| Joss Stone - ‘LP1’ |
| Written by Cecily Van Horn | |||
| Monday, 26 September 2011 00:56 | |||
 Joss Stone released her fifth studio album, LP1, on her label Stone'd Record in partnership with Surfdog Records. The album hit shelves and was available online July 26, 2011. This is Stone's first release since leaving EMI. The album was recorded in just six days in Nashville, Tennessee with help from Eurythmics co-founder David A. Stewart. The album peaked at #3 on the US R&B/Hip Hop Album chart. It also hit #9 on the US Billboard 200 making this her third consecutive album to be in the top ten. LP1 is a wonderful album that truly highlights Stone's stellar skills as a singer, songwriter, and soulful female guitarist. "Newborn" is a great choice to start off the new album. It has a sweet, mellow beginning and swings you into an energetic beat with awesome piano melodies accompanying the great acoustic riffs. The song's message is inspirational and reminds us that we need to come together to make the world a better place. The beats in "Karma" are slightly funkier than the previous song. Although it is a great song highlighting Stone's soulful R&B vibe. The song's message is clearly stated in the title- life is filled with karma and you get what you give. The electric guitar riffs are quite spectacular in the track. "Don't Start Lying To Me Now" is a track that will have you bobbing your head to the funky beats and humming along with Stone's seriously rad lyrics. Stone's passionate lyrics are about being in a relationship and being fearful that person may lie to you. It is a very relatable song because most everyone has been in that situation. The album returns to a mellow vibe with "Last One To Know." It is a great track that is bound to send good shivers up your spin because Stone's voice is seriously stellar. The theme, being in love, is continued in this song. Stone seriously demonstrates her soulfulness in this track and the piano melodies mesh extremely beautifully with her outstanding vocal talents. "Drive All Night" has a groovy R&B kind of vibe. It is again about love and life, which is a theme that I am often not a fan of however Stone has a knack at making it awesome. The song is about someone who has gone to great lengths to go to her simply to make her smile. She sings about how special that gesture makes her feel and it is a song that will hopefully leave you with warmth because it is a genuinely passionate song. Stone brings back the acoustic vibe in "Cry Myself To Sleep." The acoustic melody is a great choice because the song is about heartbreak and trying to pick you up after it's done. The optimistic message of not letting the pain get the better of her is a nice way to turn the sombre theme into something truly wonderful. "Cry Myself To Sleep" is by far my favourite song on the new album. "Somehow" brings back the hip hop vibe that is heard in earlier tracks on LP1. The melody is a nice contrast from the previous song and demonstrates just how versatile Stone's music can be. The guitar riffs and drum lines are definitely worth hearing throughout this track because they are quite awesome and add a nice touch to Stone's beautiful voice. Again the album switches back to the acoustic vibe in "Landlord." It is a song about living with someone and wanting only one thing- to be in love with that person. Stone's lyrics: "I wanna kiss you all over...my love is so strong...no one can move me the way that you have...don't want your rent money baby under my door...don't wanna be your landlord anymore...Just wanna be your lover baby' pretty much sums up the meaning of this track. "Boat Yard" highlights a stunning display of Stone's exquisite voice. The metaphor of using a boat yard for the love theme is quite awesome and demonstrates her skills as a great songwriter; truly a beautiful track. Her last song, "Take Good Care" is a fantastic way to wrap up LP1. Its lyrics are genuinely passionate and remind listeners how precious things are in life and to not take them for granted. "Life's so precious when you're standing in the light" sums up the essence of the song. It is a track that is bound to leave you wanting to hear more from Stone. Guess we'll all have to wait until her next album release. Overall, I am quite impressed with LP1 and without a minute of doubt give it a solid 8.5 out of 10. For more articles like Joss Stone - 'LP1', please visit the Music/Album Reviews Section of TimesSquare.com
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