Fort Worth, Texas singer/songwriter Nuwamba received a heap of praise for his debut album, Above the Water, and it was deserved. With elements of Marvin Gaye and Maxwell, along with a healthy dose of originality, he moved through a number of musical styles, including nice elements of acoustic soul (the excellent, jazz “Savior”), moody Kem-like ballads (“All Mine”) and solid neo-soul (“Forever,” “Above the Water”). The arrangements were clever throughout, with use of unusual percussion and horns that made it far more than a run-of-the-mill neo-soul album. It was a fine first shot from a talented newcomer who we’ll be hearing about for awhile.
