A merrily good time

Grade: B+

The '60s may be long gone, but the decade's inspirational soul lives on.
Daniel Merriweather exploded onto the music scene in 2007 with his soulful cover of The Smiths' 'Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before.' The song was the standout track on Mark Ronson's Version album.
The song received acclaim from everyone, including Morrissey, and made music fans curious whether he could deliver an entire original album that lived up to the promise of the esteemed cover.
Now that the album has arrived, it's safe to say Merriweather has justified the hype. His debut album Love & War is a great start for the up-and-coming artist. It is a strong, worthwhile effort, and Merriweather's beautiful voice carries 11 tracks of classic '60s inspired soul.
The ceremonies begin with 'For Your Money,' an epic ballad in which Merriweather details his disillusionment with New York City. It's an emotionally resonant tail of a foreigner discovering that the land of fame and fortune isn't all it's cracked up to be, and it serves as one of the strongest tracks.
Equally appealing is 'Red,' a soulful number about heartbreak that became a top-five hit in his native England. With Merriweather's lyrics, it's easy to see when it became so popular; when he lets his powerful vocals shine through, it's impossible to not feel his pain. The song leaves a lasting effect on the listener.
Unfortunately, this album is not without its share of flaws. Many of the songs are mere generic soul ballads that simply do not carry the weight of the album's stronger tracks. Merriweather's excellent voice prevents any of the numbers from being unlistenable, but the strong benchmark set early in the album doesn't quite hold up in the later tracks.
Still, this is a very strong album from a singer with unlimited potential. There are few – if any – male singers with better singing abilities than Merriweather, and he seems to have a knack for writing quality tunes. If he can keep it up for a whole album, he'd have a masterpiece on his hands.

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