Search - Kreesha Turner :: Passion

Canada's Amy Winehouse perhaps??

Larry Davis | NYC/Long Island, NY | 07/06/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Wow, I'm the first one to review this record??? And it's a year old!! Anyhoo, I just got it, as I asked a friend to pick it up, being he was just in Canada on vacation, so hey, why not??



Anyhoo, I first became aware of Alberta, Canada-born Kreesha whilst on vacation in Newfoundland last year, and I heard "Don't Call Me Baby" a few times on the radio up there on St Johns' local Top 40-ish station, and was blown away, thinking I have to have this...I did some research, and saw that Capitol was releasing the song (and so I thought the album too) in the US, and it did really well on the Billboard Club Play chart, top 3 I think, so I waited for a US release...and waited...and waited...but nothing...I concluded that Capitol US declined a US release for "Passion"...shoot, I HATE when that happens!!! I need to know why!! So I either had to order it online or buy it next time in Canada, or a friend was going, and he offered and asked if there were any Canadian-only titles I wanted...so the only thing I could think of was Kreesha...I almost said Skye Sweetnam's amazing "Sound Soldier" too, but I found a copy at NYC's Strand Bookstore, of all places!!



So I got it...the version with 2 bonus tracks...as I wanted/needed to hear more than just the amazing "Don't Call Me Baby", to figure out Kreesha as an ARTIST...really, you can't tell based on one song, you CAN'T, no matter how great the song, you have to hear the full platter, to hear the range, the art, to judge and figure out the artist, and with Kreehsa, it's no different.



My conclusion??? For Capitol to NOT release "Passion" below the border did her a serious disservice, I'm sorry. I conclude that she's not really commercial at all...she's an alternative soul artist with some pop sensibility, sorta like Estelle, but she wouldn't fit into narrow playlists...she's unique, which I personally prefer. And at least, "Don't Call Me Baby" should have been a HUGE hit outside the clubs...it has total widespread appeal...from fans of alt-soul people like Amy Winehouse, Duffy, Estelle, and Corinne Bailey Rae, and even straight up soul/Top 40 crossover people like Mariah Carey and classic soul people like Diana Ross...even if she became a 1-hit wonder, at least people would have HEARD the song at all and fell in love with it, but most people never got to hear it.



If I had the power, I would love to change that PRONTO.



Oh and the rest of "Passion" is as great as the single...some tracks have some Latin spice like the opening title track, and in spite of the cheesy title, "Bounce With Me" is a great song, an alt-soul gem with a great melody and vocal chops. Kreesha wrote/co-wrote most of the songs on "Passion", so she's not some manufactured, producer-driven, Auto-Tuned fake singer like most in America's Top 40 hit parade...I hate basically all of them...Kreesha has more talent and originality in her pinky finger than all of those people combined...with some exceptions, like Rhianna is decent...if their audience heard Kreesha at all, their ears would perk right up like a German Shepherd...the opening is similar to the lame Leona Lewis' "Bleeding Love", but once the tune kicks in, it raises the bar to such a level like a jet airline taking off....whooooooosh, and the Rhythm Mix is even better.



Hopefully with my help, people won't have to go Kreesha WHO???? And it's not a common name either, unforgettable...so's her music."