Articles on this multi-instrumentalist often mention that he’s an underrated talent and you sense he’s distinctly aware of being overlooked. On Power Soul, Peven never tires of reminding you of who you’re listening to. On almost every intro he repeats his name, as if he’s worried that in the time it takes to pick and play the CD, you’ll be struck by amnesia. So, for his sake, here’s a reminder of who you’re reading about — it’s P-E-V-E-N E-V-E-R-E-T-T. Don’t forget. Since his collaboration with Roy Davis Jr on 1996’s garage hit Gabrielle (yes, that was Everett’s voice), the Illinois native has been making unforgettable house tracks that flitter between genres. Here, he dabbles with Latin on Can’t Do Without, soul on Futuristic, while the multilayered vocals of Stuck sit firmly in the jazzy house camp. But Power Soul has weak points, too; notably its production, which sounds as if it was recorded in Peven’s bedroom, such is its rough-around-the-edges quality. Thankfully, the album’s decent tracks are so memorable that, once it’s been spun, you won’t be ignoring Peven ever again.
[one_half]Album sample[mp3t track=”power_soul.mp3″ title=””]
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[one_half_last]Websites
Peven Everett
Defected label[/one_half_last]