Bravebird

1	For Real 3:46
2	Bravebird 4:28
3	Dear to Me 4:11
4	All I Got 3:49
5	Beyond 3:04
6	We Can Be New 4:57
7	Giving Something Up 3:41
8	Your Eyes 3:29
9	Congo 4:40
10	Sacred 3:44
11	Say You Want It All 4:02
12	All I Got2 2:52

Barnes & Noble

With the aptly titled Bravebird, neo-soul chanteuse Amel Larrieux picks up where she left off on her genre-sweeping solo debut, Infinite Possibilities. On the disc, the former Groove Theory vocalist continues to captivate with her inviting, scat-inflected vocals and ethereal blend of R&B, hip-hop, folk, and jazz. Not only is her melding of musical styles mesmerizing, but her message is just as potent. The disc celebrates the courage of women who have endured and overcome hardship: the Zap Mama-reminiscent "Giving Something Up" details the sacrifices many women make to keep their families together, while the title track, supported by a synth groove, finds Larrieux detailing the horrific story of a young African woman who survived female circumcision. Elsewhere, the lovely songbird celebrates self-love on the bluesy "All I Got" and pays tribute to her musical ancestry on the rhythmic "Congo," about the birth of jazz in New Orleans's Congo Square. Like her peers India.Arie and Erykah Badu -- whose music also inspires women to unconditionally love and accept themselves -- Ms. Larrieux is indeed one of soul music's brave birds. Hear her soar. Tracy E. Hopkins

All Music Guide

Similar to the likeminded Alana Davis, the soulful and serene Amel Larrieux only made it a couple years into the 2000s before having major-label support pulled out from under her. Released on her own Blisslife label, Bravebird is an excellent album that suggests her unceremonious dropping from Epic had nothing to do with the quality of her music and everything to do with the label's unwillingness to find a marketing niche for this cosmopolitan wanderer. To say she's somewhere between Alicia Keys and Norah Jones ignores her unequivocal Greenwich Village roots and the smell of incense that must follow wherever she goes. Larrieux is like a more cerebral and matured Wendy & Lisa sharing the duo's love of glistening pianos, sweet waterfalls of strings, and melodies that meander but never lose their way. Bravebird is an incredibly layered album with only the deep grooves and Larrieux's sweet voice shining through on the first listen. Dig deeper and there's the slick and smart production, excellent arrangements, and some truly poignant moments. The bittersweet "Giving Something Up" is the highlight, pointing out the idealism-hangover that folks can experience past their twenties. The slow caress of "For Real," the righteous call-and-response in "All I Got," and the easy house music bounce of the title track make them all close runners-up. "Sacred" comes off as a slow amateur night at the coffee shop, but that's it for slip-ups. Otherwise well written and well executed, Bravebird finds Larrieux leading the new breed of adult alternative artists emancipated from big business and allowed to freely develop their craft. David Jeffries

Rolling Stone

1/2 From the title song, with its strobe-y keyboards, to the piano testimony of "Beyond," Larrieux brings together the grit of the Roots and the elegance of Sade. James Hunter