Newcomer Andra Day gives a toast to music with 'Cheers To The Fall'

Album Review

          
                Andra Day has been buzzing within the industry for a few years now, from being a YouTube standout with covers of songs like Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” to being called upon to work with Stevie Wonder before even having a record deal (It is in fact Wonder who would help her secure a recording contract with Warner Bros later) to being a standout at this years Essence Fest that has led to her first of many albums with ‘Cheers To The Fall’.

Hearing Andra Day’s voice alone is a nod to music’s past. Her voice echoes those of Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, and Amy Winehouse all in one sound bed.  The San Diego native’s Warner Bros. debut ‘Cheers To The Fall’ is a sonic dose of love, heartbreak, consciousness, redemption, and celebration, all in the span of 50 minutes. Vocally she is reminiscent of Amy Winehouse on “Only Love”, carrying the accompanying production that is similar to Winehouse’s work with producer Salaam Remi in the past. Giving melodic vocals to brush against classical sounding horns and percussions. The same can be said of “Gold”. On this particular song, Day eases her singing style into a massive chorus that turns her pain of letting a love interest slip away, into straight up anger. It’s this same pain that is mixed with beautiful songwriting, giving ode to Nina Simone on “Honey or Fire”. On this song, Day knows not to rely solely on her singing to bring power to song, as she uses minimal piano keys and heavy drums to match powerful backup singing.

There are shadows of 60’s soul on records such as “Gin & Juice (Let Go My Hand)” and “Goodbye Goodnight”. This same sound is mastered on the albums first cut (and single) “Forever Mine”, where Day sings with maturity and innocence at the same time. The song is a slow build to a fast rhythmic paced bridge at the end that has her sing-rapping, and even giving a shout out to the legendary group Mobb Deep in the process, singing “The way that you move, never seen it before/Looking for my head, can’t find it no more/You ransom my heart, and I get the reward/Winning the crown like a Trojan Horse/I come back, back, back every time, you got me shook like the Mobb when they rhyme” Day sings. For further enjoyment, check out the song on YouTube for the Spike Lee directed visual. Yes That Spike Lee.

The standout on this record is in fact “Mistakes”. Pulling herself together to be forgiven in a relationship, and realizing that she needs her other half, you actually believe that she is sorry (for whatever she did). This track brings power to her voice, and is also the most up-tempo on the album. Andra Day has good songs on this record. The only thing missing is her cover of Nina Simone’s “Mississippi Goddam”, where she makes the classic song into her own. That alone is an accomplishment.