Britti – Hello, I’m Britti
Born Brittany Guerin in Baton Rouge, LA this debut is a love letter to the place she calls home. Britti covers a soulful renewal which is what’s needed in the face of emotional disappointments through her diversified vocal. A sprinkling of country-pop, R&B spices, some New Orleans flare, a fermenting of grooves & vibes.
Produced by Grammy Award-winning knob-twister Dan Auerbach (guitar/piano/keys/bass) — lead singer of the Black Keys Hello, I’m Britti (Drops Feb 2-Easy Eye Sound/Concord/39:00) are 11 tracks recorded at Easy Eye Sound/Nashville, TN.
There’s the soulful ambience of “So Tired,” & “Still Gone,” with a hint of Valerie June type-balladry strained through a musical colander that eeks out a Rotary Connection’s late Minnie Riperton tonality. At times, Britti is more in a whispery register in a cool calculating warm jazzy way. “Nothing Compares To You,” comes with that embodiment. The band itself is tight as a ball of twine.
Though there’s a lot of repetition to dig deep into the dynamic there are few cliches. Britti keeps her music stable throughout. “Keep Running,” is sturdy. While the music’s a little thicker than Britti’s voice the contrast has its expertise. This has commercial potential, catchy, well-performed & unlike many other singers draws significantly on crafted lyrics. Wonderful tune.
“Lullaby,” has a jazziness evident in her voice. I picture Britti by herself up on a roof during the summer – alone with a glass of wine singing to the dark heavens with a little heat lightning in the distance. The musicians are superb. A well-nurtured piece. There’s a child’s variable through the melody that enriches it & keeps it mature, dignified & delightful.
Britti has a talent for providing just the right intonation in lyrics, adding good range to each line & her phrasing distinguishes each song eloquently. What’s charming is that despite the comparisons Britti is a truly original, with creative songs & melodies sung with sincerity.
Her voice isn’t as mainstream & commercial as Diana Ross or as café smoky as Sade. She may glide through tendrils of Phoebe Snow when she sings with a 50s easy listening exposition. Ironically, “Silly Boy,” develops like The Shangri-Las & the recently departed Mary Weiss. Britti adds their kind of beautiful narration to the song.
Then she has her Dr. John mojo greased with “There Ain’t Nothing,” – the late musician/arranger Allen Toussaint would’ve loved this. The group The Band would’ve covered this piece if they still existed. “Save Me,” is planted in a rich Motown Mary Wells soil with a touch of Muscle Shoals magic. Quite impressive.
Highlights – “So Tired,” “Still Gone,” “Nothing Compares To You,” “Keep Running,” “Lullaby,” “Back Where We Belong,” “Silly Boy,” “There Ain’t Nothing,” “Save Me” & the beautiful “Once Upon a Time.”
Musicians – Jay Bellerose (drums), Tom Bukovac (guitars) & Mike Rojas (keyboards).
Photography by Jim Herrington. CD @ Bandcamp + https://www.lovebritti.com/
