While many worry about the state of R&B and soul music, there are always artists out there carrying the torch to bring the sound of those genres into the next generation. PJ Morton is one such artist and he proved that on 2017's soulful effort Gumbo. Two years later, he's digging deeper into his influences and experiences to craft his latest effort PAUL.
PAUL finds PJ mining the personal and political to great effect. Stevie Wonder is an obvious influence throughout, with the artist borrowing more than a few of the legend's sound motifs to spin into his own updated take. This is especially true of the album's back end, which includes lead single "Say So" featuring JoJo and "Don't Break My Heart" featuring Rapsody. Elsewhere, he pays tribute to the '80s sound he grew up with on "Ready" and a daring cover of The Gap Band's "Yearning For Your Love," which gives the song a laid-back feel more akin to PJ's own style. But PJ isn't just content with showing love to his heroes. He also expresses his views on the current state of the US ("MAGA?" feat Angela Rye) and motivates us to follow the example of Nipsey Hussle on "Buy Back The Block." Though you may already be a fan of PJ Morton, you'll more than likely walk away from listening to PAUL with a new understanding and respect for both the man and the artist.
In addition to dropping the album, PJ has also announced North American tour dates this fall in addition to his previously announced European dates. He'll be hitting the East Coast, West Coast and everywhere in between starting on October 20th in Memphis and then closing just before Christmas on December 22nd in Philadelphia. You can check out the full list of dates after streaming PAUL in full below and then head to his website for more information.
PJ Morton PAUL [Amazon][Apple Music][Google Play]
PJ Morton North American Tour Dates:
10/20 - Memphis, TN - Mempho Fest
10/26 - Greensboro, NC - White Oak Event Space
11/7 - Phoenix, AZ - The Crescent Ballroom
11/8 - Los Angeles, CA - The Belasco
11/9 - Las Vegas, NV - Brooklyn Bowl
11/11 - Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater
11/13 - Indianapolis, IN - The Vogue
11/15 - Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theater
11/16 - Chicago, IL - Concord Music Hall
11/17 - Detroit, MI - St. Andrew's Hall
11/25 - Norfolk, VA - The NorVa
11/26 - Raleigh, NC - The Ritz
11/27 - Atlanta, GA - The Tabernacle
11/29 - New Orleans, LA - House of Blues
11/30 - Austin, TX - Scoot Inn
12/1 - Houston, TX - House Of Blues
12/3 - Dallas, TX - House Of Blues
12/4 - Oklahoma City, OK - Tower Theatre
12/6 - Jackson, MS - Duling Hall
12/7 - Birmingham, AL - Workplay Theatre
12/8 - Baton Rouge, LA - Varsity Theatre
12/19 - New York, NY - Webster Hall
12/20 - Silver Springs, MD - The Fillmore
12/21 - Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall
12/22 - Philadelphia, PA - The TLA
