Lucy Pearl

• Genre: Neo-Soul

About

Organic Soul brought back to life by three R&B and hip-hop superstars. A Tribe Called Quest's Ali Shaheed Muhammad brings his knack for warm, jazzy beats, mixing superb DJ skills with new-found live instrumentation, while Raphael Saadiq of Tony! Toni! Tone! and Dawn Robinson of En Vogue deliver the smooth, two-sided vocal attack. All three saw their former bands peter out, but seem to have found new life in their self-titled debut Lucy Pearl. Combining a diverse set of influences (from '60s rock and Soul to modern hip-hop and R&B), the band was originally set to feature D'Angelo in Robinson's place, but Robinson signed up after a shaky end to her tenure with En Vogue. With guests like Q-Tip and Snoop Dogg popping up on their album, and considering the talent involved, Lucy Pearl are practically guaranteed a spot among the Neo-Soul elite.

- Jessy Terry