ALOE BLACC - GOOD THINGS (2LP)

Aloe Blacc Good Things on 2LP

“My purpose for music is positive social change,” says Orange County, California native Aloe Blacc. “Even if the music itself does not explicitly express anything that may signify positive social change, the product of the music will.” He is speaking in general terms regarding his career, but more specifically about the circumstances surrounding his upcoming album, Good Things, co-written by the versatile vocalist and songwriter in conjunction with the in-house production team at Truth & Soul Records.

Good Things marks a shift in methodology from personal to political for Aloe Blacc, who refers to the project as his report on present conditions; the misappropriation of wealth, pilaging of resources, a universal lack of compassion, and the struggle to survive. Ethereal production from Truth & Souls Leon Michels and Jeff Silverman mask a foreboding undercurrent in which Aloe Blacc crafts thought provoking lyrics. Nowhere is this more evident than on lead single "I Need A Dollar," theme for HBOs How to Make It in America.

The first generation American offspring of Panamanian parents, Aloe has become what writer-activist Amiri Baraka once said of John Coltrane: "He is a singular scope of feeling, a more fixed traveler who has found cohesion in art and life." The path from his debut Shine Through (2006) to Good Things is akin to the maturation of Marvin Gaye between Thats the Way Love Is and Whats Going On. The two are companion pieces in that they show who the artist is, what they stand for, and define the soul music of their time. – Ronnie Reese

Aloe Blacc Good Things Track Listing:

1.  I Need A Dollar
2.  Green Lights
3.  Hey Brother
4.  Miss Fortune
5.  Lifes So Hard
6.  Take Me Back
7.  Femme Fatale
8.  Loving You Is Killing Me
9.  Good Things
10. You Make Me Smile
11. If I
12. Mama Hold My Hand
13. Politician (Reprise)