Musician and multi-media artist Raymond Wassef (a.k.a. Ray Mann) has shared the stage with the likes of Al Green, Tori Amos, Lauryn Hill, and G. Love and that experience is evident on The Ray Mann Three’s latest release, Sketches.
Following up on 2008’s well-received eponymous debut, Sketches expands on Mann’s laid back mix of minimalist neo-soul and R&B by adding synths, an array of percussion, and some subtle studio tricks.
Yet it is still Mann’s dynamic yet chilled vocals that dominate. Without the clutter of over-instrumentation or flashy soloing his songwriting is allowed to flourish and reach out in a variety of directions.
His influences and vocal styling shift from track to track. On “Babylon” we get a hint of Ben Harper-style gospel-blues while “Showya” could almost be mistaken for semi-acoustic Prince, and the closer, “So Long Farewell”, showcases a classic soul tenor without pretention or irony.
If there is a flaw, however, it lies in Mann’s production. He too often uses vocal filters, thinning out his voice, and making it sound like he’s singing through an old AM radio (see “Donita”).
Much of the instrumental production is also a little too clean. This seems to strip the colour, edge, and intensity out of some of the tracks leading to a somewhat processed jazz-pop sound.
Production issues aside, Sketches, still showcases the songwriting and vocal talents of an Aussie artist who is well worth checking out.
