Appearing on the scene in 2002 with the debut album “Subject” and releasing his Grammy nominated sophomore album “Some Kinda…” in 2005, Dwele’s third album release called “Sketches of a Man” comes at a time when there is so much to be said about the music industry. With the rise of downloading, the downturn of record sale dollars and the revamp of the artist tour, having a music career is not just about being hip or having swagger nowadays. It’s more about having passion and dedication. Dwele has proven to have brought talent, dedication and passion to a high point on his latest self-produced record.
“Sketches of a Man” has both classic and contemporary elements of hip-hop, jazz and soul. But what makes this a great album is the combination of great musicianship and solid song writing. The song “Body-rock” has a club vibe, where we seem to witness Dwele in a pop-star-ish, ‘built-for-the-radio’ arena. Even with this deviation from the normal soul sentiments, the experiment to try something new with his music worked out well. Another standout recording was the cover of Bobby Caldwell’s “Open Your Eyes” that highlights Dwele’s breezy vocals over the hip-hop base and delicate piano. The record consistently had a chilled out vibration that we can depend on soul artists for without losing the fun-loving, conscious, poetic musical flows of today’s popular social climates.
“Our job as musicians is to make good music and take the time to express the feelings of the people. Unfortunately, not a lot of artists are doing that right now. It’s almost like it’s too stressful to be political, but musicians should document the times,” says Dwele, who feels that his third album is culminating and conclusive in content as opposed to the musings and exploring he did in his previous records.
When asked to comment on the passing of musical icon Michael Jackson, Dwele was sincerely affected. “I really couldn’t believe it. I had 20 texts messages on my phone. I heard it, but then it wasn’t real. It got real, though. I woke up the next day and the news was still the same.” Almost everybody who is even remotely connected to the music world has been influenced by the art, stardom and innovations of Michael Jackson. “He has a song that everybody can relate to. There are only a few people in this world who were meant to be immortal, and Michael was one of them. He was, without a doubt, one of the biggest musical trailblazers of all time.”
Although Dwele’s musical career does not deem him as a pop star, his successes are built on an unshakeable ground of artistry. From the horn sections in “Travelin’Girl” and “Vain”, the piano mastery in “I’m Sorry”, to the subversive lyrics of “Cheating” (where he is actually singing about dating a girl and cheating with her alter-ego), what we hear is pure talent. For Dwele, making music is also about knowing when and where to put a song. “There is a time and place for everything. I don’t go to the club and expect to hear gospel music or when I want to relax, do I go ahead and play some Gucci Mane either. Location is everything.” The entire album is formulated for certain kinds of environments, yet it completely fulfills one’s expectations of a great soul record.
From album to album it seems like “Sketches of a Man” is the strongest one yet. Released on KOCH records, which is an independent label housing other musical powerhouses such as Sinead O’Connor and RZA, what seems evident is that Dwele’s talent has been unleashed with strength and passion that makes his musical journey an exciting course to follow. Even to Korea.
Copyright 2000 ~ 2009 Groove Korea
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