Maysa - Motions of Love

As a follower of the beautiful Maysa Leak on Twitter I was able to learn two crucial things about her life last summer. First, she was single yet again, and secondly, she stated how it was time to record a new album. I'm not certain if Cupid's arrow has found its way through her heart again, but the singer with one of the most sweet and incredibly powerful voices has hit the target dead-centre with her latest release 'Motions Of Love'. Whatever frustration and anger Maysa had been experiencing on a personal level, she has channeled that energy and raw emotion into this her ninth solo CD. ‘Motions Of Love’ is anything but a romance gone wrong bloodletting, but rather a great mix of soul, urban, funk, jazz and even dance. For the most part it is full of uplifting and inspiring rhythms and melodies. After all, the first single 'Have Sweet Dreams' is wonderful medium tempo love song, featuring the harmonica style of Stevie Wonder, who in fact wrote the song for the Obamas. ‘Motions Of Love’ is by far the most pop appealing album ever offered by Maysa, produced mostly by Chris 'Big Dog' Davis, who has spun his magic for other great artists such as Kim Waters and Will Downing. Musically speaking, neo-soul artist Dwele is a natural match for Maysa as the two couple up sweetly together on the very hip and genuinely cool song 'Flower Girl'.  The songstress who made herself known many years ago singing backup for Stevie Wonder and eventually as 'the voice' of Incognito originally planned to call the album ‘Uncharted Territory', as this project was intended to take her down a musical route she had never seen before. 'Motions Of Love' highlights her unstoppable talent and Maysa has infused some rap, and even knee-slapping southern comfort sounds on the album. The latter style is heard on 'Your Name's Not On The List. The song was penned out her bitterness of lost romance, yet somehow Maysa's writing, rhythms, and vocals keep this tune from becoming a blemish on such a smoothly produced generally positive and upbeat project. As for the rap, just track over to 'Day N Night' which offers an old school disco beat with her vocals flowing richly and vibrantly. The rap portion of the song is credited to 'MC Macy Mace', though Maysa is clever enough to add an 'lol' next to the credit. As a very good friend of touring partner of famed soul singer Angela Bofill, Maysa sings a very stylish and classy cover of the 1979 Bofill song 'I Try'.  To pick a personal fave off the album would be an insult to the unimaginable talent and effort Maysa has poured into, but 'Special Place' found just that in my mind as she pours out a big piece of her  heart and a whole lot of 'soul' on this medium tempo love song. Co-written with producer Davis, the romantic track brings the album to such a promising and hopeful 'happy ending', whether that was the intention or not.
 
'Motions Of Love' shows that if anyone knows how to criss-cross over music genres, it is Maysa. The album features 14 songs with energetic beats and rhythms, slow and seductive melodies and the sweetly versatile voice of Maysa. When and where true love will find the beautiful songstress again remains to be seen. But one thing is for this certain, that 'Motions Of Love' will have Maysa's hard core fans and scores of new ones falling deeply in love with her.

Reviewed by Stu Berketo