Myron & E with The Soul Investigators - Broadway (2013) [320 kbps] {100.XY}

Review:
There is a wide gap between music that you can label as timeless verses retro, and it’s not always easy to spot which is which. But when it comes to Stones Throw-signed duo Myron & E, all it takes is one listen to their full-length debut, Broadway, and you immediately know their aim. These two are relentlessly passionate about classic soul and R&B, and you can hear it at the core of their songwriting. There’s no pretense, fraudulence, or tongue-in-cheek irony; Myron Glasper and Eric “E” Cooke are just two (very talented) guys from Los Angeles and Newark, N.J., respectively, who want to make music similar to that of their heroes. And by all accounts, they’ve done it.
On Stones Throw’s artist site for the duo, there’s a quote from E in which he speaks highly of his backing band, European seven-piece the Soul Investigators. “I don’t really think there’s anybody else that can do it as good as they can,” he said, adding: “They do it like none other.” That might seem like your typical artist-singing-high-praises-because-of-course-he-is, but the Soul Investigators really earned their name here. While it would be easy to simply shower them with praise for their tight playing and fantastic arrangements, it’s even more notable that they wrote many of their compositions through actual investigating. E apparently made it a common practice to send YouTube links of his favorite soul and R&B tunes of yore to the band for inspiration. It’s safe to say that his method worked.
“Cold Game” is an instant standout, and its success goes beyond the sharp songwriting of Myron & E and their harmonizing. The funky cut, which previously appeared on a limited 45 single, is where the Soul Investigators are just straight showing off. Everything you want to hear in a track like this — brass, well-placed strings, caffeinated drums — hits you with an outright infectiousness. Then the organ solo melts your face and you’re left picking your jaw off the floor before the vocals return. It’s funk-infused soul done right and, more importantly, done well without sacrificing a damn thing.
The same can be said for “Turn Back”, which opens the album with a world-weary look at society and life as a whole. The main message through is that Myron & E want to make things right before it’s too late and while that might read as corny, the way it’s delivered is what makes it work. Additionally, the backing of melancholic strings and guitars makes it seem like you’re hearing the final words of a wise man. Similarly, closer “They Don’t Know” strikes you with its contemplative tone. The duo shares words of hope that people all over the world, not just in your hood or your town, will come together to make this “thing” work. That “thing,” of course, can be interpreted subjectively, but the What’s Going On atmosphere makes it feel like a “we need to do better!” battle-cry delivered with a whisper. It’s forceful without shoving anything down your throat. And it’s an approach to which more singers should aspire.
Elsewhere, Myron & E and the Soul Investigators take a dip into psychedelic soul with “Back N Forth” while “Do It Do It Disco” is straight-up dance floor goodness without the glossy, coked-out sound of the ’70s and early ’80s. Cuts like this are both inspiring and pure ear-candy, because they provide a strong dose of variety without failing to maintain the cohesive nature of Broadway. It’s true that the majority of the album is on that love-centric tip—see the unstoppable run from “If I Gave You My Love” to “Cold Game”—but Myron & E shine equally as bright when they’re venturing into other territory. This is, above all else, the mark of truly refined songwriting, as is the fact that you will not be able to get many of the hooks and melodies out of your head. Embrace it, because hopefully this is just the beginning of lasting relationship between Myron & E, the Soul Investigators, and Stones Throw. I give it 4 out of 5.
Review by Andrew Martin







Tracklist:
01. Turn Back
02. Broadway
03. If I Gave You My Love
04. Everyday Love
05. I Can't Let You Get Away
06. Cold Game
07. Do It Do It Disco
08. Back N Forth
09. Going In Circles
10. They Don't Know



Summary:
Country: USA
Genre: Soul, R&B
Quality: 320 kbps