Singer/songwriter Darnell Levine has made a name for himself in Nashville’s hot music scene as a risk-taking soul/jazz vocalist. And on his debut album, We Gon’ Use What We Got, Levine certainly takes a road less traveled. His Bobby McFerrin-like vocal gymnastics sometimes approach showing off, but when his unusual vocal arrangements are combined with the disc’s best material, such as the jazzy "You Can’t Grow," "Nothing Like Friends" and the soulful ballad "Kiss Yourself For Me," they are right on. Best of all, he’s opted for a live band feel, eschewing electronics for an organic sound that uniformly works. We Gon’ Use What We Got is out-of-the-mainstream album that is worth checking out and Levine is a young talent worth keeping an eye on.
by Chris Rizik
