When it comes to live albums, spending $20 to hear the same songs that appear on a original studio recording can be a gamble. However, when it comes to Floetry's "Floacism Live," handing over hard-earned cash is a smart investment, fan or not.
The duo defines the meaning of their name as "poetic delivery with musical intent." The definition stands true throughout the album's many musical, vocal and lyrically dynamic elements, help to keep their sound fresh.
The live disc covers songs from past albums, with some additional material that shows up casually through their performance at the New Orleans House of Blues.
The disc opens with "Wanna B Where U R" featuring Mos Def. A neo soul track that combines just the right amount of old school funk and modern day soul, it makes for some of the catchiest beats on the album.
The pace slows down in "Have Faith" as do the lyrics, which are soft and seductive. The unusual use of the xylophone and horns is a sound that sets the ballad apart from the others. The track is an eclectic mix of instruments and harmonies that start at opposite points and come together successfully to give a sexy vibration.
Later in the disc, the crowd makes an appearance in the conversational ballad "Sunshine." Playing storytellers, the song has a sad yet somehow feel-good vibe, quietly screaming desperation for an old love.
When it comes to hip-hop and R&B, the beats and rhythms can become monotonous and blend into one another to an uninformed listener. Floetry has their own trademark sound that makes it difficult to file them in one genre.
With somewhat of an underground sound to their self-penned tracks, their live disc is an original. "Floacism Live" will not have to depend on a corporate sound to sell records. The live setting allows for the flow of the chemistry between the "songstress" and the "floacist."
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
