Jalen Ngonda’s debut album Come Around And Love Me is now in the retail atmosphere. The lifelong Motown fan discloses his exuberance for love in a sinewy falsetto with songs exclusively dedicated to romantic relationships. The Daptone Records artist has company with other singers like Leon Bridges and October London who have also grabbed ’60s and ’70s soul styles as a major inspiration for their music. Ngonda worked with producers/arrangers Mike Buckley and Vincent Chiarito of Charles Bradley’s Extraordinaires to write the album which was recorded at Hive Studios in Brooklyn, New York. The retro theme manages to stay interesting because of Ngonda’s heavy emotions and at times shrill but soulful vocals. The Washington DC native rehashes the past with new energy that stops the album from being a period piece. The Matt Lubansky-directed video for “That’s All I Wanted From You” was also released today. Ngonda’s tour kicks off tonight in Virginia and will visit more than 20 cities before heading overseas in November. Tickets are still available for some of the shows.
