Posted on 06/19/2009
Everyone has a summer jam(s), songs that bookmark each summer reminding you of the weather, the good people you know and the very best of times. Last year Chrisette Michele provided the vocals on one of my favorite summer joints of all time, “Rising Up” by The Roots. While I championed her first album Here I Am, telling everyone within listening distance to check it out, it was her performance on “Rising Up” that took me there. It was a great summer.

It’s always a great thing to find an album that pairs brilliant vocals with solid material. Epiphany pairs Chrisette’s amazing vocals with melodic well crafted songs. While she does not take too many chances, seemingly staying close to what worked the first time out, she still manages to stand apart from her contemporaries, many of whom seem to get more radio spins. But I digress.

This album is fueled by what I like to call “grown woman swagger” or simply put old soul sensibilities. Her youth disappears as she maturely takes on love and relationships. Her voice provides the listener with the raw emotion that brings each song to life, whether it’s the pain in “I’m Okay”, declaration of love in “Mr. Right” or attitude found in “Porcelain Doll.” I was disappointed to find out she did not write as much as she did on her first album, not that that does anything to detract from the quality of the material.

The production successfully finds a balance, bringing slick contemporary cool together with graceful throwback chic; the title track and “Notebook” are fine examples of how well this works. It’s actually interesting to find moments when this actually works in this post neo-soul world where our affinity for vocal tools (I see you Teddy) take center stage. But again, I digress.

Without pandering, Epiphany is accessible, something those just tuning in to the Chrisette Michele show will truly appreciate. On the downside I again wish she had taken more chances on this album, moved a few steps further from Here I Am. An artist of this caliber needs to take risks, move closer to the edge on a sophomore album, giving us another side of the story.

Overall Epiphany is a strong sophomore effort, a good, solid listening experience, well worth the wait. I am pretty sure after listening to this, some of you might agree with me when I say it’s going to be a great summer.

- Enyi Emesih