Sophia Wells: Sultry Sweet New Music

| published April 24, 2019 |

By R. Alan Clanton, Thursday Review editor

The recently released EP by Sophia Wells proves that the classic four-way fusion of jazz, pop, soul and R&B is still one of the sweetest and most pleasurable destinations for the ears of any music lover, even for those whose comfort zones might otherwise limit them to only the purest realms of jazz or R&B, or those who just like good soulful pop as a break from hard rock now and then. Well’s new EP is titled simply Sophia, and its songs are a rich and evocative blend of vibrant sweetness and sultry soul.

Back in the winter of 2016 we reviewed the single “White Noise” by Sophia Wells, then performing and recording under the name Swells (that review can still be found on the Thursday Review Music page). At the time, she was performing and recording in Oklahoma City, though now she lives and works on Los Angeles. We described her voice as “liquid” and “swelling,” both adjectives appropriate for music which clearly shares its deeper DNA with Etta James, Della Reese, and Aretha Franklin, and shares its most recent lineage with artists like Amy Winehouse, Rihanna, and Adele.

Sophia’s new music does not disappoint. “Fake Gold” is one of the album’s standouts, a layered and intensely-felt exploration of what is—and what is not—real and nurturing in a relationship, voiced effectively and beautifully by a singer who is able to show us her range of both emotion and of vocals. “Nothin’ Sweeter” is a somewhat softer but nevertheless emphatic blend of soul and R&B, a dynamic, fluid song which again showcases Sophia’s passionate lyrics and her heartfelt singing style. Sophia’s cover of Daniel Caesar’s “Get You” is particularly effective—a hypnotic and sensuous song which asks the listener to join in the musical passion.

All of the songs on Sophia Wells’ newest collection reflect her embrace of what is right and true about her recipe for a sweet, irresistible blend of jazz, R&B and soul. To find out more about Sophia Wells music, check out her website, iamsophiawells.com.


Related Thursday Review articles:

The Cars: A Look Back at Their Debut 40 Years Later; R. Alan Clanton; Thursday Review; August 3, 2018.

50 Years Ago: The Best Albums of 1968; Thursday Review editors and staff; Thursday Review; October 27, 2018.