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Album Reviews
O2 is
one of the best albums period out there. I'm talking about
in all genres of music now. If your a Michael Jackson/Prince
fan, this guy is both of them wrap up in an anointed
package. After listening to songs like the dreamy "Beautiful
Place", the amazingly arranged "Seasons", the buttery
sounding "Inspiration", the electrifying "Help", and the
unique sounding "O2", it will make you wonder how come the
Grammy's aren't knocking down his door with every (and I
mean EVERY) award that pertains to a solo artist, whether it
be gospel or otherwise. He is that good folks. If you have
just heard his first album, then you might have made the
mistake of putting him in the Neo-soul gospel box, like I
did. However, after you have heard Pronounced Toe-Nay, O2,
and more recently Out The Box, you will see how amazing this
guy is.
Also, what I like about Tonex is that it seems that on any
album he does, he tries to reinvent himself. On 'Toe-Nay, he
mostly stuck with the Neo-Soul/Hip-Hop genre with some
traditional gospel thrown in. Then on this album, he TOTALLY
changes his sound, with not a shred of Neo-soul anything.
And recently on Out The Box, he throws in a choir to back
him up! If you are a musician at heart or by talent, you
have to love the fact that he's always trying something new,
and not try to stay in a box so to speak, as a hip-hop
gospel artist, or a neo-soul gospel artist or a traditional
gospel artist or a jazz/funk gospel artist and so on. He is
always trying something new. That's what separates artists
like Prince, R.Kelly, Stevie Wonder, Tommy Sims, and yes,
Tonex, from the rest of the pack. If you don't have his most
recent album, Out The Box, GET IT NOW! You won't regret it.
I'm drooling over what's coming next from this guy, because
after listening to his production, I yearn for more.
Tonex doesnt get his just due.
This kid is straight up jamming!!! He has the courage and
vision to combine up tempo r&b type grooves with a touch
of jazz, funk, and make it fit into a contemporary gospel
album.
Not to many gospel musicians out
there can go from the "windows to the wall" with songs
like 'bout a thing and Pass me by, which both have
uptempo club grooves that you can really dance to and
then step it down a couple of notches to get his praise
on with I have decided, God has not forgot, Seasons, Even
U and my personal favorite, Tumblin.
Tonex has had comparisons to
Prince, but I would would compare him MUSICALLY with the
r-ruh, R. Kelly. Like Kels, Tonex writes all his own
music, plays his own insturuments, sings his own vocals
and backgrounds lyrics.
If you havent picked up this
project, I urge you to go get it and add it to your
collection right away. Im a hugh fan of Tonex's and I
wouldnt steer you wrong. As his title song O2 says, I
think I need some Oxygen!!!!
Tonex(Homepage)
Interviews
gospelcity
gospelflava
Servantsheart
Lyrics
Onetry
christianrocklyrics
Mp3 (Downloads)
Amazon
iomusic
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