Solange’s Soul Homage Mostly Delivers on Its Own Terms

Solange’s second album is a trip through the late ’60s and early ’70s soul records she grew up on. She is not covering those records note for note. She is building her own songs around their sound, and mostly she makes it work.

Opening With God Given Name

The record opens with “God Given Name,” a short statement of intent before the album settles into its first long stretch. “T.O.N.Y.” and “Dancing in the Dark” follow without doing much to shake the mood.

“Would’ve Been the One” is the first song that shows off the record’s ambition. It earns its place. “Sandcastle Disco” and “I Decided, Part 1” pass by without leaving much of an impression.

Valentine’s Day Through This Bird

“Valentine’s Day” is a short, sweet swing that lands. “6 O’Clock Blues” is the record’s best moment — it has real weight, and the arrangement matches it. “Ode to Marvin” is a tribute that holds up as one of the strongest cuts here. “I Told You So” is pleasant but slight.

“Cosmic Journey” runs long without adding much. “This Bird” is the closer that finally gives the record its wings — it earns its six-minute length. “I Decided, Part 2” and “ChampagneChronikNightCap” close things out without much fanfare.

What Works And What Doesn’t

The record’s strengths are easy to see:

• “6 O’Clock Blues” — the standout track
• “Ode to Marvin” — a strong tribute
• “This Bird” — the best closer

The weaker stretches are the shorter, lighter cuts that sit between the hits. They are not bad, but they do not add much either.

Ranking The Strongest Tracks

Here is how the record’s best moments rank by strength:

1. “6 O’Clock Blues” — the standout track
2. “Ode to Marvin” — a strong tribute
3. “This Bird” — the best closer

The Verdict On Sol-Angel

Solange’s record is a successful attempt to inhabit the late-’60s soul records she loves. It is playful, adventurous, and mostly confident about what it is doing. The best tracks — “6 O’Clock Blues,” “Ode to Marvin,” “This Bird” — justify the whole project. The lesser tracks are merely pleasant background music.

On balance, this is a record that knows what it wants to be and mostly delivers on it. It is not a masterpiece, but it is a confident step forward for Solange.

The recordSol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams Solange14 tracks · 59 min

1. God Given Name2:51
2. T.O.N.Y.3:53
3. Dancing in the Dark3:57
4. Would’ve Been the One4:31
5. Sandcastle Disco4:28
6. I Decided, Part 14:13
7. Valentine’s Day3:26
8. 6 O’Clock Blues3:36
9. Ode to Marvin3:15
10. I Told You So3:57
11. Cosmic Journey6:12
12. This Bird6:08
13. I Decided, Part 24:01
14. ChampagneChronikNightCap4:53

album review · Ode to Marvin · R&B · Solange · soul music