Neo-soul devotees Durand Jones and the Indications mine a vein of sensuous sounds, at the soft end of a genre that's partly defined by the raw passion of gospel. Their roots draw from vintage Curtis Mayfield and the smooth vocal harmonies of the Impressions, the delicate heartbreak evoked by Smokey Robinson, and a host of groups, many of them identified with the Philly Sound.
Their latest album, following solo outings by members of the band, not least golden-voiced Aaron Frazer (Into the Blue - 2024), goes wholeheartedly for songs of romance and seduction, perfect for late-night smooching and after-dinner chill. Frazer is the high tenor here, while Durand Jones provides vocals that are closer to baritone.The band are unashamedly retro, nostalgic for sounds popular in the Seventies and Eighties, but also enticing the ear with lyrics full of amorous longing, an emotion that echoes their devotion to a style from the past. “Lovers’ Holiday” is as good as it gets on this album of super-smooth soul, a song that celebrates time out for a couple basking in intimacy, and could have been recorded decades ago. The production is flawless, not note, sound or texture out of place, carried by a soft and elastic beat – the bass is so far from metronomic rigour. Sensuality oozes out of Frazer’s gentle falsetto, supported by subtle and angelic backing vocals. Reaching further back than the smooth soul that took over from Stax, Atlantic and Motown classics, there are echoes here as well of doo-wop, a sexuality that thrives on anything but the machismo of the blues or funk.
This is a sound without rough edges, that flows rather than thriving on the urgency of a backbeat. Think the disco arrangements of Johnny Bristol and David Paich, who both graced excellent recordings by another white soul singer, Boz Scaggs.
This is perhaps not an album that should be listened to in one sweep, as the mood varies little – unless it was going to provide background music for a night of love. But that would be a pity, as, even though the perfection displayed here at times come close to dinner jazz blandness, there is great craft here, and much to be enjoyed. “Flower Moon” features a gorgeous set of brass riffs, gently cool rather than sizzling hot and reminiscent of the best of Herb Alpert and West Coast allure. The catchy melody “Been So Long” is surprisingly reminiscent of William DeVaughan’s hit 1974 hit "Be Thankful for What You’ve Got”, reprised on Massive Attack’s first album Blue Lines (1991) but the gentle lilt of Durand Jones and the Indications is more ethereal than classic Bristol trip-hop: a diaphanous sound that reflects an expression of male sexuality that's gentle and caring rather than bursting with machismo. A kind of high tenor that was as common in classic gospel as the shrieks and growls, and that always got the audience – not least the women – close to ecstasy.
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