F. Stokes
MC and poet F. Stokes’ latest EP Love, Always is a short but sweet effort. Despite being just a 7-track project, there’s a lot of impressive content.
Recorded between Paris, Los Angeles and Stokes’ home in Madison, Wisconsin, listeners are once again introduced to the greatness that is F. Stokes. With all of Stokes’ other projects notably Death of A Handsome Bride what comes across is his knack for storytelling, highly present on this album as well. Listeners hear a genuine MC/poet with something to say about a wide variety of topics.
Stokes opens the EP with his motto of sorts in the form of “Aspire to Inspire,” which leads quickly into the quote that Stokes chooses to live by, “I don’t know you but I love you.” here, Stokes chronicles the abused mother opting to find a better life for her child, and the recent jail inmate who is finding his way around a world he has not belonged to in a while. The spoken-word like approach to delivery enhance the song's touching quality. “She relocated to Atlanta though her soul was on the verge of being trapped in a sea of ghetto fire/ She looked into the eye of her baby girl and made the choice to aspire to inspire.”
“Decades,” features interesting production and a chorus that is not very understandable, yet has an intriguing melody. The second verse of this song is a highlight with references of The Cosbys. “Beauty & The Beast,” is a song that will be loved by many and Stokes' flow over the piano is truly memorable.
Stokes' spoken word technique continues on“Love Warriors,” featuring lyrics that would evoke feelings of love from the harshest of critics. “If I open my eyes will I miss it/ cuz’ in my dream you was mother to my triplets/ Skipping through the West Village slipping kisses like newlyweds in Cadillac’s with cans on the back of them/ No love is defined by a band of platinum but, more so a man with a band of two heartbeats backing him.”
F. Stokes has managed to craft a beautiful EP, giving us reason to anticipate what he may have coming in the future. Despite being short, there’s enough material for this project to be in constant rotation weeks down the line.
- Erin Duncan
