Rough & Fancy (2013)

Detroit native TaQuita Thorns gained notoriety through her attempts to become part of a unit. She was a contestant on the MTV show Making the Band. MTV must have seen some potential in Thorn, because after she was eliminated from “Making the Band,” the network created a reality show for her and fellow “MTB” alum Kaui Beamer. That reality show, TaQuita and Kaui, was cancelled after four episodes in 2007.

That’s probably for the best because as her new CD Rough & Fancy reveals, Thorns’ personality is more suited as a solo act. Thorns has the vocal stylings of a 1980s era R&B solo singer (think Miki Howard, Anita Baker or Stephanie Mills — especially Stephanie Mills). I can’t see Thorns being a member of some manufactured group.  That is especially true after hearing this daughter of Motown take us back to 1965 with a faithfully funky version of Junior Walker and the All-Stars’ “Shotgun.” Walker would be proud of the saxophone solo, and Thorns displays soulful skills on her vocal, merging secular and spiritual by slipping into to the call and response gospel songs “I Don’t Know What You Came to Do” toward the end.

“Shotgun” is one of two covers on Rough & Fancy. Both remakes find the Detroiter paying homage to her hometown as Thorns also takes on “Sweet Love” by Anita Baker. However, the Junior Walker cover is representative of the kind of music that is in Thorns’ wheelhouse. Thorns is at her best when lending her vocals to a funky band that’s throwing down on some up-tempo dance music.

Notable tracks: Forever, Goosebumps, My Baby, Around, Nobody But You

Vocals: 3.0
Lyrics: 3.0
Instrumentation: 3.5
Production: 3.0
SoulTracks call: Recommended

By Howard Dukes

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