Aaron Abernathy - Dialogue (CD)

"There’s a lot to talk about these days. Yet somehow, as we are all tethered to global communication devices and our social media accounts, the topics that we discuss and debate daily seldom color the music we listen to. Dialogue, the new album by Aaron Abernathy, sees the artist presenting his side of the story in nine interwoven tracks. Classically-trained as a pianist, Aaron Abernathy has toured the globe as a vocalist and musician with various acts for over a decade, though many first discovered his talents via the 2016 album Monologue--a concept album with themes of love, personal relationships, and family. Dialogue marks a distinctly different conceptual approach, where the artist lays flat his vulnerabilities as an American black man in 2017, discussing hot-button issues of economics, segregation, and racial politics. The album was composed, produced, and arranged by Abernathy, and creates a modern take of the classic soul sounds of the 1970s, with a nod to the socially conscious themes found on albums such as Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On, Sly & The Family Stone’s There’s a Riot Goin On, or Curtis Mayfield’s eponymous debut album. Nine songs are sequenced and mixed to flow together seamlessly, and Abernathy’s skills as a producer bring a consistency despite varied tempos and moods. That same variation can be found in the topical lyricism: ""Restrictions"" focuses on economic barriers that stifle the American dream in inner cities; ""Now A Days” touches on police brutality and gentrification; “Am I Good Enough to Love?” challenges the emasculation of the working class male; “Generation” cites the struggle for equal rights for the LGBT community and Native Americans; and ""Forecast"" tells of how the artist's spirituality colors his outlook on life. Abernathy exclusively handles lead vocals throughout the album, but to add some extra context to the subject matter, he's spliced in sound-bite quotes from black cultural leaders dating from recent times back to the early 1960s during the civil rights movement. One of the recordings features his