The Orchard

iTunes Review

On The Orchard, Lizz Wright's third full-length release, she continues to meld her own originals with tracks by other great performers, creating a beautiful work inspired by everything from folk to gospel to jazz. The sexy “My Heart” moves with a swaying, samba-soul, Wright’s vocals backed by guitarist/singer (and co-writer) Toshi Reagon, creating an easy, undulant flow. “Song for Mia” is powerful and resonant, recalling the haunting emotional style of both Tim and Jeff Buckley. The gentle and winsome “Another Angel” gives Wright’s longing vocals plenty of room, accompanied mostly by spare acoustic guitar and percussion, while the sensuous and hungry “I Idolize You” (written by Ike Turner for Tina) brings R&B into a very contemporary light, with slithering snare drums and slinky guitars luring the listener into its embrace. Her cover of the Led Zeppelin ballad “Thank You” is stately and elegant, and her treatment of Carol King’s “I Feel the Earth Move” (an iTunes bonus track), is equally reverent and affecting. A crowning moment may be the gospel-flavored “Hey Mann,” written by Toshi Reagon’s mother, Bernice Johnson Reagon, for her own group, Sweet Honey in the Rock. Glorious.