George Tandy, Jr. – The Foundation Album Review by Ericka Blount Danois @ErickaBlount @TeamTandy #AlbumReview #TheFoundation

has a romantic story to tell. And not just in his lyrics from his impressively produced debut, the EP, The Foundation.

The son of two musician parents, Tandy was working as a clerk at Starbucks, when a regular customer took an interest in his coffee-making skills and his humming ability. Every day, Cima Georgevich, the CEO of Red Star Entertainment, would request Tandy to make his morning coffee. One day, Tandy took the opportunity to give Georgevich his demo. The rest, as they say, is history. The two collaborated together to produce the Virginia Beach native’s confident “soulternative” album independently, a genre he coined to express a more creative take on traditional R&B.

This newcomer already has the nod from soul music heavyweights Steve Harvey and Tom Joyner and commercial radio has been playing the infectious single, “March” heavily since it dropped in 2013. He’s not yet “Quiet Storm” material in the vein of heavyweights like Luther Vandross or James Ingram, or even as stimulating vocally as Miguel (though his stage show is high energy).

But he brings a fresh voice to modern love songs and varied production. The stirring opening track, “Gravity,” starts with rolling organ chords which open the track ominously and play in combination with Tandy’s sweeping falsetto and lush piano. “Rockstar” is a light-hearted, danceable, mid-tempo ballad that could easily be a summer anthem. “Higher” is a poised, traditional style slow jam. With pristine production, by his jazz musician father, George Sr., the album soars. But George Jr. takes risks with genre-bending that don’t always pan out. His rapping seems out of place on “Bonfire Music,” and lyrics can get sappy and well, a little overbearing on “I’m Yours”—(I’ll make you breakfast…make sure my baby girl is healthy.) But overall, The Foundation’s creative lyrics, seamless production, and Tandry’s strong voice combine for a solid new artist to watch. —Ericka Blount Danois

Grade: B+

Best Tracks:  Gravity, March, Higher, I Am, Rockstar Baby, Alone

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Check this video for March:

Ericka Blount Danois is the author of Love, Peace, and Soul: Behind the Scenes of America’s Favorite Dance Show Soul Train: Classic Moments