I Am

by Alice Russell

Overview

Between 1997 and 2013, British soul singer Alice Russell was a ubiquitous presence on the U.K. music scene, frequently appearing on recordings by Bah Samba, Kushti, Susumu Yokota, Nostalgia 77, TM Juke, and Quantic, to name a few. She released a handful of fine albums that culminated with the stellar To Dust in 2013. Afterward, she was only heard on three singles by Quantic: "A Life Worth Living" in duet with U-Roy in 2016, 2019's "Now or Never," and 2021's "Heaven or Hell." The summer after To Dust appeared, her father died. On the day after his funeral, she discovered she was pregnant. She began therapy shortly after giving birth and was deep in it when her second child arrived. During that time, Russell wrote about her healing process. She returned with "Rain" in November 2023, her first single in a decade. January's "I See You" and March's "Gravity" followed suit. All three appear on I Am, an album that chronicles Russell's complex emotional, spiritual, and psychological journey with brutal yet poetic honesty and startling arrangements and production by longtime musical partner TM Juke (Alex Cowan). Set-opener "Agreement" offers an engine of sparse piano playing near-processional chords as handclaps, kick drum, and backing singers surround Russell's falsetto. Her lyric asks hard questions of her subject's companion. Its whispering cymbals, dramatic sonic effects, and layered backing chorus deliver this as a riveting soul anthem. The single "Gravity" is framed in orchestral strings, electric bass, low brass, and handclaps. Russell's lyrics initially recount her protagonist's suspicion, then her evolution toward trust, allowing the process to unfold. The uptempo title track is introduced by clattering, syncopated snares, synth, piano, and a bassline under Russell's lyric, "Now it has all gone ¿ /You passed on all your hurt in the memories you carried/We've got to break the chain¿." An organ swells in the backdrop and Russell cuts loose in a strident alto delivering a truckload of soul. The chart and production on "Rain" -- were obviously influenced by Al Green and Willie Mitchell at Hi Records. Electric bass, Wurlitzer, and drums underscore a vocal that's at once reflective an painfully honest, yet supportive; it delivers a message of radical self-acceptance to the woman in the mirror as fingersnaps and handclaps underscore her conviction. "Sinner" sends Russell's falsetto to the top of a mountain of snare, hi-hat, gospel piano, synth strings, electric guitar, and an overdubbed vocal chorus, "You can't deny this feeling¿I can't disguise, what I feel¿All I have, all I need, all the change inside of me/ Strong enough, to take the pain, on my own¿." is a paean to emotional liberation. I Am is indeed a most a welcome return for Russell, but it's not only that. This is the statement of a mature artist who understands her strengths, vulnerabilities, and resolve; it reveals the transformative state of her process and growth with poignancy and honesty through glorious modern soul. ~ Thom Jurek

Product Details

Release Date:	04/05/2024
Label:	Tru Thoughts
UPC:	5060609666910
Rank:	79637

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Alice Russell   Primary Artist