Review: Second Line X Dawn Richard
“People don't make albums anymore, they just try to sell a bunch of quick singles and they burn out and they put out a new one. People don't even listen to a body of work anymore”, the message from Beyoncé's 2013 Life Is But A Dream documentary couldn’t be more clear in 2021. Since the rise of streaming services, albums have become more calculated, less cohesive, and seemingly lack purpose or personal connection to artist. Good singles are still around, but good albums seem much harder to find. Truthfully, the blame can’t fully be placed on artist who must feel the pressure of the chart driven music scene. Now every album is packaged with merchandise, two year old singles, and strategically placed features to meet the demands of money hungry labels and hyper driven consumers who digest music for a hot minute then move on to the next. Artist are forcing era’s, images, and trendy sounds instead of having bodies of work that naturally evolve with themes and meaning that are original or true to self. The music and making of an album seem to get lost in translation so much so that when you hear a good album you have to say — “this is an album.” Second Line is an album, but we shouldn’t be surprised. Since her Dainty Kane (justice for DK, they have two solid albums and Welcome to the Dollhouse is stellar) and Diddy Dirty Money days Dawn Richard has always been one step ahead. She’s cemented herself as an independent artist with a release of solo projects ranging genres bouncing mainly between R&B, dance, electronic, and alternative. Although every artists claims to be genre bending, Richard’s work and career can truly back that statement up. More recently, in 2019 Richard released New Breed, which now feels like a precursor for Second Line. New Breed was a peak into Richard and what New Orleans means to the artist, but Second Line is a deep dive into the history, culture, and family ties that shape the indie star. For artist blessed with longevity, there’s a point when they get really real and you begin to fully see them and their roots. Although Richard is always one upping herself, there’s a bit of maturity and clarity on Second Line. This may be the first album we see Richard in her element with clear vision, passion, and fire. Even if we don’t fully understand the journey we know she’s on one, and that’s truly what makes an album.
“Have you ever been to a Second Line? Oh, yes indeed”, are the opening lines narrated between Richard and her mother on the marching album intro King Creole (Intro). It’s a narration that continues throughout the interlude heavy album, often in intimate ways giving us a glimpse of the history of Richard’s family, life, and connection to the southern city. If you haven’t experienced a second line, you’ll be sure to feel the spirit throughout the album. The energy of a funky second line has a strong and consistent presence, but an even stronger presence is Richard herself. In past work Richard has skillfully submerged with her music in a complementing way that elevates electronic sounds. On Second Line she leads even amongst chaotic ever changing production, her voice is an anchor through the journey. True magic takes place in Richard’s ability to bounce between various genres while still keeping the essence of herself and New Orleans. Nostalgia is a hypnotic ode to house music, disco is all over Boomerang, Bussifame is Nolia down, and Pilot (A lude) is Richards’s futuristic spin on a classic bounce beat. Pressure is a gem of transitions, every time you think you know where it’s headed, you don’t. If you’re not paying attention Jacuzzi feels like a perfect summer song before you’re captured by Richard’s sensual seduction. FiveOhFour (A lude) is a shit talking gritty low pitch interlude. Voodoo (Intermission) is extremely fitting as the second half of the album departs from homage and celebration and becomes more personal and intimate with Mornin Streetlights, the Beethoven backed Le Petit Morte (A lude), and The Potter (the most emotional song on the album). Radio Free could easily be a theme song for any black independent artist in the industry, yet it is a song of hope that highlights the power of freedom. The album closes with Voodoo (Outermission) and we’ve come full circle on our voyage, but SELFish (Outro) signifies that there’s a new destination and new level of Richard headed are way in the near future.
Second Line is complete, honest, and personal. Every song has meaning, and even if the meaning is not clear to the listener you can still find your own connection. Richard shines as an authentic artist with forward thinking fresh sound that goes beyond genre bending and into new creation. The Grammy’s and every award show should recognize Second Line as the masterpiece that it is, but even if they don’t, it’s an album that has all the ingredients to stand the test of time because it is a reflection of the artist and not of the times.
Favorite Tracks:
Nostalgia
Boomerang
Busssifame
Pressure
Mornin Streetlights
