The highly anticipated 2010 release from one of independent music’s favorite groups, The Foreign Exchange, has finally arrived and like its title it is indeed
authentic. When group after group and artist after artist have released “party” music this year and R&B love anthems, Phonte and Nicolay invite us once again into the home of a real couple, real love, real heart ache, real make up,
Authenticity.
When I first played the first track of the album, my ears immediately recognized the signature Foreign Exchange sound from Nicolay and the thought provoking lyrics of Phonte on
The Last Fall. This track was followed by the ‘Princesque’ title track
Authenticity. A smooth riding ballad of a man speaking to his love about the games we play in relationships and ultimately not wanting the real person who we are involved with. We don’t want the authentic, “we just want what we want.”
Musically,
Eyes to the Sky has to be one of my favorites. The changes to this three-four interlude are why I have grown to love the production of Nicolay and this group.
We are brought back to the ‘boom-clack’ of the FE vibe with
Maybe She’ll Dream of Me, where, of course, Phonte gets close to the mic to bless us with a few bars.
D-Brock (Darien Brockington for the newbies) joins the mic on
Don’t Wait. This is definitely an end-of-summer/entrance-to-fall cut. Roll down the windows, let your head bob, and neck break to this one. It doesn’t stop there. Jesse Boykins, III joins Phonte on
Make me a Fool. These two songs are by far my favorites on this album. These will definitely be my go-to cuts for the
Friday Night Jazz Club.
Phonte and Nicolay tease us once again on the extremely too brief
Everything Must Go. This extremely spiritual cut will cause you (and me) to repeat over and over. In a world where we are so consumed with things, there will come a day when everything must go.
One of my FAVORITE (yes all caps) female vocalists, Chante Cann, makes an unexpected appearance on
Laughing at Your Plans. Her ever so sweet and soulful voice makes you stop everything, turn the volume up, and listen at her feet on this duet with Phonte.
And who has a Foreign Exchange album without a track with DC’s own YahZarah in the
City Aint the Same Without You. I must say this is the perfect album closer out of all the tracks. Through all the trials and tribulations, break-ups and make-ups, when that loved one is gone, the city definitely isn’t the same when they are gone.
Now here is the balance side of 2Tru. With all of the tracks on this album I will say if you have not already fallen in love with FE this may not be the album for you. The first two albums have caused audiences to flock to this groups performances and purchased their albums. Many fans may have been expecting, if not more, something similar to what they were used to hearing on the previous two albums. While this album is certainly more mellow than uptempto I still believe it to be oxygen for the change of seasons that we are currently in now.
With that I give this album 3 out of 5.
Tune in this Friday October 15th at 10PM for an interview with FE on
WEAA.org or 88.9FM in Baltimore.
