All Things Deep - Reviews - Remy Shand: The Way I Feel

Remy Shand - The Way I Feel

The latest contestant in the Great White Hope sweepstakes for soul music, Remy Shand delivers a nice album with The Way I Feel, his Motown debut. As a musician, Shand's talent is undeniable: he wrote, recorded and mixed the entire album in his Winnipeg, Canada home. His isolation seems to have allowed him to indulge his obsession with 70s soul that seems to be a requirement of neo-soul artists.

Channeling memories of Al Green, Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye, "Everlasting," "Rock Steady" and "Why I Feel" impress with a luxurious sound comparable to a Maxwell release. Shand's clever arrangements, a modern twist on classic soul, are one of the strengths of the album.

What keeps the album from being as memorable as his contemporaries is the lack of passion in his vocal delivery. It's not for a lack of trying, but Shand's thin voice is incapable of a full-throated blast of soul power. This shortcoming mars the first single "Take A Message," an atomospheric track in the Leroy Hutson mold.

But remember also that vocals were not Erykah Badu's strength when she kicked off the neo-soul movement, and she's now a respected vocalist. With added maturity, Shand should be able to improve his technique and join the front line of neo-soul artists.

Released 2002 on Motown (click on cover to buy)

Selected Tracks:

Looking Back On Vanity
Take A Message
Liberate
I Met Your Mercy