Already released in 2001 Changamiré’s debut album Only Human is actually a little bit older but it hasn’t lost anything of its appeal and I just happened to discover it on the internet recently.
Changamiré doesn’t want to be pigeonholed hence she goes from jazz and torch songs to soul, pop and rock. All songs here are original compositions most of them written and produced by veteran musician Lincoln Ross. The whole album was executively produced by K.R. Fletcher, which is Changamiré’s real name.
The album starts with the lush strings of the title track Only Human, a fine torch song that evokes memories of days gone by and singers like Julie London. The wonderful string section can also be heard on It’s Over.
Other personal favourites include the midtempo soul of Ask Me How I Know and the soulful jazzy relaxed groove of 9 To 5, a song about the everyday working struggle to pay your bills.
Changamiré also gives us some food for thought with the beautiful ballad The Bag (“Do you really enjoy life/ That is ruled by strife?/ Can it ever be the way it was/ Before the damage was done?/ You don’t have to live your life/ Being on the run/ And living for a bag./ Life don’t come in no bag./ There is a solution to living for the bag.“) and the soul song The Key (”We’ve all been through so much/ And should reach out and touch someone/ Don’t let a soul be lost/ No matter what the cost/ It could happen to you or me/ How can we be so cold/ Strive to live as a family/ That’s the key“).
Songs like Days Go By, Together or When drift a little too much into pop-rock territory for my taste (something this album has in common with the Monique Debose album) but they show that Changamiré can easily handle different musical styles.
All in all a very pleasant debut record that makes me curious about the sophomore album Changamiré’s already working on with Lincoln Ross.

Tracklisting of Only Human: 1. Only Human/ 2. The Key/ 3. Ask Me How I Know/ 4. Days Go By/ 5. 9 To 5/ 6. Together/ 7. When/ 8. It’s Over/ 9. The Bag/ 10. Ask Me How I Know (Remix featuring Mista Forty) | released 2001 by K.R. Fletcher

For more infos visit whensunnygetsblue.com and cdbaby.com.

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