I hate calling an artist “ahead of their time,” because it feels too cliche. Unfortunately, Emily King is just that. When her debut album, East Side Story dropped, people had mixed reactions. Her mix of singer-songwriter and soul didn’t sit well with some R&B purists. For those who did discover the album (I had to hold back my fanboy status when I interviewed her in 2007) got some of the most progressive soul at the time.
Hopefully 2011 will be different for Ms. King. Her new EP Seven sounds great. It switches up her sound but plays to her strengths, with producer Jeremy Most’s production being subtle enough to let the vocals shine. If you’ve been fustrated by R&B these days, check it out and let me know what you think, and if you’re in NYC check her out at 92Y Tribeca tomorrow.
