ASSI – It was early November on a cold and windy night in Bloomfield, Connecticut. I’d been away from home about three months; I was feeling a little down, I was home sick and feeling rather hum drum, and then I heard “Blame It on Me.” The lyrics caught my attention, especially the hook, but more than that it was the vocal instrument of a song bird that I was unfamiliar with. I could not place the voice but was enjoying the song, feeling was all up in the song, and nothing but pure raw emotions.We have all been in a relationship that we know is without any potential, invested too many years or months thinking that its all going to work out, but the truth of the matter is, it has run it course and know one wants to be the blame for its demise. Do you really care who is at fault? Or is it more important that it’s over regardless? Although the song is unrelated to me at the moment, it conjured up memories of a past relationship, and if I were blessed with song writing skills. I probably would have written “Blame It on Me” myself. C. Payne, C. Harmon, and C. Kelly are the song writers who put pen to paper and came up with a song tailored made for Michele’s vocals. “Blame It on Me” was released in May 2009 but it wasn’t until that cold November night that I heard it for the first time.
It was January 2010 when I learned it was Chrisette Michele, a New York station was playing the song, and I was driving back to DC from Connecticut. I was surprised that it was Chrisette. I’d heard her music before but was not a fan. Her voice, although striking and one of a kind, it did not resonate with me. To me, her voice requires very specific songs, she is unconvincing on up beat – high tempo dance songs, and for that reason I had not given her a chance and probably wouldn’t have if I had not connected with “Blame It on Me.” My daughter came to pick me up and “Blame It on Me” was playing. She and I discussed the song and how fitting it was to her and my previous relationship. As we continue to talk, her CD served as back ground music, and a couple of the songs caught my attention. I asked if we were listening to various artists or one particular artist.
I was pleasantly surprised to learn that we were listening to Chrisette Michele’s CD “Epiphany.” I downloaded the CD to my iPod for that one song. When I listen to music on my iPod, I shuffle the music, I like a mixture of music instead of playing one particular artist. However, a pattern started to emerge, when one of Michele’s songs would play. I either recognized her voice and turned up the volume, looked at my iPod to learn who and what I was listening too, and/or fast forwarded a track because the song does not showcase her vocals. It was apparent to me that I should take a listen to all of the songs; therefore, I concentrated only on her album on my way to and from work. The songs were played on shuffle but it gave me an opportunity to really listen to the CD in its entirety.
As I see it, Most artist want there CD to have a common thread that reads like a story. The same is true with “Epiphany” the lead track and the beginning of a love story: The woman is tired of waiting and wondering what’s going on with her man who is always some place else other than spending time with her and then she has an “Epiphany” that he isn’t going to change so she might as well leave and get on to the next chapter in her life. She thinks that she can handle it with “I’m Okay,” when I hear this song. I can see her singing in a smoke filled club. It has a Billie Holiday sound, her voice drags, and I can see her sitting with her sorrows, a cigarette in one hand and a glass of wine in the other remembering when things were good with Mr. Right.
Someone catches her eye in “Fragile” a song about that initial attraction with a hint of apprehensive due to rejection, but you take a chance and let it be known that your heart is “Fragile,” which is a mid-tempo song that is serious and fun. “Notebook” is the track that speaks to those girlish feelings when you are excited about the possibilities of this new love that you scribble the persons name on your tablet repeatedly and your inner feelings are captured in your daily journal. You convince yourself that he is your “Mr. Right” a song that could have been left off the album but it has its place in the story of the rise and fall of love. “Mr. Right” is my lease favorite song on the album.
When you meet who you perceive to be the right person, you can become consume and Chrisette Michele has a song for that too with “All I Ever Think About,” is reminiscent of a scene from a video or a movie where the woman is passionately thinking about her man to the point she clutches and wraps the sheet around herself to simulate ignited passion. Things are going well until Mr. Right place you on a pedestal and treat you like property. Michele let it be known that she must treated with respect and love, showered with kisses and hugs but not treated like a “Porcelain Doll,” which seems more appropriate for a musical.
As the relationship evolves Chrissette hits you with “What you Do” that has an Erykah Badu groove. The music makes you feel the song, I caught myself swaying, nodding, and just getting lost in the music. The lyrics are an after thought because her voice blends well with the music. Michele does a good job with “Playn’ our Song”; however, all I hear is Whitney Houston’s voice on this track. The title “Playin’ our song” says it all in a nutshell. It is mid tempo up beat song that you can get your dance on while cleaning the house on Saturday morning. The next song in the love saga is “Another One,” which is self explanatory. A selfish man who is unappreciative of his good woman and she wants to make it work with him but not apposed to moving on to “Another One,” which is prelude to my favorites song “Blame It On Me,” and the end to the love story. I give "Epiphany" 3 blinks
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