Sydney soul singer Josue turned my head with his single “What’s On Your Mind” a couple of months ago. Now that I’ve been able to listen to his EP Bad News, I’m even more impressed.
Back in the ‘90s I remember a wave of exciting soul acts. Artists like Tevin Campbell, Jodeci, and R. Kelly really got me going. We’ve had the occasional act cut from a similar cloth since then. Bruno Mars and Justin Timberlake spring to mind. But they didn’t quite resonate with me. But Josue definitely does.
The single “What’s On Your Mind” reminded me of what got my attention in the first place, and made me hungry for more. The next song “Lex” is totally sexy and smooth. I didn’t mind the title track “Bad News,” but it paled in comparison to the next song, a raw duet “What Would You Say” featuring the vocal stylings of Annelise Johnson. “So Simple” sees Josue skirting the jazz genre, and doing it admirably. He’s back collaborating with the EP’s final track, “Summer Time” featuring Billy Green. It’s not a cover of the classic Gershwin tune, or even the Fresh Prince and DJ Jazzy Jeff colab. Instead it’s a brand new summer anthem which concludes with an awesome acapella break.
If you’ve hungered for the return of soul music, you won’t be disappointed by Josue’s Bad News.