The most recent release from Michael Lington Soul Appeal contains elements of jazz, instrumentals and soulful melodies that really bring this album to life. Soul Appeal has strong jazz influences and that is the main highlight of every track on the album. The album has a way of combining these more classical elements of music into a way that feels modern and upbeat.
Soul Appeal also features a variety of other musicians that come together to form a jam band session feel on this record. It feels organic that this artists come together in order to produce this high quality of musicianship. Lington plays the alto and tenor sax on the record and these two instruments stands out on every track. Other musicans that are featured on Soul Appeal include; Shedrick Mitchell, Paul Jackson Jr., Ray Parker Jr. and Phil Hamilton.
At times the album does have a very classic, throwback feel when the alto and tenor sax highlighted like on tracks such as, "Manhattan Nights" and "Follow Your Heart" but overall the album has a more modern and strong creative tone that can be felt in the musicianship and how the instruments have been arranged.
The singles that will really appeal to more top 40 dirven fans will be "Gonna Love you Tonite" and "Leave Me You." Leave Me You" features the vocals of Ryan Shaw and "Gonna Love You Tonite" features the vocal stylings of Kenny Lattimore.
It is refreshing to hear the influences and styles that are often sampled for popular songs in 2014 brought back to life in its full glory once again.
Other stand out tracks on the album include, "Uptown Groove," "Going Home" and "Double Down."