Album Review: Marsha Ambrosius "Late Nights & Early Mornings"

You may remember Marsha from the hip hop soul duo, Floetry but this time she is back with her first new solo project, "Late Nights & Early Mornings" available March 1, 2011. 

With anticipation of her first single to be released, I was very pleased with the heartfelt ballad, "Far Away". 

Any song that has such a beautiful piano tune as this one brings high expectations for this long awaited album.

As soon as I pressed play, the interlude "Anticipation" builds yet even more anticipation to hear whats coming next. If you love the sound of piano like myself, you will see why. The album then proceeds with love ballads such as "With You", in which she describes her sexual desires to be with her man. She manages to turn what should be considered a freaky song into something that sounds romantically innocent (kind of like the Jill Scott effect, lol). The same could be said for her title track, "Late Nights & Early Mornings" but with a Prince sound and twist.

The bitter women's anthem, "Hope She Cheats On You (With A Basketball Player), I found to be more comical than anything. Sure its a great beat and melody, but I can't see myself wanting to play this song often.

The slow grooves continue throughout the album in songs like, "Lose Myself", "Your Hands" and "Chasing Clouds"...all reminiscent of our beloved Floetry.

"Sour Times" and "The Break Up Song" highlight the bad times of relationships, as well as "Tears" which has that old school, Motown, Smokey Robinson feel to it that we all know and love. The album ends finally with a more up-tempo track, but it's yet another version of Michael Jackson's "Butterflies" (which Floetry wrote and already has re-recorded).

Overall, the album was enjoyable for those like myself who love to hear songs about love and relationships, but would be a great disappointment to those expecting the hip hop and up-tempo vibe she had with Floetry. Either way, the album drops March 1, 2011 and I will definitely support this great artist. She has an amazing voice and a great future ahead with the neo-soul crowd.