Album / Artist: POWER / Seratones
Label: New West Records

Reviewed: 10/12/2019
DJ Stace

General Comments / Release Notes
Sophomore effort, Neo R&B/Soul, from New West Records (one of my fav labels, these days), hailing from Shreveport, LA. AJ Haynes vocals are great, with everything from Debbie Harry to Gladys Knight, under the hood. Good production without being over the top. Great variety and creativity in songwriting, while still retro enough to be infectious, and imminently danceable. Fun & entertaining, one of my favorite records, right now. Will go well with the Black Pumas album currently sharing a-file space.

FCCs: 4,5 (Clean edits included)

RIYL: Sharon Jones, Caroline Rose, Classic R&B Soul Divas, throwing your hands up and shaking your booty.

Play: All, especially 10,11,12 Favs marked with *

Tracks:
1. *** Fear 03:34 - Ronnie Spector and Phil’s WoS are the obvious nod, here. Midtempo, great homage to the 60’s jukebox.
2. **** Power 03:44 - Fast, driving beat, with keyboard strings and bass dominant. Sounds like a Bond theme. Catchy lyrics.
3. ***** Heart Attack 03:07 - Fast, bouncing and killer fun. Alot of Blondie in this one. Love the dorky little keyboard melody. Currently whistling it, all the time. Play this one.
4. FCC Lie To My Face 03:32 FCC “BULLSHIT” - Haynes really blows it out, here. Great vocals, way out front. Light tinkling, piano bar backups.
5. FCC Gotta Get To Know Ya 02:17 FCC “FUCK” - 70’s detective TV show theme song. Killer. Hear on the next Tarantino soundtrack. Killer bass & drum groove, and Haynes punches you in the throat. Great keyboard interludes. The kind of song that used to show up on a 12" remix,… the whole side. Dare you not to move.
6. Over You 02:41 - Midtempo, shuffling beat, with another infectious groove. Piano, drums and bass are all over this one. Killer little keyboard riff over the top. Another booty shaker.
7. Permission 03:26 - Slow, sexy, smoky torchsong. Bass drum, rimshot, drumroll and finger snap rhythms are great.
8. **** Sad Boi 02:51 - 80’s, uptempo maybe Rick James sound to the tune, here. Haynes is low sultry, almost rapping, in some vocals. Lyrics are great.
9. *** Who Are You Now 03:06 - Mid to uptempo, with another killer shuffling beat. Strumming and easy going, till the chorus, where the growling guitar comes in.
10. ***** Crossfire 04:53 - Classic dark room and single spotlight piano torchsong for uch of the song. Haynes throws it all out there for the grand finale. There’s not a damn thing frail about her voice. Great song. Slow, crescendoing, and epic, building to a killer fuzzed out guitar solo finale, that reminds me of George Harrison’s 70’s solos. Perfect ending.
11. ***** Lie To My Face 03:32 CLEAN EDIT - Haynes really blows it out, here. Great vocals, way out front. Light tinkling, piano bar backups. Play it.
12. ***** Gotta Get To Know Ya 02:17 CLEAN EDIT - 70’s detective TV show theme song. Killer. Hear on the next Tarantino soundtrack. Killer bass & drum groove, and Haynes punches you in the throat. Great keyboard interludes. The kind of song that used to show up on a 12" remix,… the whole side. Dare you not to move. My favorite song on the album.