There is no ironic feat to behold or coming of age tale for Marsha Ambrosius, more of realization. Since her vocals gave the late Michael Jackson one of the few breakout hits from his last album of original material, Invincible, it’s been inevitable that she was going to be the one star record labels didn’t know how to market. It’s the curse that comes for a singer who has done mostly feature work and created a viable presence merely by adding her vocals enriched by caged bird inner strife.

Years in the making, Ambrosius debut album Late Nights & Early Mornings is the type of R&B album you don’t normally get in this climate. There are few frills, rarely any attempted reaches for radio play. It’s just a woman, confident in her reality that enjoys giving people something to feel vocally. It’s also set the standard very high in terms of commercially released R&B whether it be male or female in 2011.

Ambrosius for lack of a better term is gorgeous. On a record such as “Far Away”, a painful and soul searing cut produced by Just Blaze, she takes the gut wrench heartbreak and turns into something fair and balanced. The effort may be in stark contrast to the tongue in cheek radio hit, “I Hope She Cheats On You (With A Basketball Player)” but the message is clearly the same, when she’s on her game there is no challenge to Ambrosius pen or her vocals. Not one ounce of over production reigns on LNEM as Ambrosius even gets adventures by covering a classic Portishead record in “Sour Times” and completely crushing it as if it were her own.

Many of her notable features throughout the years have been catered towards sex. It’s a staple of hers to bring out the best in all of us who want to take our partners inside of a room, crank up an Ambrosisus song to the max an watch the walls reverberate. Or as Maxwell liked to put it, “Til the Cops Come Knockin’”. While the album’s intro may be considered warm and fuzzy foreplay, “With You” is slow burning romance co-written by Alicia Keys geared towards populating a small village. From moans, purrs and her own cat calls of impatience of being with her lover, Ambrosius possibly creates some of the most recognizable music when it comes time to babymaking. Once upon a time, we left that title strictly to R. Kelly. Now Ambrosius has swooped in and rested her leggy frame on the throne.

From the gospel influenced “Tears” to the instantaneous guilt trip that is simply “The Break Up Song” Ambrosius’ debut leaves no stone unturned in discovering a woman clearly influenced by 70s soul and R&B. Even when she influxes the tempo on the Jackson hit “Butterflies”, it turns the honey sweet track into a palpable dance numer that radio would eat up any day of the week.  Maybe the tip of the hat to the King of Pop on “I Want You To Stay” is a foretelling sign that maybe, just maybe we do have an R&B singer who can absolutely run with concepts and vocals and looks into one Diana Rossian esque package. Ambrosius’ effort is strong enough that it could be compared to numerous great albums for the rest of the year and probably still wins in a neck & neck race. In a year so far where waiting has reaped major rewards, Marsha Ambrosius stepped from out of the background and into her deserved spotlight.

FINAL SCORE: 9.0

Brando

EIC of Day & A Dream, Brando has written for such publications as DJ Booth, Refined Hype & the Houston Press. Wrestling enthusiast, sneaker addict, sports junkie and certified cake eater. Follow him on Twitter: @_brandoc

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