Esperanza Spalding‘s new deluxe  album “Radio Music Society” drops next Tuesday on March 20.  This is a 2 disc set (which I will purchase on iTunes or Amazon, as I don’t buy physical cd’s anymore).  I was able to listen to a  preview of the entire album on NPR (see link below).  This album is a  fusion of jazz, pop and soul  music, which showcases jazz musicians in an accessible manner suitable for mainstream radio, it’s a little different from “Esperanza” her second studio album, but brilliant in my opinion.  for me every track stands out on its own. The track “Land Of The Free” is particularly moving in it’s telling of the injustices in America, you have to listen to the lyrics for yourself to understand what I mean.  Each of the 12 songs are accompanied by a series of conceptual short films, which are on the second disc.  For the  iTunes/Amazon fanatic you will receive this as a digital download.

It is actually quite difficult to pick a favourite, as all of the songs on the album have some meaning.  This is not your everyday, empty, saccarine infused album, far from it.    There really isn’t one bad track on here, “Crowned & Kissed “, “Let Her“, “Endangered Species“, “Cinnamon Tree“, “Black Gold“… I could go on here.   This is an album you can just press play and leave it to do the rest.

Esperanza does an excellent interpretation of “I Can’t Help It“, with her beautiful voice, she truly puts her own spin on this classic favourite and does a very good job of it. 

The official trailer, watch here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpDMLPixO8s&feature=player_embedded

You can listen to the album, in its entirety here: http://www.npr.org/2012/03/11/147979893/first-listen-esperanza-spalding-radio-music-society

The Woman and her Bass