Joss Stone: Water For Your Soul
Joss Stone
Water For Your Soul
(Stoneād Records Ltd)
Soul singer Joss Stone is known for her expressive voice that incorporates shades of rock and pop while still covering universal themes of love, loss and longing. On her seventh project though, the reggae-inspired Water For Your Soul, fans might not be happy with the direction the artistĀ aimed for.
Having followed Stoneās career since 2004ās Mind, Body & Soul, her sophomore release of funk, pop and soul that included the UK hit āYou Had Meā and the sultry ballad āSpoiled,ā I was expecting a change from the now 28-year old English songwriter. Seven albums in, artists tend to get creative. But upon first listening to Water For Your Soul, which is co-produced by Damian Marley ā her bandmate from the ill-fated SuperHeavy, itās hard to say if a different direction was a good idea. Though the voice is still Joss Stone, beautiful and smooth, the albumĀ itself is missing thatĀ heart and gritĀ the singer is known for. Incorporating a hybrid of sounds, Water For Your SoulĀ includes 14 tracks of lukewarm tunes, save for a couple of favorites at the outset, such as the roots-soul āLove Meā and āThis Aināt Loveā as well as the Spanish-flavored āLet Me Breathe.ā