Some people will probably say otherwise but, really, there's nothing more intoxicating than the dark soul of a woman who has been sorely tried – especially when it's placed on top of a 1-4-5 blues progression. Voices like that are rare; anyone can sing pretty and enjoy a minute in the pop spotlight but, when the story in a woman's heart is one of hard luck and the soul in her throat is still able to overcome it, she'll already have a lot of interest from the ears her voice touches. That's the reason why Kim Wempe is going to be huge; she's got the heart, she's got the soul and she's got the kind of voice that holds those who hear it tightly. That voice is magic and no one who hears it will be able to turn away from it.
Wempe's debut album, Coalition, plays like a long-lost treasure from another lifetime. It crosses ideas of pop styling and production (a big voice up front with brightly polished instrumental chops following close behind) with the sounds of blues and soul which seem as though they just bled out of Chulahoma, Mississippi and the results are just something which have to be heard to be believed; they're magic. Each of the thirteen songs on Coalition sit perfectly balanced between the sound of a bluesy, soulful wail and that of a big, shiny pop standard and play effortlessly to both sides.
Playing to both sides as Coalition does makes for a thoroughly unique listening experience, without question. For example, after the bluesy warmup of “Intro” plays through to open the record, it would be easy to fall into a revival rhythm with the handclaps which keep the beat for the first few bars of “Go Back,” but the song shifts quickly into a tidy soul rave-up similar to what one might expect from ZZ Ward. No amount of hyperbole does the listening experience justice; Wempe's voice is a force of nature and it works the pocket of the song like a road-hardened veteran can, but the tonal color is bright and fresh and betrays the singer's youth – it's remarkable.
From that beginning, listeners will find more delights as Wempe further plays out her soulful tip while also working in some country vibe for a slightly richer flavor. Showstoppers like “When I Stop,” “The River” and “The Devil Won't Know Me” all play the same angle as “Go Back” did, but it never gets played out because the singer's voice is just so lush. That pristine instrument, combined with some excellent and creative production work (the use of chains for percussion as well as Keith Mullins' inventive contributions on a drum kit as well as his own chest and mouth) from Chris Kirby keep the songs vibrant and brimming with surprises. Granted, the record is not perfect (the weakest song is “Down Here,” which feels very much like a demo or a work-in-progress – not a finished song), but the number of missteps if utterly dwarfed by the number of songs which grab listeners, hold them and charm them into falling in love with the singer.
Standing back and taking the measure of Coalition as a whole, there is just no question whether or not Coalition is a winner. Here, Kim Wempe proves she almost has it all; she's got the songwriting talent, got the voice and got a good band behind her, now all she needs is the opportunity to get her music in front of a lot of people. When she does that, it's just inevitable that she'll be a star.
Artist:
www.kimwempe.com/
www.myspace.com/kimwempe
www.facebook.com/kimwempe
www.twitter.com/kimwempemusic
Album:
Coalition is out now. Buy it here on Amazon .
