Velvet-voiced crooner spins sound into soul food
By Jeff Renfro
Anthony Hamilton's second release for the Atlanta-based label So So Def, "Ain't Nobody Worryin'," is an instant classic and sounds like it must have been made during a long-lost era of soul music.
Hamilton cannot be compared to other contemporary artists, but rather, his blessedly anachronistic sound belongs in the same class as heart-on-their-sleeve Southern storytellers like Sam Cooke and Otis Redding. "Ain't Nobody Worryin'" is an example of truly American music; it's music that comes out of great sorrow and trying times, music which manages to transcend the hardships that created it.
The artist grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina, singing in church and performing at local nightclubs. He moved to New York at the beginning of the early '90s neo-soul movement and was quickly signed to a major recording label.
With a turn that would characterize the first ten years of his career, the record label folded, leaving Hamilton on his own. After a series of similar incidents, Hamilton got a break when he was signed to Jermaine Dupri's So So Def. He was asked to sing the hook on Nappy Roots' hit song "Po' Folk," and shortly afterwards released the album "Coming From Where I'm From."
The album received a strong reaction from a loyal group of fans. On "Ain't Nobody Worryin'," Hamilton has enlisted a new group of producers (including Raphael Saadiq and Ced Solo), and continues to create a distinctive, unique and somewhat nostalgic sound.
The album's first single, "Can't Let Go," is an emotional account of a breakup told from the perspective of a man. The track is built on a slow snare beat and a piano riff, before building to a crescendo filled out with a variety of horns and strings.
Hamilton's voice begins as a whisper, becoming more and more strained before breaking through to a passionate wail.
The lyrics tell the story of a man who cannot accept the end of the relationship and is willing to do anything to get his girl back. He is desperate and forlorn, but also well-aware that his persistence will only exacerbate and recreate the problems that ended the relationship in the first place.
The title track follows the single, and is an example of a political song that successfully avoids petty quibbling. Hamilton sings about the children and single mothers whose lives are so greatly affected by political decisions. Hamilton encourages the listener to begin to care for people rather than ideologies.
"The Truth" is easily the best track on the album. Not only is it a silky smooth song about what love really is, but it is also a refreshing answer to what passes for romance in music today.
The song's hook, "If you take a little walk with me/ Girl I will lead you to the truth," is just one example of several touching lines. Hamilton even goes so far as to promise that he will "Go to church with you/ Even get baptized too."
Anthony Hamilton's mix of sincere, heartfelt lyrics and his amazing, brutally rich voice yields an album that is unrivalled in today's musical market.
Both musically and socially, Hamilton is pushing boundaries and challenging his listeners to question what is important in life. And when it is presented in such a melodious package, the listener can't help but be more receptive to the message.
Grade: A
Contact Jeff Renfro at (408) 551-1918 or jrenfro@scu.edu