REVIEW: "Table For Two" Delivers From Concept To Execution.

Lucky Daye (David Brown) one of contemporary R&B’s brightest stars? I started listening to his music in 2018 and was extremely impressed by his 2019 debut album “Painted”. As any gifted RnB singer can Daye has the ability to immediately put me in my feels and when I heard the concept of his lasted EP (his third EP) I was prepped for an emotional roller coaster.

Title for the EP is “Table For Two” is a 22 minute 7 track EP of duets with an array of female talent, Yebba, Tiana Major9, Mahalia, Ari Lennox, Queen Naija and my persona fave Joyce Wrice.

The EP opens with the intro “Ego Trip,” the track plays as an online interactive experience that could be a play on online dating and communication, in a lockdown UK and an era where online dating and online dates are a massive part of current society the track just seems so apt.

We move on to “How Much Can a Heart Take” which features Grammy-award winner Yebba, where they both explore the point in a relationship where you have a change of heart. The production is on point and the chemistry in the track is fantastic you can feel the turmoil in the way they weigh up their relationship.

“On Read,” which features Tiana Major9 who I’m not a massive fan of, is about a subject that is strange but real text etiquette. We’ve all had that moment when we send a message / text and we can see it has been “Read” and you have to patiently or impatiently wait for that response. The trying time of wondering what that other party is thinking, now I’m not a massive fan of this track but I do feel they deal with the subject matter really well. 

“It’s s shame tryna force something good that would not be good, be good

The lyric “It’s s shame tryna force something good that would not be good, be good” sings Lucky and the uber talented Mahalia on the mellow “My Window” I think this Lucky venturing to a sound so prominent UK R&B scene, and he does a really good job. Now in true Influenced fashion we have to talk samples and in this production we have a great one in 1973 track by Ann Peebles’ “I Can’t Stand the Rain”. A sample we have seen championed by Missy’s 1997 “The Rain”, Talib Kweli on “Memories Live” for the classic album “Reflection Eternal” and recently by the very talented rapper Mick Jenkins in his 2014 track “Rain”.

“Access Denied” has a real groove to it, the bongos running through the track give it a real indigenous feel like a Latin or Afro jazz track or almost even calypso. The groove comes from one of the greatest soundtracks ever 1972 Curtis Mayfield’s SuperFly a track titled “Give Me Your Love (Love Song).” Without the guitar rifts and strings from the original it really changes the structure of the track from a classic 1970’s babymaker to and a bouncy emotional duet.

Queen Naija lends her sweet vocals on the warm “Dreams,” but for me this a track I can imagine will do well for the US market but for me it is a skipper.

 “Nobody comes before you/There’s no way that you need more/If I’m willing to give you all of me"

“Nobody comes before you/There’s no way that you need more/If I’m willing to give you all of me” proclaims the New Orleans-born singer on the bouncy ending track “Falling In Love” featuring a young female vocalist who I see as a bit of a throwback vocalist in, Joyce Wrice. That being said the 90s R&B vibe of this song really suits Wrice and it’s a great way to finish the EP.

The EP is full of charm and talent and comes from an artist in his 30’s where you can feel his life experiences especially in the field of relationships. All in all, one track to skip and 6 to enjoy I have this down as a must to listen to.

 

8/10

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