Marsha Ambrosius-Late Nights and Early Mornings

Even though I somehow found myself to be a hip-hop/r&b writer over the past year, I cannot say that I am well versed in anything rhythm and blues. The concept of neo-soul is also foreign to me, and honestly I just view it as a subculture where girls grow out their hair into perfectly shaped afros and guys wear khakis and glasses that they do not need. When my knowledge of the genre barely extends to the Mcdonalds commercial featuring Dwele from a few years back, it's safe to say that any opinion I have is devoid from being educated.


But finally something has come along that is changing my perception of the "strangeness" of neo-soul. Marsha Ambrsious, formerly the songstress half of the British duo Floetry's debut album Late Nights and Early Mornings is incredible and I've been listening to it constantly ( Here's the album review and interview with Marsha from my more well versed fellow staff writers from Parle). Throughout the record Ambrosious sings with a voice that sounds racked with authentic pain and longing. Songs like "Far Away" and "Chasing Clouds" are refreshingly vulnerable outlooks on the downside of love.When she sings "I had to lose myself so I can love you better" on the Lauryn Hill cover "Lose Myself", the misery is all too palpable.


What I enjoy most about Late Nights and Early Mornings was Ambriosious willingness to take some risks. She tackles a cover of trip-hop royalty Portishead's "Sour Times" with the eeriness of the original intact, and even the most pop track in the record "I hope that she cheats on you (with a basketball player) benefits from an interesting concept. If liking this record means I'll be moving on to the nose ring and fedora hats of the neo-soul crowd, I apologize to the members of my immediate family in advance.



Far Away Mp3
Lose Myself (Lauryn Hill Cover) Mp3