Neo soul. That's the pigeonhole blanket term I've heard bandied about in reference to Remy Shand's only album The Way I Feel. Released in 2002, the record quickly became a favorite among those longing for a bit of soul in an awfully soulless world. The lead single "Take a Message" became a (somewhat) favorite on MTV and a few other tracks fared relatively well on college radio.
Despite the affected falsetto that can be decidedly grating on the ears, I found the album a breath of fresh air when I first discovered it a few months after it hit the streets. Mr. Shand wore his influences proudly on his sleeve and it showed. The record just was what it was: a throwback tribute to classic soul - and in my book that's a fine accomplishment.
The record was, by all accounts, quite a success. So why haven't we seen another offering? Was he dropped from his record label? Did he opt to pursue other interests? Was he abducted by aliens? Did he leave the music industry for a promising stint in Greenpeace?
The world may never know. . .
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