(April 26, 2018) Deva Mahal’s latest record Run Deep is a target rich environment. The album is filled with tracks worthy of being placed in the First Listen spotlight, and for me the choice came down to the soulful ballad “Down To You,” and the steamy funk/rock fusion of “Turnt Up,” Mahal’s duet with Allen Stone. I went with the ballad because I flipped a coin, and it landed on heads.
Still, “Down To You” is a jam – slow, funky blusey ballad – that finds the daughter of blues great Taj Mahal giving a powerful and emotional voice to the frustration lovers feel when professions of love become rote and routine vocalizations that are not matched by actions. The live version that I saw on YouTube will send chills down your spine. Papa must be proud. Check it out.
By Howard Dukes
Deva Mahal – “Down To You”
