Gregory Porter: Liquid Spirit [album review]

Hi All,


So, some of you may or may not know of a certain soulful artist called Gregory Porter. He became quite popular after the release of his hit single "Hey Laura" in 2013; and has recently re-emerged to the music scene with his new album "Take Me To The Valley" in 2016. If you don't know of him I would seriously recommend starting off with "Liquid Spirit".

To put it simply I fell in love with this album in every way possible. Gregory starts the album by easing us in to his world of colourful Jazz and Blues with the track " No Love and Dying". from there you are transported. Mr Porter possesses a rich and suave voice perfect for relaxing, paired with soft piano solos and you can't help but feel your mind open to wherever the music wants to take you.


For me, the ballads on the album reminds me of rainy afternoon spent in a coffee shop, the warm smell of cinnamon, the bitter pain of love still lingering like the sharp taste of raw coffee beans.


 Lyrically, Gregory Porter is nothing short of a genius, his heart-on -sleeve style is all but too relatable. Especially songs like "Hey Laura" where he sings of the rivers of your love flowing up hill. This speaks  on an almost extraterrestrial level about wanting badly to believe the impossible and staying awake pondering it. Other favourites of mine include songs such as " Brown Grass" reflecting the truth about regrets in the most romantic way. Lost love has never been so beautiful.




But it's not all slow songs and sadness. Liquid Spirit also includes a variation of fast-tempo jazz tunes: These are the songs that make you want to get up and dance wherever you are. Horns. Sax. Bass. Drums... all come together to create a vibrant watercolour of Friday nights. You can almost imagine the Jazz evening spent dancing away. Ambient lights and tired feet. The energy of the crowd,  fizzing, beating. This is what I hear as the songs seeps into my headphones. "Musical Genocide" is especially one of the songs that make me feel this way. It has an infectious composition that radiates good vibes, bright and present in their essence. If you love good music and good vibes this is the album for you.




If you haven't heard this album or this artist, it's a must! I'd prescribe it for any mood, any time, any place. I can't wait to have a listen to his new album " Take Me to The Valley".


 LISTEN TO THE ALBUM HERE:

http://www.gregoryporter.com/2015/10/28/liquid-spirit/

Welcome to my blog!

Hey,
Well first of all I'd like to say a very big welcome to my blog. My name is Miriam and I am an aspiring journalist, music enthusiast ( and blogger!!)

....Where to start? I guess you are probably wondering about the name right? Parma violets and sweet tunes.
 Do you remember when you were younger and you and a few friends would ride your bikes or scooters or Pogo sticks in those glorious summer days to the corner shop? The breeze lightly dancing through your hair as you raced on to the shop and purchased a packet of your favourite sweets. The sun's warmth still around and the evening sky still a bright blue although beginning to fade into a shade of purple; and although you were meant to be in by 6:00 it was 6:15 and you were still playing because it was light enough for no one to be worried.

You can almost feel it. Freedom, Happiness. Those care-free summer days when there was really nothing much to worry about except enjoying life and sneaking a  Mr Whippy from the ice cream van down the road before dinner without getting caught. Those were good days. Those were good vibes.

Now maybe this is only me but I love music that makes me FEEL, takes me back, gives me that feeling of freedom. Those vibes I had when I was a child are then relived through music. Those memories are inside my headphones and all of my worries melt away like one of those Mr Whippy ice cream's. Anyway, back to the Parma violets. They were one of my favourites, me and my friends especially felt like grown-ups eating them because they kinda resemble pills. You can guess what imaginative kids like us did with our "pills" we were addicted. That's how music makes me feel. I get lost in a song, play it on repeat over and over until my ears feel happy. I'm addicted to that sweet, liberating feeling that music gives me. Those sweet tunes always bring the good vibes! and that's what I'm gonna do too!

On this blog I'll be sharing, new songs, artists, and album reviews that will make you want to dance and reminds you of sweets in the summer. So please stick around, keep reading and pleeaase follow and share my blog! The more good vibes we spread the better! Hope you love what's about to go down!

Miriam xx