Review: Melody Gardot – Currency Of Man

She has always been an old soul. Even before the serious bicycle accident at age 19 that left Melody Gardot facing severe injuries, she thought life would end for her at 21. She didn’t know about patience and the beauty of taking your time until after this fateful crash which stripped the identity of her former self, yet was the catalyst for her accidental musical career. Upon this long, life altering – though, in every way, life affirming – journey, emerged an artist full of dreams, whose lyrics are conceptually and sonically large like landscape paintings. The release of Gardot’s fourth album, Currency Of Man, adds to the depth and artistry of this sultry chanteuse. In the beginning, for Melody and her production team it was really just about the songs, the stories that the songs would tell, and how they would relate to one another on the album. But taking their time to work on the compositions, it became more about the sound itself and how the engineer and Melody Gardot, with her songwriting and gutsy vocal style, were able to craft a very particular sonic energy, given the direction of the mixes. The result is this versatile evolution of jazz, funk, and soul, that comes across in a natural, uncomplicated way on Currency Of Man.

The personalities of the songs are firm and confident, with full orchestral elements and blazing solos by accompanying musicians exemplifying the superb group effort on the album. The subject matter are commentaries on different walks of life, more about similarities between people, the beauty of people’s lifestyles and personas, the personal histories of repeating and learning from mistakes. The haunting vibe of “Don’t Misunderstand”, “Don’t Talk”, and “It Gonna Come” create delicate anthems for people pushed under the rug for their differences, championing the idea that we’re all a part of the same human race. Songs like “Preacherman” also carry important stories that are fundamental to the American Civil Rights Movement and the history of people of color in the US. The cabaret-like “Bad News” and “No Man’s Prize” are brought to life with musical theater fanfare while the piano chords of “Morning Sun” emerge with old-school gospel soulfulness reminiscent of Aretha Franklin’s 1971 classic “Bridge Over Troubled Water”. The album also talks about love and having hope for the future but ends on a powerfully introspective note with a piano meditational entitled “After The Rain” followed by the melancholy “Burying My Troubles”, both of which underscore the full scope of the human condition. As Melody Gardot creates music that has longevity and will be relevant for years to come, if she can trigger a conscious awakening in her listeners with the music of Currency Of Man, then she feels her mission is being accomplished.

 
Written by Mai Perkins

Originally from Los Angeles, Mai Perkins is living a genuine bona fide love affair with NYC and the music that keeps its spirit moving. While spending the majority of the last decade in Brooklyn, many of her adventures around the globe are documented on her blog: Mai On The Move! www.MaiOnTheMove.com

 
Author’s rating for Currency Of Man

Pop Magazine’s official rating for Currency Of Man

Rating key
MASTERPIECE a must-have
SUPERB for heavy rotation
EXCELLENT a great achievement
VERY GOOD a respectable result
GOOD worth checking out
FAIR an average outcome
WEAK not convincing stuff
BAD an underwhelming effort
VERY BAD quite a waste
FAIL a total failure