Stephanie McKay performs the perfect form of soul revivalism, belting out funk-heavy songs, deep with trip hop atmospherics and orchestral soul, with all the tent revival intensity of Lyn Collins and the neo-soul, groove-ease of Jill Scott. With touchstones past and present, McKay avoids blanding her style with the second-rate American Idol overkill that passes for contemporary R&B. She tightly reins her pipes, borrows a rude boy ska shuffle (“Take Me Over�), and allows the warmly populated backdrops to flow into her vocals rather than using them as vaulting boards for vocal acrobatics. Everything about McKay goes down with velvet ease, a record straddling the most embracing and sensual aspects that dub, disco, and hip hop have to offer.
~Terry Sawyer
Release date: September 26, 2006
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