Charles Wright – Something to Make You Feel Good

Charles Wright’s long career in modern R&B has produced one of the genre’s most respected bodies of work and the latest addition, a full length album entitled Something to Make You Feel Good, is a vibrant collection testifying to his enduring creativity. The songs veer between stylish soul tunes, cuts of unadulterated funk, tasteful blues, and even some moments of outright gospel. Wright is strong throughout and his presence guides the tunes forcefully, yet never pushes too hard on the melodies. The result is one of the year’s most satisfying musical experiences and demonstrates an accessible sophistication far beyond the ken of the form’s younger practitioners.  Wright’s long story is already the stuff of legend, but the commanding force behind this work is busy creating a legacy.

“Answer to My Prayers” is a simmering R&B song with an emphasis on the blues. The lyrical turns embrace a familiar theme, but Wright spins them into something signature with his charismatic performance. His rhythm section is stellar throughout the release and they lay down the first of many impressively solid, yet elastic, outings on the album.  He burrows deeper into the blues with the lightly comedic “Looking for an Ugly Woman”, but it’s the particularly nuanced vocal that pushes this tune over the top. The vocal varies between moments of smirking amusement and lightly rueful passages. Moody brass section work distinguishes “I Got Feelings Too”, but it’s Wright who shines brightest thanks to a painfully intimate vocal that rises and falls well with the music. “She Don’t Believe In Love” will jolt listeners to life with its high octane funk stride cutting through the speakers with the visceral physicality of a blade. Wright’s performance has the same urgency he brings to bear on every preceding song.

“Thank God for Tonight” is another number slanted in a strong R&B direction. Wright is a master of deliberate pacing on these songs, wringing each nuance from comparatively simple structures and imbuing them with the stuff of true musical drama. “Throwing in the Towel” is one of Something to Make You Feel Good’s highest points. Percussive, quasi-barrelhouse piano keeps the song percolating while a zesty vocal grabs its melody by the scruff of the neck and never lets go. The album’s penultimate song, “Peace of Mind”, is a gently exhortative song intended to convey a positive message while still entertaining its audience. Wright succeeds on both counts. The patient, slowly unfolding arrangement creates tremendous atmosphere that Wright inhabits with his commanding presence. Something to Make You Feel Good ends with “Storybook”, a playful pop outing with funk bite that ends Wright’s latest release on a decidedly upbeat note.

Charles Wright’s long walk from Clarksdale, Mississippi to international respect as one of the genre’s most important songwriters doesn’t mean he’s resting on his laurels. Instead, the thirteen songs on his latest release on proof that his creativity and willingness to push his music further remains as strong as ever. As listeners, we are lucky to have these titans still walking among us.

SOULTRACKS: http://www.soultracks.com/listening-room-charles-wright-something

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/charlesandshaloawright

9 out of 10 stars.

Cyrus Rhodes