San Francisco must really be an interesting place musicwise. They have Naked Music, Ledisi and Five Point Plan over there. One could really turn green with envy.
Jordan Glasgow (keys), Tim Carter (drums, percussion), Michael Cruz (bass, bv), David Metzner (guitar) and Latrice Barnett (vocals) are Five Point Plan and they sound so familiar on Rare, just like a group you have known and liked for years.
Taking the best of 70ies soul by the likes of Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway or Marvin Gaye and combining it with (British) acid jazz/rare groove by the likes of The Brand New Heavies, Incognito, D-Influence or Don-E, Five Point Plan comes to you with a warm, organic sound that's just timeless.
It's really hard to pick a favourite song here because all 11 songs are equally good and can be heard from beginning to end without becoming boring or sounding the same. And with guest musicians on percussion, Moog, violins and Hammond organ there's even more spice added to song like Take Me, a great slow jam with Merl Saunders on Hammond B3.
Latrice's voice, that seems to be tailor-made for the group's sound, shines above the fine instrumentation. Just listen to the funky Feed Your Soul or the sweet Second Time with it's strings and heartfelt lyrics ('I can't go back it just won't be the same/ Can't take all the drama, the heartache and the pain/ I just can't bring myself to try it all over again/ Cause I know exactly how the story's gonna end') it's another soul purist's dream coming true, just like Damn or the title track Rare.
With no dull track on Rare there's nothing to moan about, so make sure you get a copy of this very good and consistant album that no real soul music fan should miss. ASAP!