Original is, from the start, a fantastic album. When the vocals of Janiva Magness first swim from the speakers, there is an essence that emanates with her words, a very hypnotizing and artful style that lands her as a songstress of soul and a goddess of gospel. This album is lifeblood that the music industry needs.
Her first song, “Let me Breathe”, is a bare, soulful and sweet introduction to the album. The guitar behind the song has a profound backing, and just enough to fill in those moments between her great lyrics. She relies on the power and feeling of her lyrics and her backing band to give a powerful start to the album.
When “Twice as Strong” starts, there is a fantastic backing vocal track that perfectly aligns with Magness’s powerful voice. A somewhat Americana vibe with great gospel influences, this song is doubtlessly one of the albums best tracks.
The echo of Magness’s voice opens up so gracefully into “When You Were My King”, followed by a guitar intro that rolls right into a strong track. Dan Navarro adds a whole new feeling to “With Love”, making this song one of the best sounding duet’s around. “Mountain” is a ballad with backing vocal highlighting moments so perfectly. Magness proves that she has a powerful voice all around. The song is simple, yet dynamic, a perfect addition to the album.
With great songs like “Standing” and the “Hard Way” to close off the album, Magness Original is long awaited for any music collection out there.
