The music world got a little dimmer last September when we lost soul music legend Frankie Beverly. Though he might be gone, he is surely not forgotten. Making sure of that are artists like Philly’s own Kindred The Family Soul, who pay homage to his legacy with their latest single “I Need You.”
“I Need You” is a cover of the Maze featuring Frankie Beverly cut of the same name — which was originally released in 1975 when the group went by the name Raw Soul. Though Maze has always been known for their silky smooth take on soul, “I Need You” is perhaps one of their rawest, most searing cuts. And only someone like the husband and wife duo of Fatin Dantzler and Aja Dantzler are equipped to do it justice.
Kindred’s take on the track, produced by the GRAMMY-nominated Vidal Davis, captures the original’s essence while imbuing it with their own sensibilities. The duo turning this song into a lovers’ duet only intensifies its urgency and yearning, adding a bit of drama in to the mix.
Fatin’s rich voice is one of the few in the industry that can compare to Frankie’s, something that’s evident from the moment we hear it on the opening verse. And Aja’s voice is the perfect counterpoint, adding a sweetness that carries their cover to unexpected places. But it’s the twosome’s chemistry, as always, that draws us in and keeps us listening (and, in the case of this one, relistening) and invested.
Kindred The Family Soul did their big one on this! If you’ve ever wondered what it sounds like when someone makes Frankie Beverly proud by doing a Maze cover right, all you have to do is press play.
