Macy Gray
Ruby Review
Vocalist Macy Gray is back with her tenth studio album, Ruby. Her soulfully warm voice is both iconic and modern. The styles on the album touch on ballads, New Orleans beats, R&B soul and vintage jazz. “Sugar Daddy” was co-written with pop artist Meghan Trainor, “Just Like Jenny” is a jazz colored ode to the equal rights movement, there are actually multiple tunes that deal with politics and women’s rights on the album.
The 50-year-old R&B singer sounds energetic and robust on tracks like “Tell Me” that also have New Orleans-esque braying horns. Gray’s originals are stirring, tracks like “White Man” and “Witness” speak to issues but are wrapped in singing and playing that is graceful and full of passion.
Gray has one of the most distinctive voices of our era, though likened to many other vocalists in various genres, Blige, Khan, Badu, Holiday, Jones and more Gray is her own unique voice.
Macy Gray
Ruby
September 21, 2018
Mack Avenue Records