond of this track, particularly as the jazz part of my brain matured. Ellington’s piano is melodic, and Coltrane on sax is too slick. Slick as a fox.

- The Isley Brothers, “Don’t Say Good Night”/Go All The Way – Come on now, it’s The Isley Brothers, true pioneers of my theory that if you can sing it, you can say whatever you want, e.g. “I want to see what you’re like in bed.” (See also: R. Kelly). I sense there is no need to fortify it’s Valentine’s Day value, but hey, ya’ll need something to bump after dinner.

- Curtis Mayfield, “Now You’re Gone”/Roots – Curtis was always great for the scorned/lost love tracks, and this is my favorite of the bunch. Mayfield’s Roots was chock full of drums heard here, save for maybe “Love To Keep You In My Mind,” but the horns, drums, bass – all accentuate Mayfield’s sorrow/relief here. Of course, the emotional lead weighing on Mayfield’s heart was made famous by 9th Wonder, (check “H.U.S.T.L.E.” from Murs’s 3:16 The 9th Edition) but this track is certainly worth more than a 3-second sample.

- Dwele, “My Lova/Movement”/Some Kinda… – Love them maracas. The trombone. Guitar. Let’s be real, Dwele kills this. The highlight for me is the end, which find Dwele in quite a bind: his other girl calls, while is other girl is makin’ him breakfast. Singing won’t get you out this, my friend.

- Stevie Wonder, “I Was Made To Love Her”/I Was Made To Love Her – I know, I’ve included this in a list previously, but this song can’t be touched.

- Coultrain, “Green”/The Adventures of Seymour Liberty – I actually just recently picked this album up ($6.99 + S&H), but have been bumpin’ incessantly for the past week. I actually meant to do a post on the album yesterday, but well, I had no electricity due to snow/ice. So this serves as my segue. “Green” is actually characteristic of the sound of The Adventures of Seymour Liberty – a taste of the old school soul; if you ask me, this song IS everything Stevie Wonder IS. I’m convinced he used a Stevie track for this, but as yet, my research as turned up very little. I really dig the color analogy, “And if another voice catches your ear, you know I’m green…because no other is for you, you’re the yellow to my blue, together we make green.”

I tried my best to my homework on this guy/album. Other than the fact that he’s going to be the featured artist on the upcoming Platinum Pied Pipers album, not much is out there. Usually, the blogs are a good place to pick up on new artists, particularly ones not signed to a major. So, if TT is your first scoop on Coultrain, allow me to highly recommend…Seymour Liberty. First, it’s a great album because it matches his voice with production extremely well. Similar to guys like Anthony Hamilton and Raheem Devaughn, Coultrain has a “throwback” voice; he mends well with the older sounds that back most of the album. Contrast this with Devaughn for example, who’s voice I think is great, but I don’t always like the generic R&B beats he’s on. Songs like the aforementioned “Green,” and “Lost in Translation” make his sound difficult to place in time. Is it contemporary? More akin to Stevie’s 70’s albums? Even a ballad like “Lilac Tree” has a subtle Frank Sinatra feel to it, like Dwele’s “Some Kinda,” or Sinatra cover, “Kick Out Of You.”

“Endangered Species,” a reflective look at the role of black men in society, continues the old soul feel, borrowing the guitar and drums from the blaxpoitation era. It’s obvious Coultrain is a student of music and his sound interprets the styles laid out before him.

Back in October, Kyle and I lamented the lack of new soul, or rather the stale soul music of 2007. Coultrain’s The Adventures of Seymour Liberty is a positive sign that the groundhog has not seen its shadow, and fresh soul music is abound in 2008. (Erykah in 2 weeks, btw). I think it’s a must have. Hear for yourself at his myspace.
- Peter Squire (http://tradingtapes.wordpress.com)

An historic breeding ground for many of music’s pioneering genres such as blues and jazz, St. Louis represents a musical hub that deserves mention along with New York, New Orleans, Memphis, San Francisco and Philadelphia. The Gateway city serves as a melting pot of many black music genres. It is troubling, however, that the city’s more well-known new artists who come to mind are Nelly & The St. Lunatics, Chingy and Huey. To say that this is an unbalanced representation of the city’s cultural capital is an understatement. Coultrain’s The Adventures of Seymour Liberty is a welcome addition to the cadre of new artists that have emerged from “The Lou”. Here is a true representation of the brand of soul by which the city has historically been characterized.

Seymour Liberty is not the typical R&B/Soul offering as it gives the listener multiple looks and feels that meld into one of the most refreshing male debuts since D’Angelo’s Brown Sugar. Libertydoes not fall victim to the trite neo-soul formula despite what some might consider familiar aesthetics. Coultrain is able to offer the listener spacey and experimental vocal and musical arrangements that sit alongside more acoustic and organic ones.

The production and arrangements on “Swimmin’ In The Stars” and “Who R U?” are more consistent with the futuristic and experimental nu-dub of Steve Spacek than anything Eric Roberson has done recently. Conversely, the easy jazz swing of “Lilac Tree” or the bass-driven handclap groove of “Playin’ Catch Up” leans more towards what traditional neo-soul lovers might be familiar.

The album is at its strongest when Coultrain is able to fuse both the futuristic and familiar. “Green”, for instance, successfully pairs a moving bassline and rhythm guitar with some colorful synthesizer washes that make the track an album standout. The album is at its weakest when Train overextends himself with the genre-fusing. “Mt. Zion” is well-intentioned with self-affirmative and social lyrics but its roots-reggae bounce make it stick out a bit on an album that is characterized by a more domestic groove.

The story of this album is the production, the likes of which was done by Kenautis Smith. It straddles the line between traditional and experimental and is so varied and layered that it is difficult to tell which instruments are live and which are sampled. However, the production definitely does not overshadow Coultrain’s commendable vocal efforts. Often his vocals seep into Smith’s arrangements to make the song that much more enjoyable and lush, while on songs such as “Lost In Translation”, Coultrain is able to flip a respectable falsetto.

Aside from the production magic and the vocal consistency, Adventures is just a fun and upbeat listen. There are no long and sappy ballads which are typical fare for singers these days. Yes, many of the tracks focus on relationship maneuvering but this is balanced by the latter part of the album which features tracks with multiple social messages of self-affirmation and redemption. Adventures is a must-have for any soul music lover in 2008. St. Louis is red hot.
- Travis Larrier

Embodying qualities of a poet, shaman, and cultural/musical revolutionary, soul singer-songwriter Coultrain is on the verge of widespread recognition with The Adventures of Seymour Liberty. Many Los Angeles heads have caught a breeze of Coultrain’s essence on Garth Trinidad’s Suite 903 compilation; many more will emerge enlightened in the near future.

Aglow with sincerity, Adventures is described by its creator as a thematic piece; slightly tragic in its reflection, yet full of hope. It’s no wonder that ‘Train’s sublime songwriting streams into our consciousness on multiple levels – his literary influences include James Baldwin, Zora Neale Hurston, Margaret Walker, Cleaver, Kerouac, and Solomon’s Song of Songs.

Along with the musical and literary influences, the human experience in general imbues Coultrain’s art. And its expression is a hands-up-to-testify cleansing of the spirit and conscience. Following his journey thus far, it’s evident to see why…

[Jeff Kuryak, LA2DAY] When did you realize that you wanted to pursue a career in music?

[Coultrain] It’s been a dream of mine for so long that I can't really pinpoint an age. The earliest that I can actually recall a memory has to be around age 6 or 7, performing with the school & church choir.

J: I know you grew up around music. How do you feel your upbringing and early environment shaped your current musical style? Who were some of your early influences?

C: My upbringing was full of music. My parents were very strict disciplinarians, but music always seemed to be an exception to the rules. [I remember] sitting in the basement with my father listening to Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, Mavis Staples, basically all of the Stax records at that time, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder. All these artists – like so many even now grew up in church like me, so it was a relatable sound – one that deepened my interest in soul music. The arrangements, the harmonies, the rhythms, the emotions – all these wrapped together shaped my sound totally. So even once I got involved with hip-hop producers, it all still carried the same essence for me – the same freedom of expression.

J: What is the story behind your name, Coultrain?

C: The name has so many different reasons – first my nickname was Train and it was given to me at a time when I was just starting to know myself (during adolescence). So I held on to it tight. Not that I thought it was better than my real name, but I've always been in to films so it became kind of a character I played – a piece of myself that wasn't always to be exposed; just on occasion.

J: Since winning the Riverfront Times (St. Louis) award in 2003, you have travelled from to NY & LA to Europe. How has your sabbatical impacted or enhanced your craft?

C: My travels have taught me so much – endurance, enlightenment, patience, focus… just being able to adjust to anything. This is how I know GOD walks with me: A lot of temptations and tribulations entered my life exactly when I could handle them and deal with them in a way that I felt as if I was growing in music, as a man, and a child of GOD.

J: Are there any differences in your audience / music listeners in the US & over seas? Have you noticed a greater appreciation for you art in any particular place?

C: Honestly I'm not sure about the difference. I got positive feedback from both places. I try not to give compliments too much thought because I'm so hard on myself; although they are really nice to hear. I think almost anybody can appreciate it because its honest music.

J: I know you place an emphasis on creating timeless music. How did you come to place timelessness as the top priority of your work?

C: Well, I learned a long time ago not to fall into the trends of the day. The people I listen to, people have been following for over fifty years and their music still matters. That's important for it to be twenty years later and your music still matters. It’s still valid; people are still living it, fighting through it, loving it, praying for it, hurting through it. I hope my music says the same.

J: What would you like people to gain from your songs?

C: I hope it’s therapy for some and poetry for others.

J: I know you used to play the drums; do you get the chance to play much anymore?

C: I play a little bit every now and then. Actually I'm starting to produce a little bit with a great singer/songwriter by the name of Rucyl. This gives me the opportunity to experiment with that other side of my musicability that I don't have access to a lot.

J: Is there anything in particular that seems to inspire your creativity?

C: Life. Not just one particular aspect of it either. So many different pieces of life make up one song for me. It could be a "love" song but there's so much joy or torture stemming from so many other directions, they play a part as well.

J: What does the immediate and distant future hold for Coultrain?

C: The Adventures of Seymour Liberty, my full length. I'm also a featured writer/artist on the new PPP (Platinum Pied Pipers) project and various side projects. GOD willing, the future holds more experiences and feelings inside them to write about; I am a writer first.

J: What was the first song you ever wrote?

C: It was called “Two Different Worlds,” I was like twelve. It was about a girlfriend at the time; I was trying to do poetry. It had to do with the fact that she liked to play tetherball and I didn’t. We didn’t like to do a lot of the same things so it was like we were living in two different worlds.

J: Wow, that’s real (mutual laughter). Anything else you'd like to bless us with?

C: GOD is laughing at your plans...

Indeed, sir. As Coultrain’s story continues to unfurl, we should strive to grow with the same verve, spiritual consciousness and ambition. Along the way, there will be an abundance of therapy and poetry to comfort and inspire; stay close to the source here:

www.myspace.com/coultrainmusic

By Jeff Kuryak - Jeff Kuryak (www.la2day.com)

R&B albums rarely combine the multiple musical legacies of one given city and catch the zeitgeist of its time as masterfully as PPP’s sophomore disc, Abundance (Ubiquity)As the title suggests, producer Waajeed and multi-instrumentalist Saadiq—the group’s two brainiacs—pack so much historical reference, so much modern perspective, so much deft musicality, so much lyrical ingenuity, and so much vivacity that Abundance is full of artistic riches.

Hailing from Detroit, it comes as no surprise that PPP (formerly Platinum Pied Pipers) bolsters much of Abundance with the epochal sounds of Motown, which celebrates its golden anniversary this year. But Motown, particularly its ’60s halcyon years, has informed a motherlode of recent albums, notably Amy Winehouse’s 2006’s breakout disc, Back to Black (Island), Solange Knowles’ nifty Sol-Angel and the Hadley Street Dreams (Music World/Geffen, 2008) and Raphael Saadiq’s fawning The Way I See It. Referencing Motown now seems purely trendy if not passé.

Although syncopated handclaps, snazzy snare-drum intros and soulful doo-wop harmonies rouse songs like “Go Go Go,” “Countless Excuses” and “Rocket Science,” Abundance channels more of Norman Whitfield’s urgent soul psychadelica that he wrote for the Undisputed Truth and Edwin Starr rather than Holland-Dozier-Holland’s sweet innocence that other current Motown-inspired discs bite.

PPP also prevents Abundance from being middling Motown pastiche by drawing upon a fuller spectrum of Detroit’s musical legacy. Songs, like the body-jacking “Smoking Mirrors,” the scalding “Luv Affair” and the forceful “Angel,” reconcile Motor City’s Motown, P-Funk, garage rock and electronica, all at once, and still are palatable for hip-hop heads. More impressive, however, is how PPP executes its ambitions minus the irony-at-gunpoint gauche that mars so much hipster culture.

This is where genuine song craft, animated by strong vocal performances, comes in. On Abundance, PPP recruits four new powerful singers: Karma Stewart, Jamila Reagan, Coultrain and Neco Redd—all destined for greatness. Coultrain, in particular, wins the MVP award for contributing the lion’s share of witty lyrics and hooky melodies.

The vocalists repay in kind. Stewart infuses just the right amount of Saturday night sass and Sunday morning gospel fervor on the punchy lead single “On a Cloud,” while Reagan effectively brings out the lovesick apprehension in “Go Go Go.” Redd plays a convincing call girl on the cabaret-driven “American Pimp,” while Coultrain projects the free-spirited friskiness of a playa on “Pigeonhole.”

Abundance deals mostly with romance, detailing the games people play and revealing how everyone plays the fool. Coultrain reveals the ambiguities of a love affair on the spiteful “Rocket Science” on which he and Stewart sing: “I can’t win/When you found a way to fight it every step of the way/Afraid to be afraid/it gets far more than complicated/Touché.’” He addresses suspicion on the thunderous ballad “Ain’t No Ifs or Maybes” opening with “She says she only wears open toes for me/Well if so then she’s a thief/cuz I’ve caught the faint scent of cologne/money comes and money goes/and when it’s gone she’s out the door.” Bliss occurs, too, as on the idyllic “Sanctuary,” on which Coultrain questions the stability of a romance with the lines: “How do you know when to kiss your freedoms goodbye?/And be certain it be for the last time,” amid a cloud of swooning strings and suspended cymbals.

Love may be the overarching theme of Abundance, but on several songs, PPP sneaks in a subtext dealing with self-identity, self-reinvention and self-determination. “How far are you willing to go/To work to look and breathe like somebody else,” PPP asks on the galvanizing New Wave romp “Smoke & Mirrors” as they critique fashion slaves with “How will you ever get to see your growth?/When you bought your style right off of the shelf.” Coultrain articulates the complexities of constant reinvention, especially as he opens “Pigeonhole” with “Now let’s see/ who shall I be?” before warning his paramour that he can be “shallow as a dry well” or “noble as a statue.”

PPP tackles those aforementioned themes best on the title track. Against a caffeinated boogie-woogie piano riff, Coultrain croons: “Don’t know who I am/Don’t think I ever did” to a wary lover as he explains that he once was trapped by definitions imposed upon him. Soon he delivers the boastful chorus: “See you’re a slave to tradition if you don’t wanna have it all/If revolution ain’t your picture, then you’ll cease to exist at all.” Here, PPP gives us “Dancing in the Streets,” the Motown classic that epitomized excitement of the mid-’60s.

The ebullience of “Abundance” recalls the fervor of late-night Nov. 4, 2008, when Barack Obama became this country’s first black president. The lyrics, while not overtly political, evoke the self-determination of Obama’s ascension and perhaps his sentiments to black naysayers, who earlier in his campaign doubted that he could reach his ultimate political goal. Both the song’s lyrics and energy evoke the optimism of many black Americans reevaluating and transforming themselves, fighting long-held stereotypes and striving for, as Coultrain sings, a newfound “slice of abundance.”

John Murph is a regular contributor to The Root. - John Murph (www.theroot.com)

Few artists possess the power to make me excited for R&B these days. In the mainstream realm, acts these days are just too busy trying to transcend the nearly-dead genre and focus too heavily on being a singer who raps rather than a straightforward crooner. Perhaps that is why the Foreign Exchange’s Leave It All Behind left such a last impression on me and others. Phonte, who you know for his lyrical prowess and fantastic flow, flipped the script and decided to sing his heart out his latest with Nicolay, one of the best producers out there today. But, aside from that record, there was little in the way of inspirational and fun R&B. That all changed, though, once PPP, formerly known as the Platinum Pied Pipers and made up of a rotating roster backed by producer Waajeed and multi-instrumentalist Saadiq, sent out their press advance of Abundance.

On their debut, Triple P, PPP exposed the globe to brewing talents including the eccentric and now prolific Georgia Anne Muldrow and the smooth siren Tiombe Lockhart. And as their backbone, the duo brought in vets like renowned producer J Dilla (R.I.P.), who appears on several cuts, and the fire-spitting Invincible, who christened “Detroit Winter” with her incredible rhymes. In short, Triple P was essentially a hip-hop-by-way-of-R&B record that showcased a blend of PPP’s phenomenal, thumping beats and funky instrumentation. And it didn’t hurt that those aforementioned guests made sure to bring plenty of heat. Since that album’s release, PPP has toured the world while scouring for new artists to christen Abundance.

Oh and what an abundance of, well everything you would want and expect, it is. First, we have a new cast on our hands. Leading the pack is Coultrain, a man so full of soul it hurts. If you have not heard of him by now, let this be his warning to the world: he’s about to blow. As the main songwriter behind the record, he wrote nearly all of the lyrics and blesses the mic on more than half of the songs. The only track he doesn’t handle is Neco Redd’s “American Pimp”, a fine, but flawed, reggae-soaked piece. Balancing out Coultrain’s testosterone are Karma Stewart and Jamila Raegan, as well as the aforementioned Redd. Of the three ladies, Stewart possesses the strongest pipes, though Raegan certainly holds her own in complementing the instrumentation.

If it isn’t clear at this point, there is no rapping on here, which will come as a possibly unwelcome surprise to fans of PPP’s debut. But, to be fair, Triple P was not carried by the emcees but by the genius shared by Waajeed and Saadiq. And just like on that record, Abundance is a success because of the men behind the boards and instruments. As much as Stewart and Coultrain absolutely kill it on “Smoking Mirrors”, the track would not bounce and bump without that fantastic beat and ridiculously catchy rhythm. “Angel”, the stellar opening cut, is just as driven by the musical backdrop that features a perfect guitar riff and fantastic live drums. And when Coultrain croons “under the heavens, raising hell”, you will no doubt nod your head in agreement while your ass shakes itself out of your chair.

Although it doesn’t top those two tracks, “Luv Affair” comes damn close. With a wall of synths and finger-snapping drums behind her, Stewart sings a no-strings-attached love anthem that most, if not all, of us can relate to. And when the chorus hits? Forget about it. This is grown-folks dancing music at its finest. Just as solid is “Countless Excuses”, which is again powered by Raegan on the mic. She and PPP transport Motown to the future as synths jump in the background while a funky guitar, horns, strings, and handclaps steal the show. Similarly, Stewart croons about losing her inhibitions on “Dirty Secrets”, a track filled with more laser-synths and a marching-band beat.

Interestingly enough, the synths on here are what make this record more than just a solid R&B affair. But unlike their contemporaries, PPP uses synths as an accessory rather than as the propelling feature of the music. This shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise, though, since Black Milk, a fellow Detroit producer, used synths aplenty on his amazing 2008 release Tronic. Take two of Abundance‘s dopest tracks, “Rocket Science” and “Goodbye”, for example. Both tracks essentially take the crew to the far reaches of space for science-fiction-laced R&B joints. In particular, “Goodbye” is the most progressive, mostly because of the touches of guest-producer Dabrye, who is well-known for his glitchy hip-hop. And before fading into the old school Motown title-track, “Goodbye” features two drumbeats that work off one another as synths build and crash all around them. It’s truly something to hear.

Perhaps serving as a testament to the work of PPP, Abundance only stumbles when the vocalists don’t match the heat of the production. But, this only happens twice and it hardly ruins the pace of the album. Aside from the previously mentioned “American Pimp”, the only other slight misstep is “Go, Go, Go”. While Raegan’s tale of a complicated relationship is easily relatable, she fails to impress on the hook and takes the tone of the track down a notch. But, as stated, those cuts are hardly deep enough to scar the beauty of Abundance. To say this will light a fire under R&B is an understatement. Hell, to equate it to a volcano wouldn’t be enough. Let’s just hope critics and listeners alike remember PPP when they make their coveted best of 2009 lists at the end of this year, because they have certainly cemented themselves on mine. - Andrew Martin (www.popmatters.com)