REVIEW – JEREL & SAM WATSON HAVE A HEART TO HEART WITH NEW EPs…

NEW MUSIC FROM THE HOTTEST R&B IN THE “D” TAKE A LOOK AT LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS FROM THE MALE PERSPECTIVE.. WITH NEW EP’S FROM VOCALISTS.. JEREL – “SHE HATES FLOWERS” & SAM WATSON – “JUST LISTEN”

Detroit has a legacy and Tradition of of Male vocalists that give you something you can feel like Kem, Keith Washington and the legendary Motown Cats like Marvin Gaye, Stevie and Smokey Robinson to name a few.. Keeping that legacy strong are Singer/Songwriter/Producer, SAM WATSON, who dropped his latest project,  “Just Listen” ..and  Vocalist JEREL brings us his long awaited EP  “She Hates Flowers”.. Lets take them both for a ride.. 

JEREL – SHE HATES FLOWERS

BEGINNING WITH THE TITLE/INTRO CUT.. JEREL comes out literally swinging on “She Hates Flowers” a mid tempo cut that he vocally rides on effortlessly. Buoyed by a sample from “Insecure” (You a F*** Ni****) that pretty much sets up the EP IMO, As the “Nice Guys Finish Last” Soundtrack. The Singer/ Songwriter who splits time between his native Detroit, and Los Angeles since 2020, has created a solidly R&B project, that has a radiant, and at times melancholic vibe,  that he sticks to on every cut. It’s a revealing batch of songs that reveal vulnerability and a yearning for love, not heard since the likes of Brian McKnights and John Legend’s early works, and Carl Thomas’ Classic “Emotional”. It’s a Hopeless romantics type of EP. The upbeat “Sunlight” paints the back & forth of a relationship that never seems to connect at the right time. Beginning the song saying, “Thinking we should just be friends, cause other ways ain’t making sense”.. JEREL croons his yearnings to make it work, and the realizations, it may never be meant to be. he bounce in the groove offers a EuroPop kind of beat that makes the song move. While Lyrically his descriptiveness paints a vivid enough picture that makes his pleas authentically genuine. I see and feel his plight .  “Sometimes it gets Hard to see the Sunlight in the morning , but you’re no longer here. How could  you leave my bed cold side, still smelling like Chanel”.. Next Up My actual favorite Joint on the EP,. “Best and Worst” on first listen, made me want to write this review as soon as I could, (If I could stop listening on repeat!) to let people know how Dope, this  straight pocket song is..  “Say, That you’ll be here to stay. Say you don’t wanna go away.. Say that you’ll always be my Baby.. You love Best , And Worst Part of Me”.. The Hook alone takes you where you need to be. A traditional R&B arrangement is its strength. Sonically it takes you where you expect to go and does not disappoint when it gets you there. This is the brightest point on the EP. He clearly  WORKED on the entire set, but This song right here, is its Opus Non Grata and Centerpiece. It reminds me of Jagged Edge type of ballads and Gives SZA vibes in melody and Rhythmic Vocal delivery. All in a natural vocal.  Vocally JEREL swings for the fences and hits corners in a passion filled delivery to match his heart felt lyrics..” Its good to know I don’t  stand alone..  Cause no one wants to do this life alone..” The first single “Moments” and “Moments: Reprise”,  Closeout the project.. “Moments”. . The first single from the project is lushly arranged. This song sounds like it should be in a Bridgerton episode preferably a ballroom dance scene (I want my placement percentage!! Lol) From the acoustic intro Punctuated by a well timed kick, that starts the melodious /Lullaby. Lyrically, it’s probably the most intricately written and arranged song on the EP.. With a Chorus  that sums up the back and forth in relationships.. “Moment to Moment We Be Goin thru the Motions of Love for a Moment Then it’s right Back to the Same.. Thing..”

I can’t help but hear Boyz II Men’s Wanya Morris on this, which apparently must be an influence or inspiration to JEREL, as he gives a striking and acrobatic vocal reminiscent of the Boyz ll Men vocalist.  

Particularly during the pre Chorus singing, “I want you to know..I just can’t do this no more.. Plus my Hearts already gone..Gone away.. (way).. Missing your calls,  I don’t have nothing to say Babe..Circles we doin. But I’m getting Through it..” Yeah I can hear Wanya and, Shawn Stockmon, tag teaming this joint to perfection #Salute JEREL for a soulful Banger.. and if that wasn’t enough.. JEREL revisits “Moment” in the form of “Moment: Reprise” with a stellar cast of guest vocalists in Adam Ness, ‘Sekend, and Remey Williams who come together for a Vocal and Soul summit. It’s great to hear vocalists come together and just ride a groove to rapture.. this is worthy of a BET Cipher!!. ”She Hates Flowers” it’s a very solid project that returns R&B to it’s core and is rooted in male sincerity, vulnerability, honesty, emotion and transparency in its lyrics and performance. It’s in the same church of melodic and lyrically driven music, as Neyo and Babyface.  Rather than being built on machismo which has dominated R&B. It’s real with feelings and emotions in relationships from a Man’s point of view. And it works. Production by Detroit’s own Jupyter, Xeryus Gittens, Buddah, Kadeem Nichols are stellar. It’s a for real no skip EP.. Thanks Jerel!! 

SAM WATSON – JUST LISTEN

“JUST LISTEN” the latest from The Uber Talented SAM WATSON, continues his streak of magic in his music.. the young Mr. Watson is a prolific writer,  Driven and methodical Producer who creates the kind of music that you don’t just listen to without being engulfed in it’s beautifully layered expanse. In other words, he makes great music. His latest offering comes in the form of the 7 song EP “Just Listen”.

The EP where he had an extensive hand in the writing, arranging, production, and his specialty, the engineering, mixing and mastering to create the multi-layered sound he has become known for. “Just Listen”,  arrives after the release of the singles “You Got It”  (ft. Maavi)” & “Same Ol” released earlier this year and prepped his followers for the EP which both songs appear on. This time around, WATSON is in a good place and you can feel it throughout the EP. The air around the music is light and lithe, inviting and warm.. Opening with a song called “Leveled Up ft. Fellow Detroit vocalist Jahz. “Leveled Up” , a mid to up tempo Bop, finds him singing about a past love that wants to rekindle, once he has leveled up his position in life.. “You got some nerve to call me.. Saying that you’re Proud of me. Where was that Energy when you were with me? You coulda been real from the jump” ..I’m gonna reference one of my favorite Singer/ Songwriters of this generation in this review. Because his influence is so relevant to an artist like SAM WATSON. And that is NEYO, whose clean classic writing style and music is refreshing in its simplicity, and easy to digest. SAM WATSON delivers music in that vein in many of the songs on this EP. Which is a great thing. You don’t have to search for what makes these songs special. They just are. And “Leveled Up” a classic take on the One that Got away theme. “You should’ve been my day one (Yeah).. You could’ve been my queen (Yeah)..You would’ve been the one to run it up with me girl, Now you want a piece since I done (Leveled up), Since I done leveled up..Leveled up” A great way to start off a Good feeling EP.. The Talented Mr. Watson keeps the vibe and tone, upbeat and bright with “You Don’t Know” Another vibrant and moving track that features a fun back and forth collaboration  with fellow Vocalist Ari B. . “You don’t know what you want..Tryna stunt, tryna front, Don’t know what you on.. You do that shit for fun..Tryna stunt, tryna front, Don’t know what you ..” goes a smooth Chorus that rides the bounce in this infectious song. The banter between Watson and Ari keeps the flow in a comfortable place..

The aforementioned singles “Same Ol” and  “You Got It “ feat Mavy Baby, continue with the Vibe in a similar vein to keep the air of the EP in a Light Comfortable lane. Making for a Pleasantly Fun album, that rides very well as a Nonstop player. Hats off to Sam & Co. for the arrangement of the tracks. It flows from track to track effortlessly. Building with each track and keeping the pace. “Pick & Choose” with Vocalist Bria Scott,  changes lanes with an Afro Beat/ EuroDance arrangement as its sound bed. “You were the missing piece yeah, Thought it was you and me.. So many chances given, Just to give up and leave..Now you wanna start over yeah, The rules don’t apply to you.. When will you ever learn babe, You don’t get to pick and choose”

The song works very well with WATSONS laid back vocal style, blending with Scott’s lithe siren notes. It’s not Overpowering or relying on the Beat as much as it’s riding along with it.. Great change up and transition to the more somber and introspective “Dark Hole” where SAM takes the EP into a confessional and slower pace.. “I drowned in a dark hole, Mind sinking in the pit of depressionHeart stopped, body’s too cold, too cold There’s no hope for me, In the pit of this dark hole”.. You feel his emotion take the lead to tell the story. It’s in a Marvin’s Room lane. Only with a real Vocalist bearing his heart. Rounding out the EP is the Track “Listen” where SAM WATSON is kind of getting to the point of it all in a relationship .. “Put your down your phone, Take a seatJust listen.. Just listen.. Don’t block me out, Hear me out.. Just listen, (Just listen)” A barebones vocal and moody track that offers SAM’s simple request as well as his own pledge to understand and be there to Just Listen. “..Life hasn’t been fairI know that you’re scared but know I’m here for youEverything I do is all for you (Yeah, yeah)We’ve been here before I’m tryna hold onYou’ve been toxic all nightThis shit here not feeling right. Throw in the towel, I’m done with this fight so..”  It’s the writing that sets this album up as a great project for not only vibing too, but to offer some thought from a guy’s perspective. SAM WATSON is a viable talent that deserves to be heard. “Just Listen”, is a markedly strong release that is modern R&B that has a heart. Lyrically, Musically  and sonically, it delivers with precision Thanks to the strength of WATSON’s Production and knowing his sound. It’s an album that is pleasing to the ear and soothing to the heart.

I gotta say I was impressed and very uplifted by the messages in the music of JEREL and SAM WATSON. It’s always good to hear the fellas bare their souls and what’s in their hearts and minds. Add to that,  the production values are top notch. So proud of both these cats as ambassadors of the current level of talent coming out of Detroit. Proves we still got it, and it is good.

~Terry Martin – RnBInTheD.com