Rating:
Genre:
R&B
Release Date: 08/12/2008
Leon Ware is hardly a household name but he was one of
Motown's most successful songwriters. His list of accomplishments is too long to list in its entirety here (see the bio) but they include writing
Michael Jackson's smash
"I Wanna Be Where You Are," working on
Quincy Jones' classic
Body Heat and
Mellow Madness albums, and writing and producing
Marvin Gaye's monster
I Want You LP. He's also cut brilliant albums for
Gordy and
Elektra in the 1970s and '80s, and influenced singers and songwriters from
Rahsaan Patterson and
Lewis Taylor to
D'Angelo, and
Bilal.
Moon Ride is
Ware's debut album for the revived
Stax imprint. His late 20th and early 21st century self-released albums are a little thin in production -- due to a lack of a proper budget -- but they are musically astute and sophisticated.
Ware's absolute lyrical and musical obsession with the topics of love, the sensual, and the divine are a constant on every record he's made, written or produced, and are on full display here.
Because of its lush, elegant textures, open drifting songs, and laid-back romantic vibe,
Moon Ride can be a little difficult to get a handle on initially. This is because it was constructed as an album, not a series of singles. It's a deep journey into the sensual by a master storyteller. The graceful sexy soul in the title track opens the album; it floats, hovers, and winds its way deep into the senses like an opiate. The undercurrent of guitars and funky keyboard lines surround the listener as
Ware's amazing voice just comes through the ether to lay out the sensual truth. Hold onto the synth and guitar vamps and you're there, in
Ware's zone. The joyous riff that opens
"Blue Dress," is a fingerpopper, it holds the attention while going deeper into
Ware's husky raw sensual expression. The gorgeous ballad
"Hold Tight" follows it as a blend of jazz, urban soul, and
Ware's impressionistic poetry all set a scene.
"Take Your Time," was written with and stars soul-jazz guitar great
David T. Walker; its depth and dimension are enhanced by plush production touches making it dreamy, wispy, and warm. If there's a single on this set it's
"Smoovin'," a jazzy tune with a throwaway title and a killer hook offered by a blend of guitars, a strong yet subtle bassline, and
David Foreman's overdubbed guitars. Add to this the backing vocals of
James Ingram and you have a stone killer. Other standouts include
"I Never Loved So Much," and a killer recut of
"To Serve You (All My Love") off 2004's
Deeper album that blows away the original. One can hear
Marvin Gaye's ghost emoting through
Ware's delivery as drummer
Teddy Campbell's subtle breaks highlight the groove. (
Ingram appears here too.) Fellow Detroiter
Amp Fiddler cameos on
"From Inside," an erotic slow burn of a ballad he co-wrote with
Ware. He also plays keyboards on it. As the extra rhythm tracks appear on the refrain (a
Fiddler trademark),
Ware just takes his vocal right toward them and opens it all up to the listener's senses.
The lasting impression from
Moon Ride is that
Ware remains an original; a pioneering artist who continues to evolve and who is perhaps more relevant today than in the '70s. He is a poet of the senses; for him music speaks a deeper more provocative truth: That the emotional and physical intimacy of lovers is where the Divine speaks directly.
Moon Ride is a journey into the heart of that space, and the welcome, high profile return of a master.
~Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
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