We might have songs about love these days, but you can’t beat the soulful love songs that came about during the classic soul era of the 1970s. Luckily, we have artists like Raheem DeVaughn who are keeping that flame burning. On his recent EP Winter In Love, the third installment of his Seasons Of Love series, the crooner gave us his version of one of the best love songs ever written: L.T.D.’s 1976 quiet storm staple “Love Ballad.” He’s now officially released the track as a single, much to the joy of lovers everywhere.
Taking on such a beloved song is no easy task. Raheem steps up to the plate, however, and makes the cut his own. He smartly steers away from making this a note-for-note recreation, instead opting for just similar enough instrumentation to evoke the original’s feel. The small changes, like leaning more toward guitar and strings and utilizing horns just a bit less, allow him to step in and add his own vocal flavor to the mix.
On that front, he channels the more rounded tones of Jeffrey Osborne at times while allowing his rasp to color the notes in a distinctive way. By doing so, he adds a bit of spice to the song’s innocent sweetness and aligns it with his signature seductive vibe.
Raheem DeVaughn did his thing with this one, and we’re sure lovers around the world would agree. You can listen to his cover of “Love Ballad” right here. And if you want to hear more of Winter In Love, you can purchase the project exclusively via EVEN right now.
