After the diverse
Covered and a song-by-song of
Stevie Wonder's
Talking Book, both of which were released by the
Universal-distributed
429 in 2012,
Macy Gray returned with a set of originals issued through her new label, named (honest)
Happy Mel Boopy Touring Co. Compared to
The Sellout, her previous album of original material,
The Way is significantly less slick -- a no-fuss organic recording that involves some of the personnel from the
429 albums, including multi-instrumentalist
Jeffrey "Zoux" Bluestein and guitarist
Martin Estrada. There are some notable guest appearances, the most prominent of which comes from
Booker T. Jones, who plays on and co-produced the blissful "First Time."
Tracy Nelson and
Ledisi contribute some vocals, though
Nelson's wailing is strangely submerged in the mix of "I Miss the Sex." While the album is brief and was recorded in a relatively simplified setting, there is a wide range of approaches, including romping blues-rock ("Bang Bang"), lively disco ("Hands"), orchestral soul ("Queen of the Big Hurt"), and multiple shades of Southern soul (including the hushed "Stoned," in which
Gray purrs, "I've got the giggles, and baby, I'm loads of fun"). The results are approximately as scattered.
Gray's obvious comfort level and charm, however, help compensate for the less than ideal quantity of magnetizing material. ~ Andy Kellman
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