Tag Archives: Anthony David

Anthony David – Hello Like Before – The Songs of Bill Withers

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Title: Hello Like Before – The Songs of Bill Withers
Artist: Anthony David
Label: Shanachie
Formats: CD, Digital Release
Date: September 21, 2018

 

God bless you, Anthony David.  Not only are you paying tribute to perhaps my favorite male artist of all time, Bill Withers, but you titled the project Hello Like Before, my favorite Withers song hands down—and that, my friend, is saying something. When one artist pays tribute to another, especially a legendary artist, it can either go one of two ways. But Anthony David delivers in a huge way! When the Savannah, Georgia native emerged on the scene in 2004 with his album Three Chords & the Truth, some compared him to Bill Withers and guess what? They were spot on. Like Withers, David ain’t flashy, just straight forward. Continue reading →

Anthony David – The Powerful Now

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anthony david
Title: The Powerful Now

Artist: Anthony David

Label: Shanachie

Formats: CD, MP3

Release date: August 26, 2016

 

Georgia native Anthony David has been writing music since he served in the military in Iraq, describing music as a life-affirming act, especially in the face of death. Since leaving the military, he has worked with artists such as Boyz II Men and his longtime collaborator India.Arie, experimenting within many genres and styles, from classical soul ballads to reggae dance floor anthems. His seventh album and first since he signed to Shanachie, The Powerful Now, is no different, as David masterfully takes on a variety of topics from poverty to true love while experimenting with fist-pumping electronic tunes, romantic, vulnerable R&B, and everything in between.

The lead single on the album, “Beautiful Problem,” is a sultry song inspired by EDM and Afrobeat, which David said is his current favorite genre. It combines voice manipulation, hard kick drum beats, and a hip-hop-infused baseline paired with a melodic chorus inspired by an India.Arie song. The video features India.Arie and wild cats as David sings about being happy with the good and bad in life:

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Other standout tracks include the opening song “The Ride,” which is about moving forward in the face of adversity, the reggaeton-inspired club-themed “I Don’t Mind,” and the romantic duet “Charge” featuring Carmen Rogers. Despite the diverse genres and themes, The Powerful Now is held down by David’s smooth vocals, which glide over classical violin with ease and balance edgy, heavy beats just as effortlessly. In his own words on his website, David says that “Humans will always need to feel, and artists are here to identify those feelings and paint pictures of sound with them.” David certainly paints pictures with his emotive voice, transporting the listener with each new lyrical narrative he creates.

Reviewed by Anna Polovick