ALBUM REVIEW: Sugaray Rayford Moves Bodies and Souls on ‘In Too Deep’

Like a gale force wind, Sugaray Rayford lifts us off the ground, out of our complacency, and into a sonic stratosphere from which we’ll never want to come down. From the blasting snare shot and blaring horns on the opening track, “Invisible Soldier,” to the closing funk anthem “United We Stand,” Rayford’s powerhouse vocals get under our skin until we can’t sit still. He gets down like James Brown, smoothly seduces like Marvin Gaye, turns toughly tender like Bobby “Blue” Bland, and winks and nods with the crunchiness of Clarence Carter.

With its funked-up brassiness, “Invisible Soldier” marches with a swaggering defiance as the music itself evokes the frantic roller-coaster ride of PTSD; the invisible soldier of the title represents the veterans who must deal with PTSD but whom society treats as if they don’t exist. The striding blues of the title track twist and turn along piercing lead guitar lines, mimicking the feeling of being so far down that the bottom looks like up as Rayford’s vocals exquisitely alternate between anguish and hope. Crunchy guitars open the Bland-esque “No Limit to My Love”; Rayford brilliantly channels not only Bland, but also William Bell and Jerry Butler on this gently spiraling vocal performance.

On the raw and sparse gospel shouter “Please, Take My Hand,” Rayford’s towering vocals ride over bass hums and handclaps; there’s a raucous and assured purity to this song that creates a vibrant resonance in our souls.

“Gonna Fill You Up” is pure Memphis soul, while “Golden Lady of the Canyon” channels the smoothness and tenderness of Brooke Benton. The album closes much as it opened, with a spinning and swaying funked up soul shouter, “United We Stand.”

Sugaray Rayford’s the total package — brilliant songwriting, energetic performances, inimitable vocals — and In Too Deep reveals every facet of his marvelous gifts to us.