In My Songs

In My Songs – Gerald Levert's farewell album

Gerald Levert, a well-known American R&B/Soul singer, songwriter and producer died in November 2006 in his house in Ohio after a sudden heart attack. The whole musical world has lost one of the most sensitive poets celebrating love and incredibly talented performer. During his long career Gerald Levert sold millions of copies of his albums and gained fame all over the world; for many and many admirers of his romantic baritone this loss will stay irreplaceable. Not so long before his death Gerald Levert has finished a record session of his last album In My Songs, which saw the light of the day in this February, partially owing to his father who pronounces a poignant opening speech on this record. Of course, when you realize that he is no more the album begins to sound sadder than any of Gerald's previous works, but it is worth keeping in mind that it is not the bitter, sad taste that makes Gerald Levert's eleventh album as great as his best records of late 80's, early 90's, but his outstanding talent.

Gerald Levert stayed devoted to old R&B/Soul school

The album is fulfilled in a classic R&B/Soul genre: emotional vocal passages stand as the basic musical instrument of songs; there are a lot of sensitive falsetto back vocals and keyboards. However Gerald Levert doesn't mind making use of modern influences. There are a number of upbeat songs here, for example DJ Don't, where Gerald asks a club DJ not to play any slow songs tonight, or a dance song Wanna Get Up With You that demonstrates Gerald's interest to disco music. As always the subject area of his songs keeps to love lyrics, but this time around some songs posses a frequently undisguised sexy character. This case may be significantly exemplified by a song with a pretty outright name Deep As It Goes – while this low tempo single is also having all features of old R&B style, the rythm section's pulse was evidently influenced by hip hop low beats. Sometimes Gerald Levert gives preference to sorrowful feelings – the album's opening track In My Songs stands as one of the most poignant. He shares his emotions about loneliness. This song, just like many others on this album takes an additional meaning due to Levert's death and the fact that being a love singer Gerald Levert didn't find true love of his own evokes undercurrent sadness.                     

In My Song won't be the last Levert’s posthumous album

Despite the inconstancy of fashion and new tendencies that have been overwhelming R&B scene especially strong during last decade, Gerald Levert was always remaining an adherent to basis of so to say old soulgospel school which he inherited after his father Eddie Levert - a well known soul singer. And probably this very reason helped him to keep and multiply ranks of his numerous fans. In My Songs is definitely not his last posthumous album. A number of completely different mixtepes and compilations featuring this performer will grow even faster than in his times, as it usually happens with records of famous artists who leave this world, but this one will be the only posthumous album of newly penned songs. Gerald Levert wanted to live a full life, he loved joyful feelings and tried to make this world a little better with his creative works. His last record stands as a bright evidence for that, a great number of his composition carry peculiar donor energy and recharge with positive emotions of hot summer sun. If Gerald Levert's name sounds familiar to you than you know this feeling too, so why not plunging into it again.