Sherree Brown – Soul Thirsty

Sherree Brown

Soul Thirsty (2012)

By Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.

Formerly known as Sherree Ford-Payne, singer-songwriter Sherree Brown is a Chicago native with more than twenty years in the music industry.  She has supported a list of well-known artists as long as your arm, from Christina Aguilera to Israel Houghton to Jamie Foxx.  Her song, “Anything Is Possible,” recorded by Anointed, earned her a Dove Award for “Best Recorded Urban Song of the Year.”

On her sophomore CD, Soul Thirsty, Brown showcases her distinctive finger-popping, acoustic jazz approach to inspirational music.  A neo-soul mash-up of Lauryn Hill and Tracy Chapman, Brown sings as if she’s hanging out in a gospel café.  Some selections, such as the title track, have a bright bounce, while others, such as “I’ll Wait On You,” are more laid back and conversational, buoyed by a relaxed jazz vibe. 

The lyrics support the music’s freshness by reflecting on spirit restoration and refreshing. “I Enter Into Your Rest” is a meditative selection on which Brown seeks the warming comfort of her Lord’s embrace.  The equally ethereal “Holy Spirit Have Your Way” is delicate as wind chimes as Brown orders all spiritual and physical ails away.  “Pure” is as it sounds: about purifying the soul.

“Hurting People” is the album’s most interesting selection.  With pop-flavoring in its melody, the song defines humans as works-in-progress and calls on God to heal all those who suffer from internal or external pressures.

Soul Thirsty is a fascinating new-age inspirational album and will resonate especially well among the crowd whose mp3 player is just as comfortable as they are shuffling between Mary Mary, Alicia Keys, and India.Arie.