(July 19, 2024) From red hot collaborations with Narada Michael Walden (“I’d Rather Dance With You”) to his early 2024 steppers’ jam “The Change,” Berkeley-born singer-songwriter and Cornell CC Carter has been putting out infectious indie soul on his own for a hot minute. And with a decade-long resume including achievements like winning the SoulTracks Readers’ Choice Award for Best New Artist back in 2018, he’s still going strong in 2024.
Just in time for the summer, Carter teamed up once again with his longtime producer and music collaborator Kirk Crumpler on his latest single, the second to arise from his forthcoming fifth solo LP and it’s giving “summer song” realness.
Kicking off with Chic-inspired guitar, “Everyday” – produced by Adam Bailey and D’Mauriae Harris – shows off bubbly sunshine melodies and dreamy synths dressed up in R&B nostalgia. Encouraging words are sprinkled across the hearty singalong chorus: “[Be glad] that you made it, just celebrate it/…be thankful, be grateful.” And as a bonus, Carter tosses in the Emotions’ “sho-do-wah” phrasing once heard on their timeless 1977 hit, “Best of My Love.”
Even if you feel like all hope is lost, particularly in these dark days of uncertainty and upheaval, one listen of this four-minute slab of inspirational funk-pop will elevate you to higher ground. Fans of old-school Kirk Franklin will get a good “hallelujah” off of “Everyday.”
The new album, Expressions of Soul, will be available on compact disc first and is expected to land on July 26 with vinyl, digital and streaming releases to follow on August 30.
By J Matthew Cobb
