Albums to watch

Emily's D+Evolution

Esperanza Spalding

Emily's D+Evolution

Fifth album of contemporary jazz / funk from the Portland, Oregon bassist, cellist and singer

ADM rating[?]

7.9

Label
Decca / Concord
UK Release date
04/03/2016
US Release date
04/03/2016
  1. 10.0 |   Evening Standard

    Spalding has created one of the most exciting, musically inventive things you’ll hear all year. Stupendous
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  2. 9.0 |   PopMatters

    A beyond category masterpiece that sounds better than if Joni Mitchell hired Living Colour as her band and then grafted it all onto a hip-hop sensibility of sorts
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  3. 9.0 |   Gig Soup

    One of the most exciting and unpredictable 45-minutes of music you're likely to hear this year
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  4. 8.6 |   Pitchfork

    People will likely call this art-rock or performance art, but D+Evolution advocates an almost indescribable ethos
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  5. 8.3 |   Pretty Much Amazing

    A tight package that should appeal to fans of Janelle Monáe and Joni Mitchell’s more jazzy endeavors, or anyone who is looking for some well crafted, ambiguous music, with elements of jazz, rock, and folk accompanied with some stellar singing
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  6. 8.0 |   NOW

    In this current moment, when the us vs them of identity politics is at a sharp pitch, it's an enlightened view for an artist to put forth
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  7. 8.0 |   All Music

    While it would be reductive to call Emily's D+Evolution a retro album, Spalding's harmonic and melodic content and production aesthetics definitely have a '70s quality
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  8. 8.0 |   The Irish Times

    It’s a loud, funky, cosmic freak-out kind of record, charting a course somewhere between Joni Mitchell, Kate Bush, Cream, Prince and Stevie Wonder
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  9. 8.0 |   Uncut

    This semi-autobiographical concept album pushes her deep into art-rock territory. Print edition only

  10. 8.0 |   Rolling Stone

    It’s a scorching art-pop statement
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  11. 8.0 |   Spin

    One of the most alt-friendly jazz cycles you’ve ever heard
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  12. 7.0 |   Exclaim

    Esperanza Spalding is again flexing her range, showing that her playing style and voice can find a home in any genre
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  13. 7.0 |   Spectrum Culture

    Esperanza Spalding has gone and gotten weird and it’s the best thing she could have done
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  14. 6.0 |   The FT

    A deeply felt outing into alt rock, presented under the alter ego of Emily D and co-produced by Bowie collaborator Tony Visconti
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