“It’s Rock & Soul,” is how I described Martin Luther’s CD “Rebel Soul Music” to a friend of
mine. It has the best elements of both genres: great guitar riffs reminiscent of Prince and Kravitz; Soulful singing that would find a home on a R&B station; and odes to America, a New York City girl, and Lust. What more do you want?
Martin Luther is based out of the Oakland-San Francisco bay area. He first cut his teeth on an independently released album, “The Calling.” For a sophomore CD, Rebel Soul Music shows no sign of formulaic production and still holds that energy of a new artist not afraid to blend genres. The sound is still raw and it’s a good thing. The rawness means that there are songs you might not find on Billboard’s Top 100, but you will remember Martin Luther’s riffs and lyrics for more than a few days after listening. (Think Ndegeocello’s “Peace Beyond Passion.”)
The album opens with a trio of songs with a decidedly funk-soul feel. They are largely about songs typical to R&B songs: a girl you can’t live without, home, and keeping your head up. Luther then takes a turn to Rock with “Sleep Walking” that features a cameo by George Clinton. The tempo is slowed after a few songs with “Liquid Sunshine” and “Lust.” The more thoughtful songs wrap up the album with lyrics that will have you questioning the diversity of music in this pop-dominated landscape.
“Rebel Soul” is an album. It is has an exposition, a rising action, climax, and resolution. I point this out because the majority of albums today are collections of singles lumped together on a CD. This is an album worth having.
Start a revolution. Be a rebel.
In the meantime . . .
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