Soul singer October London is steadily making a name for himself in the genre of R&B. By blending classic soul sounds with contemporary R&B, October London is carving out a space for himself in the music industry. A South Bend, Indiana native, he hit the scene in the summer of 2016. The first time I heard his voice was on “Revolution,” the closing song on Snoop Dogg’s Coolaid album.
Since then, he has graced fans with numerous projects. As he embarks on his latest project, The Rebirth of Marvin, he embraces one of the most brilliant singers ever. The lead single from the project is the slow-drag ballad “Back To Your Place.” A romantic ballad expresses a desire to be taken back to a lover’s place. In the lyrics, October has admired the person they are interested in all night. However, he is growing impatient with how long they have waited to advance the relationship.
They ask to be taken back to the person’s place, using the phrase “place of residence” to emphasize their intention. October desires to spend time alone with that person so they can express their love in a way they both desire. The song is a plea for a committed relationship and a physical connection. The Marvin Gaye influence is evident when I hear and see the visuals. Marvin is looking down and smiling.
Final Grade: A-
“Back To Your Place” is available on all streaming platforms.
Music producers transitioning to a solo album is common in the music industry. For this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I want to revisit Sean Garrett’s solo debut, “Turbo 919,” released in 2008.
If you were to ask most music fans about the R&B song “Fortunate”, they would say the name Maxwell. However, in 2001, another singer named Lathun released a Neo-Soul version of the same title, which serves as this week’s pick for Slow Jam Saturday.
Musician Kem and his sophomore project “Album II” is this week’s pick for Second Listen Sunday. Arriving in stores on May 17th, 2005, the album came when R&B was still shifting. For the most part, younger singers dominated the market, while older crooners like Anthony Hamilton and Brian McKnight were forced to the Urban A/C demographic.