Since I first received a 5 track promo CD in September 2001 I was quite curious about Remy Shand and the soon to be released album. Well, finally in March 2002 we get the full length album. And again, Remy wrote, produced and performed (!) everything on his own (and there are many instruments he uses like guitars, Fender rhodes, Wurlitzer piano, clavinet, organ, sax or percussions). So this is more a one-man show. Great to see a major-label having the guts to not throw in some well-known producers to assure that there'd be one or two sure hit singles on the album. And even more astonishing is that Remy is only 23 and was raised in Winniepeg (Canada), which wasn't know for good soul music until now.
The Way I Feel is a great blend of classic soulwriting, neo soul and reminiscences of the likes of Stevie, Marvin, Curtis, Isley Brothers and Maxwell or Chico/El DeBarge. But what else to expect if Remy cites Marvin Gaye's Here My Dear as his favourite album and a musical bible. So lyricwise The Way I Feel deals like Remy's favourite with love and relationships. Although I'm not so sure what Remy means with lyrics like 'She Was Rich But I Was Beautiful' (Looking Back On Vanity) but then Lynden David Hall's lyrics for Do I Qualify ('I May Be Ugly As Sin And He May Look Like A King') hasn't made any real sense, too.