Reviews
November: 18 albums you need to hear this month
Month's listening sorted
Rationale 'Rationale' (Warner Brothers)
“Bops and ballads” is one of the best descriptions we’ve used to describe the music of Rationale, aka Tinashe Fazakerley. Alongside MNEK, he’s one of the buzziest young male artists to be signed to a major label as of late. But while MNEK sells Mariah-esque r’n’b via classy pop, Tinashe arguably offers a more truthful strain of soul. Opener ‘Re:Up’ (co-written by Zena Kitt, who also appears on the track) cleverly uses a dealer drop-off as a metaphor for affection and addiction (“waiting for the Re:Up/I can’t get enough”), while ‘Loving Life’ channels Jermaine Jackson’s ‘Do What You Do’ but takes it to church rather than the charts. 'Fast Lane’, meanwhile, drives straight to the pop pulpit with a chorus Jim Steinman would be proud of. Ralph Moore
8/10
