So, if there is one go-to genre for studying and relaxing to recommend, it would definitely be R&B. It was late on a Saturday night when I saw a familiar name in Spotify’s Chilled R&B playlist from my early adolescence – when the Disney Channel days were a lot more fun – Jacob Latimore.
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An interesting “wow factor” that certainly has made a good impression on me was the musical lineage of his father, Jacob Latimore Sr., and his uncles who were are also talented musicians that nurtured him and are major influences for the 22-year-old Milwaukee native’s passion for music. After giving one of Latimore’ singles Come Over Here a listen on that particular playlist that night, the excitement for his sophomore album Connection 2 only grew the more I heard about it on my Instagram feed. The album was released on Friday, April 26th, 2019.
Source: Jacob Latimore Official Instagram
While waiting, I decided to give his debut album Connection a few more listens. There was only one song I’ve really enjoyed from that album, Remember Me, which brings more of that chill, yet catchy vibe with old-school influence. Connection 2 has definitely delivered a lot more of that, and emotional impact to boot.
With that being said, communicating any, and every honest feeling about that special girl or guy in one’s life sets the mood and tone for this album. Come Over Here would invoke a more positive, and heartwarming tone with the lyrics “Hate when you hold all your feelings inside Won’t you say some? Say some, Girl, don’t you spare me Just give me all of that you got”, while the lyrics of Is That What You Wanna Here?; I can’t win for nothing, Why you always fussin’?, Something out of nothing, Got me feeling like this, It ain’t the same to me, Is that what you wanna hear? brings out a negative, yet teachable moment to communicate better with a significant other in times of conflict.
Those two songs are just tips of an awesome music iceberg worth taking a crash into. His acting in a TV show called The Chi as Emmet provides an additional boost to the emotional significance of this album, and his smooth voice compliments real perfectly with R&B beats and tempos described as such. I’ll be one of many looking forward to see what he’ll write in his next album, and hope that you will be too.