Disappearing Acts

Overview

One of the better R&B soundtracks to appear in the new century, this smolders with a sensuality that befits the sexually charged film Disappearing Acts. What gives this selection an edge is the balance struck by male and female artists, sometimes in the same song. The result is a give-and-take between the two sexes played out in music. While the collection runs the gamut from rap-rock to ballads, the consistently high quality ties it all together. Sultry vocalists like En Vogue's Terry Ellis, Angie Stone, and Spooks' Ming Xia join more established solo artists Chaka Khan and Me'Shell Ndegeocello to achieve the ultimate end, which seems to be getting a good groove on. Not everything works; Talib Kweli's rap pulls up lame (a chicken ain't nothing but a bird?) and Chaka Khan oversings "Have a Little Faith in Me," but there are surprisingly few weak spots here. Highlights include Ndegeocello's erotic whispers on "Remember," Spooks' "Sweet Revenge," Angie Stone's ebullient "Get to Know You Better," and Donny Hathaway's ballad "A Song for You." The rap tracks aren't particularly good, but it's not a medium well suited to romance anyway. Disappearing Acts does mark the appearance of a pair of young acts with lots of potential: Melky Sedeck (the brother and sister of Wyclef Jean) and Spooks (whose Ming Xia is a real treasure). The romantic mood dissipates toward the end of the disc, taking a decidedly more groovy turn with tracks like Spooks' "Flesh Not Bone" and the funk flashback "Super People." Closing on the noisy funk-rock-rap "Y.O.Y." is an odd choice; while it's a fine song (easily the best rap track here), it all but erases the romantic mood that earlier songs worked hard to cultivate. Even without the romantic ending, it's not hard to see why Disappearing Acts (the soundtrack) was popular with R&B fans. A nice balance of familiar flames and new faces, with nothing up its sleeve but good music (as opposed to the usual label hype). ~ Dave Connolly

Product Details

Release Date:	06/19/2013
Label:	Essential Media Group
UPC:	0894231543920

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Sky   Primary Artist,Primary Artist
Curtis Mayfield & the Notations   Primary Artist
The Notations   Primary Artist
Melky Sedeck   Primary Artist
Meshell Ndegeocello   Primary Artist
Les Nubians   Primary Artist
Donny Hathaway   Primary Artist
Talib Kweli   Primary Artist
Curtis Mayfield   Primary Artist
Kurupt   Primary Artist
Borialis   Primary Artist
Angie Stone   Primary Artist
Terry Ellis   Primary Artist
Shawn Stockman   Primary Artist
Chaka Khan   Primary Artist
Tony Kurtis   Primary Artist
Spooks   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Barry Cole   Compilation Producer,Producer,Music Supervisor
Helene Faussart   Composer
Jamal Peoples   Composer
Joseph M. Davis   Composer
Tony Kurtis   Performer
Sky   Performer
Celia Faussart   Composer
Gerald Dickerson   Composer
Glenn Orenstein   Design
Shawn Stockman   Composer,Performer
Terry Ellis   Performer
Angie Stone   Composer,Performer
Borialis   Performer
Kurupt   Performer
Curtis Mayfield   Performer
Evyen Klean   Music Supervisor
Talib Kweli   Composer,Performer
Donny Hathaway   Performer
Joe Tarsia   Executive Producer
Les Nubians   Performer
Lisa Palas   Composer
Rick Dahrouge   Composer
Meshell Ndegeocello   Composer,Performer
Melky Sedeck   Performer
Melky Jean   Composer
The Notations   Performer
Sedeck Jean   Composer
Spooks   Performer
Chaka Khan   Performer
John Hiatt   Composer
Leon Russell   Composer
Richard Fagan   Composer
Chenjerai Kumanyika   Composer
Chris Covert   Music Supervisor