An Open Apology
to Cree Summer

Hey, Cree! I love whatcha doing, babe. Thought I'd drop you a line to tell you how and why.

(Okay, I'm stupid to think that Cree Summer will actually read this, so most of it is addressed to the record company.)

The first single, "Revelation Sunshine" would have been best left an album cut. There's nothing "wrong" with it per se; it's just that it doesn't have the snap, crackle and pop of some of the disc's other cuts to deserve to be the first thing that folks hear from Summer.

If those record company folks want my two cents, they shoulda released Summer's duet with Lenny Kravitz ("Mean Sleep"). Not only is it a killer track, but why not start outta the gate with the Kravitz name to push her to the front of the new artist pile?! (Especially considering that at the time her album was released, Kravitz was riding his own wave to the top of the charts with his fab-o "Fly Away" track.) I'm not sure whose idea it was NOT to push her association with Kravitz—he produced her album, as well as co-wrote a few of the tracks on it—but this decision may well have signed the death warrant of this pretty wonderful album. That's beside the fact that this tune is one of the coolest things I've heard coming from a major artist in a long time. (A nice mid-tempo rock song with a strong hook, great harmony and a swell arrangement. Oh, and it's got kick-ass lyrics, too!) Sounds like a prime opportunity for radio play even without Kravitz's name on it. So, why the fuck wasn't it the first single?!

The other tracks that I truly am digging—and have been for quite some time now—include "Miss Moon," "Deliciously Down," and "Fall." "Fall" is a nice multi-edged track (marbling a country twang guitar, a coffee house poetry flute and smoky, jazzy vocals). And, then, it rips into its hard rock refrain. Yeah, just the kinda thing that gets (and keeps) my attention, and keeps me coming back for more. The kinda thing that makes me fall under her strange spell.

"Revelation Sunshine" is pretty cool, too, with its hippie, trippy, swirling vortex of a vamp. "Still Heart" is a bouncy little rap that includes the clever line "Still on my neck/ The breath of the dead/ Even as blood and bone/ I can tolerate a still heart/ But I can't stand being alone." And there are even elements from "Life Goes On" that I dig (like Cree's invocation of a traditional gospel hymn with her line "May the circle/ be unbroken/ By and by, Lord/ By and by, Lord"). The main acoustic guitar riff of the song reminds me of Ben Harper's newest album. Without the refrain, though, I wouldn't have given it a second listen. The Al Green-esque "Sweet Pain" is a take-it-or-leave-it kinda track for me. A ballad more moving is "Smooth My Heart," which has classic rock overtones and a brooding, atmospheric backbone that gives way to a more lovely refrain.

Less accessible is "Naheo," a Native American-flavored, folk guitar-infused warning not to "lose your Indian." As well, "Soul Sister" didn't move me nor make me wanna move my butt. As far as "Curious White Boy" goes, I've heard this theme done before, but rarely as well. Cree's got some relevant points to make and she makes them very stylishly in a fresh lyrical tone. My favorite lines from this track are "What you so mad about/ Always gotta scream and shout/ Find a difference, point it out/Spread your legs, shut your mouth/ My virginity/ Hanging from your family tree." The tone is ballsy, and not overly apologetic nor does it lament the fact of being born black. (One can't dwell on the disadvantages life provides us; we must acknowledge them and try to find a way through them. –In other words, find the doorway of opportunity and kick the fucking thing down! And don't feel bad if you have to stomp some redneck bigots in the face to get to where you feel you need to be.)

You'll note that most of the killer tracks are at the front half of this CD—a point I didn't realize until I played it straight through today for the first time. (I usually hit the shuffle play button whenever I pop in a disc. Force of habit, I suppose.)

All and all, her lyrics seem very self-reflexive and are creative. And her vocals are tight tonally and provide the right atmosphere for each of the tracks on this disc.

Now comes the apology. I'm not really sure how your album did, Cree, but I'm certain that you didn't enjoy that Macy Gray kinda success—even though I think your album is better (No offense, Macy.). I take partial responsibility for that. After all, it IS my job to make sure that folks read about (and hear you), and I fell down on my job. As you can see, I'm writing this review a zillion years too late to help your album do anything but get picked up outta the sale rack. For that, I'm sorry. I hope the record company will give you another shot at it (via a second album or the opening act slot on a Kravitz concert tour). I swear that next time I'll make a concentrated effort to get the word out about what great work you do.

If it's any consolation, everyone at my crib (and every friend I get to sit still and listen) knows about how much I love this album. I hope that helps. I'm not sure it would if I were in your shoes. What would help me—if I were you—is to know that I had gained at least one true fan. And you can say you have.

So, again, I'm sorry for dropping the ball. You've done some excellent channeling here and it does not deserve to go unnoticed. [A]