Radio Music Society

Jazz · 2012 · 13 tracks · 1h 1m

Radio Music Society

Esperanza Spalding

A vibrant, Grammy-winning celebration of jazz, soul, and pop. Sophisticated big-band arrangements meet infectious, hip-hop-influenced grooves and soaring vocals.

Crossover triumph

Heavy brass lines cut through thick, warm electric bass grooves, turning a crowded room into a sunlit street corner. These songs carry the heat of neo-soul and the loose, snapping pocket of hip-hop, but they are built on grand, sweeping horn charts. Your ears follow her voice as it leaps effortlessly over complex chord changes, making intricate big-band arrangements feel as natural and immediate as a whistled melody on a bright afternoon walk.

Radio Music Society · vs · Esperanza Spalding

Soprano+4.0σ

The vocals lean far further into soprano than the rest of the catalogue.

Tracklist · 13 Tracks · 1h 1m

01

Radio Song

6:32

02

Cinnamon Tree

5:36

03

Crowned & Kissed

4:35

04

Land of the Free

1:54

05

Black Gold

5:17

06

I Can’t Help It

4:42

07

Hold on Me

3:40

08

Vague Suspicions

5:51

09

Endangered Species

6:37

10

Let Her

4:21

11

City of Roses

4:35

12

Smile Like That

4:18

13

Jazz Ain’t Nothin but Soul

3:36

Moments Worth Waiting For

11City of RosesThe soaring brass and woodwind arrangements on 'City of Roses' create a bright, celebratory tribute that earned a Grammy for its intricate orchestration.

01Radio SongOn 'Radio Song', the opening track, a complex, shifting time signature is disguised beneath an incredibly catchy, sing-along vocal hook.

05Black GoldThe bassline on 'Black Gold' acts as a driving, melodic engine, locking into a tight, hip-hop-influenced pocket with the drums.

Sits BesideSee all

Esperanza

Esperanza Spalding

Shares neo-soul, jazz fusion, vocal jazz, upright bass (subgenre)

Something About Faith

Something About Faith

Shares vocal_layering, soprano, neo-soul, sunday_morning (signature)

Bang! Zoom

Shares jazz fusion, vocal jazz, vocal_layering, joyful (subgenre)

Ruby

Shares neo-soul, vocal jazz, vocal_layering, joyful (subgenre)

Ladies Room

Shares neo-soul, vocal jazz, saxophone, sunday_morning (subgenre)

Complex Simplicity

Complex Simplicity

Shares vocal_layering, neo-soul, contemporary r&b, golden_hour (signature)

Skin

Shares empowering, neo-soul, jazz fusion, upright bass (mood)

In My Room

Shares vocal_layering, jazz fusion, vocal jazz, upright bass (signature)

Lyricist

Shares neo-soul, jazz fusion, vocal jazz, upright bass (subgenre)

Possibilities

Shares jazz fusion, vocal jazz, hi_fi, coffee_shop (subgenre)

Reviews

Critic Consensus

Critics broadly admired the album's intricate arrangements and its gentle embrace of pop melodies, highlighting Spalding's immense musicality and convincing performances. Yet, while her skills were widely recognized, some reviewers felt the record did not quite succeed in capturing the broader mainstream audience her talents deserve.

Rolling Stone2.5/ 5 stars

“A dazzling player skilled at butterfly-zoo arrangements, the 27-year-old steps toward pop here”

The Times4/ 5 stars

Slant Magazine

“She’s the kind of artist whose skills absolutely merit a wide audience, but Radio Music Society proves that she hasn’t quite figured out how to capture one”

The Telegraph3/ 5 stars

Slant3/ 5 stars

The Guardian4/ 5 stars

The Independent

“Persuasively delivered”

Entertainment WeeklyB

Blurt Magazine7/ 10 stars

The Austin Chronicle3/ 5 stars

BBC Music

“She has talent as abundant as her Afro”

AllMusic3.5/ 5 stars

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