Neal Francis "Changes (Colemine/Rough Trade Publishing)"
Changes (Colemine/Rough Trade Publishing), the debut LP from Neal Francis, is as singular a debut as we’ve ever heard. An exciting combination of retro New Orleans soul, Chicago R&B, ’70s rock, gospel music–all delivered with Neal’s easy Toussaint-y baritone vocals. If ever you’ve heard a record that simultaneously sounded like it would as be appropriate to play in a room with shag carpet as it would with like some eco-friendly cork flooring-well please let us know. But until that happens (it won’t) please get down to the funky and fresh Dr. John-y “How Have I Lived.”