Tony Momrelle - A Million Ways

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• published: 01 Oct 2015
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Buy Now on iTunes: http://smarturl.it/KeepPushing ‘You’re time is here,’ wholeheartedly sings Tony Momrelle on the opening (title) track of his towering new album Keep Pushing. And so, frankly, is his. Keep Pushing has been coming. Pieced together over the past two years after the game-changing release of EP Fly forced many to reassess Momrelle’s artistic profile, it is a broad yet revelatory work. As singer, songwriter and co-producer, Momrelle has delivered his own clear vision - a vision wedded to contemporary soul as much as it is to soulful music, full stop. The album’s titular opener is spectacular case in point, Momrelle rising up upon an urgent, rousing combination of piano, horns and punchy strings to deliver a universal message of motivation and self-confidence in the face of oppression. The addition of wiry patter from Brooklyn hip-hop big-shot Talib Kweli only quickens the mood further. Elsewhere Lay It All Down pivots determinedly upon layers of guitar and pensive melody as Momrelle offers similar hope of resolving life’s problems and moving on – this time, in the context of a relationship. It’s gripping stuff, the sheer soulfulness of Momrelle’s delivery carrying the open-minded arrangements exactly where they need to go. There are, of course, classic soul beats. Back Together Again, a loved-up duet with Chantae Cann, floats fine vocal interplay over a deliciously smooth, Eighties-influenced backing of synths and funky flicks, whilst A Million Ways is a dreamy balladeering blur of jazzy keys and classic piano, and All The Things You Are is lovingly crafted around silken backing harmonies and some irresistibly deep tunefulness. Momrelle continues to surprise and delight, for there is as much drive and purpose in his album’s quieter moments as those that are fully fuelled and funked. Come And Get It is a soaring demonstration of Momrelle in full flow, the breezy, uplifting arrangement and snappy beats carrying him confidently forward; much as the peppy strut of This Could Be Us also does. But with just a delicate piano and heartfelt lyrics urging faith in vast adversity, It’s Real elevates Momrelle to triumphant new heights. The album’s finale Remember takes a similar approach but is no less remarkable, Momrelle swelling with gospel-edged intensity as more elegant piano leads into powerful strings and the kind of tear-jerking finale that artist albums can only dream of. Tony Momrelle has immense pedigree. He has toured with the biggest and best, including Sir Elton John, Whitney Houston, Sade and Gloria Estefan; not to mention recorded with urban gospel group Seven, fronted the legendary Incognito and released two previous artist albums, Freetime (1999) and Message In The Music (2009). Momrelle joined Oli Lazarus’ Reel People collective in 2007, contributing to several sparkling soul-dance projects such as Seven Ways To Wonder and Golden Lady. Channelling Hathaway, Wonder and countless other sounds, styles and ideas through his authentic, thoroughly contemporary interpretation of what British soul music actually means today, Momrelle has realised something profoundly special in Keep Pushing. At a time when the pop-soul-lite of Sam Smith and Adele rules the industry roost, his is an album digging deeper and properly re-establishing soul music in Britain. And yet it’s accessible to all - engaging and uplifting across multiple genres and pushing Momrelle, ultimately, into the next thrilling phase of his career. The album is preceded by lead single Pick Me Up, doubled with a very special old skool B Side of Back Together Again. The vintage sweep of both songs is accompanied by ridiculously tight house remixes of Back Together Again from Richard Earnshaw and Opolopo.