Andra Day: Cheers to the Fall | Album Review

There's no getting away from a certain infamous UK soul singer on this San Diego native's debut album. That Andra Day owes a very obvious debt to Amy Winehouse may shade Cheers to the Fall with onerous Back to Black comparisons, yet it's worth recalling that Winehouse wasn't alone in the retro-soul slinging department either. Inspired by the end of a lengthy relationship, Cheers to the Fall is full of soul sass, retro r'n'b sensibilities, jazzy notions and a strong pop edge. While aided and abetted throughout by Raphael Saadiq, The Dap Kings, Questlove, Jazzy Jeff and Stevie Wonder, it's Day's own cracking voice that makes each song shine and shimmer. Rise Up and Red Flags make a strong case for Day's grit and gumption as a writer, while City Burns and Goodbye Goodnight cover the melancholic waterfront with some aplomb. andraday.com