Austyn King delivers a consistently smooth R&B canvas that’s carefully splattered with �90’s influences and passionate lyrical imagery. From the soft silky way the title track begins our musical listening experience, King’s vocals envelope our ears and prepares us for an overall easy groove session. We turn up a bit with a little b-boy swag from the seductive and flirty Tonight(WorkYourBody) and its begging successor, BreakMeOff, both perhaps leaving you shaking it on the dance floor. As we transition into another smooth production and one of the album’s highlights, the chorus of Together makes us fall in love with the song as King’s lyrics describe an explosive passion of desires to be experienced once he and his love interest are in each other’s company. Perhaps HoldYou gets him closer to that opportunity as his vocal arrangements marry each other well and drives the song to its pulsating bridge. I’m convinced these feelings are real. InMyFeelings, funky in style has King trying to figure out how and why he’s so intrigued by a certain person of interest. ColorMyBody is sensual and continues to showcase Austyn King’s confident vocals where he delivers one of my favorite lines, “I’m the canvas. You’re the palette and the paint.”� Classic, but it doesn’t stop there. We’re moved into simpler cuts like CantStopThinkingBoutYou, a hopeful cry out on love and OnLock, a declaration of the love he shares with his partner. White Boy Spacey lends his help on a few bars before we’re set up with another album highlight, HeARTbeat. Skillfully crafted, we take a look back at the making of a relationship where King sings now about the continued kinship and love shared. Both Royalty and LuvYourself can be used as positive anthems to uplift our self-worth � remembering to nurture the Passion that’s inside all of us. A beautiful way to end an album by an artist worthy of praise showcasing a dedicated passion through love and artistry. Kudos to you.Austyn King performs at The Vanguard in Tulsa Friday night and his album, PASSION VOL. 1 is available now on all digital outlets.
Reviewed by Curtis R. Smith for Curusm.
posted by Curtis R. Smith on February, 17 ]]>
Curtis with Devon’s CD and a glass of wine.
R&B artist, Devon Howard makes a smooth entrance with his latest album, Return To Love. An artist of consistency with pure strong vocals and harmonious melodies, Devon does not fail to deliver on a sound that has resonated with his listeners through the years. Seductive grooves and sensual musicality provide warmth to the album while the lyrics keep you interested.
Opening the 13-song set with Could This Be Love, Devon desperately questions if true love has really arrived over swimming harmonies with a certain confidence in his voice that proves steady throughout the album. One of the highlights is a song called I Need You in which case Devon pleads his case that he needs his love interest even when it hurts. He promises to stay through it all with lyrics that complement the flow of the music. Colorful harmonies carry the chorus for Deeper Than Love, perfect for a slow dance. Angelic vocals and well written lyrics lead to a nice vulnerability towards the song’s end. For You is passionate and direct � perfect for making love to. Devon explains his needs and observations through the verses while he professes through the chorus (which I enjoy) what he wants to do.
Michael Jackson’s influence can be heard throughout the album, but very much so on the track, Fall In Love. From the first note to the sweet breeze of the chorus, Michael’s spirit shines through. The harmonies are pure with a flowing melody. Devon takes the tone down a little in To The Moon. A warmth embraces the listener for the journey, but breathes a higher note in the chorus. Saying Goodbye is a beautifully written song of letting go. Devon’s vocals really express an emotional ending. With a breathtaking chorus, it’s also musically and melodically sweet. I love how the music allows the vocals to lead. “If I never see you again it’ll be okay,� is a powerfully sweet line from the song. Other Side of the Bed has Devon coming to terms of a missed love. Desperation is heard which is almost equivalent to a “missing you� love letter.
I love the sensuality of Devon’s voice in Back To Paradise. The opening chords are inviting and sustained by a funky yet smooth beat. The chorus is comfortable, and one of the highlights of this song are the ba dap dap dadums towards the end. A club mix of the song ends the entire album with an infectious dance beat. Like the original, this track is perfect to roll through the night with your lover with the top down. The breakdown of it is nice as well. T.Y.C.O or Take Your Clothes Off has a sexy beat, lusty vocals and lyrics. In my opinion, it makes the perfect honeymoon song. The female vocal feature is blissful. Another stand out song is Feel You Breathe featuring a duet with Jada Davis. Her vocals, pure and strong, provide a perfect blend with Devon to deliver a touching piece that soothes the eardrums. The “oooohhhsss� heard throughout the song are mesmerizing.
Lastly, I’ll Be There, not to be confused with Michael Jackson’s, although with elemental qualities of a very young Jackson has a simple beat and flowing accompaniment. The chorus has Devon promising to be there whenever lost or in pain.
What you won’t be is lost or in pain after listening to the album. Devon’s Return To Love is real, and I mean really good. Stand out tracks include Could This Be Love � I Need You � Deeper Than Love � Saying Goodbye � Feel You Breathe � Back To Paradise.
Devon Howard � Return To Love is available at .
posted by Curtis R. Smith on July, 02 ]]>
First, I must say how proud I am of my niece. She’s a beautifully gifted and creative young woman who has such a big future ahead of herself. I had the pleasure of purchasing her first book of poetry, “To Lose and To Gain� and the honor of introducing her and sharing the platform with her at one of my spoken word functions. Presented here is one of her powerful pieces called, “Trust� in which I am a fan. I love her energy and her charisma and it is my honor to introduce her to you. I hope you all enjoy and please continue to support her and pray for her bright future. Ladies and gentlemen, Darlene Stallworth!!!!
posted by Curtis R. Smith on December, 15 ]]>
Losing my grandmother was the ultimate. She was my friend and a second mother to me. She and I had a special bond that I can’t explain. She was my cheerleader and my dance partner. She was always in my corner, and I loved her for that. Everyone loved her, and she was the head of the family. However, in her final years, dementia took over, and she began to slowly slip away. Think about ninety years in a large family with all of that knowledge and wisdom. That is amazing! She carried herself very well and in my opinion was the epitome of a true queen. I hated hearing stories from my mother and aunts about how the disease had taken over her mind. And it was very tough for me to see her in her final months. Every time I left her after a visit, I didn’t know if that would be my last time seeing her. Deep down inside I hurt, and my smile hid that pain. In fact, as I write this now, my eyes are watering thinking about a visit we had at her nursing home. We had sat with her for about an hour before we left. I remember walking away leaving her sitting at the table all alone looking down waiting for some nurse, a stranger, to bring her lunch. I so badly wanted to run to her and carry her back to the past where she’d be around family cooking in her kitchen baking cookies, pies, and cakes. I was so sad, but moments like that helped me realize how blessed my family was and is.
I remember the last day I saw my grandmother alive. It was exactly one week before she passed away. A lot of the family went to the hospital to visit her. She was already in a state of steady decline. The doctors had warned us that she would not live much longer. We all sat around and talked while watching Granny sleep. Her whole appearance was different than what I was accustomed to seeing. For some relatives, it was difficult for them to sit in the room, but I used all of my might to stay and be near. That evening I had an awards show to attend so I cut my visit short. Before I left I kissed my grandmother’s forehead and I said, “I’ll see you next time, Granny. I love you.”� Hopefully she heard those words, because they were the very last I said to her while she was alive.
Later that night I won my award for songwriting at the ceremony I attended. I sat there and thought about my grandmother the whole time, and secretly accepted the award in her honor. If it hadn’t been for her, I wouldn’t be. For the next week I kept up on my grandmother’s condition through my mother via phone conversations. However, on the following Sunday early in the day, my mother called to tell me things didn’t look good for Granny. I knew in my heart right then that my grandmother would not see another day. However, as much as I hurt, I refused to go see her in that condition. Instead I carried on with my day and prayed through most of it. By the evening, I learned of my grandmother’s passing a couple hours after it occurred through another relative. I immediately called my brothers to tell them as well.
I smiled, as I was finally happy my grandmother had transitioned. No more pain. No more worries. Finally peace found and keeps her. How blessed am I to have known and been a part of an extraordinarily strong woman whose blood runs through my veins today. Her spirit is ever present around me and deeply rooted in my heart.
Months after her death, she visited me in a dream as did my cousin. No words were spoken, but it was just their presence that made it a monumental experience. And out of the blue one day, I believe my grandmother was in the room with me watching a movie, because I suddenly made a sound I never make, but she would have, and it instantly hit me that she was present with me that day.
Happy Birthday, Granny in Heaven. Until I see you again, I miss you and I love you. God Bless!!
posted by Curtis R. Smith on July, 04 ]]>
Performing, whether it be music or spoken word, is a passion of mine that I love sharing with others. In my latest book, “I, Poetic Confessions, II� I discuss how my love for entertainment and creative expression evolved in the story, “Song & Dance.� Posted here is a clip of a recent performance I did using material from my book. I call this piece, “Two Weeks� Notice� and I dedicate it to all those who feel the rage and anger that allowed me to birth this writing. I hope you enjoy. And don’t forget to purchase my latest book on my web site at .
posted by Curtis R. Smith on November, 11 ]]>
Album highlights: Marinate, Sabotage, Brand Nu Day, Body, F*ck to tha Beat, Love Aftermath, and Smile
posted by Curtis R. Smith on March, 11 ]]>
posted by Curtis R. Smith on July, 01 ]]>
I’m happy to announce that I’ve joined the ŷ family where I can continue to share my new book with a bigger audience of readers. After the initial success that I’ve had with launching my latest book project, �I, Poetic Confessions, II� it is my pleasure to be a part of such a group as this. I’m very thankful for the support I’ve received so far. The book socials, spoken word events, and the publishing of my poem, �…at hello� in the Torrid Literature Journal have all been great motivators for me to continue sharing my creative work with you and others. I promise to keep more in touch with you this year through all of my social media as well as my official web site. Please bookmark to get all of the latest. Also, be sure to join my ŷ pagehereto stay up to date on giveaways and other goodies. Don’t forget, you can always reach me via email at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you and thank you once again for your support.
posted by Curtis R. Smith on June, 28 ]]>
The more I travel around and perform material from my new book for different people, I feel more and more blessed to be able to share in the experience we all know as life. I have so much fun doing what I do as a creative person and I am so thankful to have you in my life as a supporter and a motivator. I hope that you find whatever it is that you seek in my work and that it brings about joy, hope, and inspiration. This video is a recent performance of “Poetic Confessions, II� and “Judgment� from my book. I hope you have your copy already. If not, head over to to place your order for either a hard cover, paperback or eBook.
posted by Curtis R. Smith on July, 04 ]]>
Here I am performing “Judgment� from my new book ~I, Poetic Confessions, II.~ One of my favorite poems in the book; it speaks about the way we tend to judge others around us before we even get to know who someone is. I’m guilty and mostly everyone who is reading this now is guilty of judging someone. It’s natural, but we have to strive to do better. My hope is that once you read my new book, you will walk away with a better sense of self and a new appreciation for those we interract with and whose paths we cross. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!
posted by Curtis R. Smith on February, 16 ]]>