Spike Rebel - Neo Classic Soul
Spike Rebel is a neo-classic soul artist and musician who brings us fresh sounds, honest vocals and an undeniable sincerity. What is so striking about his music is the realness. There is no glitter, no false packaging, and no complex, overblown production.
Maybe it is because artist and producer Spike Rebel, aka Carnell Condon Newbill, Jr. is a musician and vocalist first. For too long now we have been subject to over-produced tracks and albums that sound great but lack the warmth and intimacy that seems to have been left behind as recording technology grew. Sometimes the Soul gets overlooked.
Listening to Spike Rebel's music and you will feel his presence. It is almost as if you are in an intimate jazz club, the kind where the artist perfoerms sitting on a stool on a stage that is just inches off the floor and only a few feet from your table. You get the feeling that Spike Rebel is singing for you, never at you. His music has a very personal feel. Nice!
Spike Rebel - One by One
Though entering a market populated by ranking artists such as Jaheim, 112 and Usher, Spike Rebel appears to have all it takes to more than compete in this elite company. His appeal is sure to reach out across all age groups as good music always does.
The five songs previewed here demonstrate quite a bit of diversity. Fallin' sits solidly in the pop r&b category so dominated this past year by Bad Boy's 112(Part III). Another Funky Monday is an excellent r&b crooner song, this is Jaheim material, except Ja would overplay it. Spike Rebel does this song so mellow and laid back that you will remember just what r&b is all about.
Listen to Frowning Faces and In The Park and you will hear echoes of the best of Bill Withers, Otis Redding, and even a touch of Nat King Cole, all artists who understood that voice is also an instrument. A beautiful one.
In The Park is straight-up jazz. Spike Rebel's guitar playing alone is worth the listen, there is that understated coolness that recalls Dave Brubeck's classic Take Five. Very, very cool. And that would be more than enough but there is also Spike's beautiful jazz vocals that make this song my personal favorite.
Just when I was getting into a mellow jazz funk, Spike Rebel kicks out a rock track that screams Lenny Kravitz. Mezmorized [sic] begins with a solid rock guitar intro that took me by surprise. Five songs in and I am just beginnig to realize the scope of Spike Rebel's talent.
Review by jack "papa" baer - December 17th, 2001
©2001 BIGBAER.com
Spike Rebel is a master of the acoustic guitar. He also plays keyboard, bass, and a variety of percussion instruments including djembe.
He also produced Kelli Rich's Hide Away, a #1 record on the UK Billboard dance charts in 1996 and DC's #1 track on Billboard Germany, "Feuerkreis."
Soul music and r&b are seeing a strong rebirth in the new music genre called Neo Soul. Listen to these neo soul artists: Bobby Ross Avila - Latin Neo Soul and Patricia Maertens - Westcoast Neo Soul. All of these comtemporary artists are helping to create the new sounds of soul music.
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