Search - Anthony David :: Red Clay Chronicles (Dig)

Rough edges at their best

C. W. Hall | Atlanta, GA USA | 01/26/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I read a review of Anthony David's first album that compared him to Usher. Quite frankly, that's ridiculous. If you have to make comparisons, pull out Anthony Hamilton. The two Anthony's share a down south twang in their voices and a very similar musical sensibility.



David has been around the Atlanta music scene since I've been in the city which makes him at least 10 years deep. His name was always floating around. He was that guy that you knew about even if you hadn't caught him performing. By the time I actually saw him play, he was one of those artists who I gave props to simply because of the company they kept. Giving credit before it was necessarily due has burnt me in the past, but Anthony was at least as good as I expected him to be. Revolving around the same Atlanta circles that produced India Arie and Donnie, Anthony David has that classic ATL soul sound. It's relaxed, it's unpretentious, and it's incredible.



By the time you get to "Smoke One" you get the first hint of the kind of artist you're facing. He's not going to neo your soul. The song is about indulging vice and it's irresistible. Trying to convince a tightly wound friend to partake in some wine, women, and song? This is the soundtrack.



Anthony is a master of the love song. There are wonderful tunes like the almost acoustic "Lady", but then there's also another level. That other level is "Words." The duet with India Arie is the kind of soul music that lasts forever. Assuming Brash can get this record the kind of attention it deserves, "Words" will be Anthony's calling card. It's the kind of soul anthem that kids used to record over and over on a cassette tape to give their girlfriends. Powerful stuff.



The comparison with Anthony Hamilton is apt in one other unfortunate way. The Red Clay Chronicles suffers in the same places that Hamilton's records sometimes flounder. When the naturally charismatic singers get too slick and over-produced they fall a bit flat. That is evident with this album on songs like "Something About You." The reason is simple. There's an essential grittiness to singers like David that they need to be at the top of their game. An excess of production polishes the round edges to a dull sheen.



Fortunately, there's more of the rough than of the smooth on Red Clay Chronicles. Anthony David lives up to the billing that he's enjoyed in Atlanta for so long. Hopefully, the rest of the nation will catch on to what we all already know."