Few artists in any genre have the ability to continually re-imagine their sound in order to remain compellingly current, while maintaining a fluid connection to their musical roots. Nicole C. Mullen is one such artist, and her 2007 project, Sharecropper's Seed, perfectly illustrates that point. Flowing effortlessly between smooth, Celine Dion-esque pop to creaky, Alanis Morissette-meets-Patti LaBelle alt-R&B, Mullen struts, skips, and meanders through 10 tracks that are at least as autobiographical and family-focused as her self-titled debut from way back at the turn of the century.
On the title track, a sparsely orchestrated, acoustic guitar-driven ballad, Mullen traces her roots back to her grandfather, a wise old sharecropper who was careful to pray for a bountiful harvest in both the natural and spiritual realms. Like her grandfather, Mullen reminds us that we are all merely sojourners on this earth, and that any good fruit that comes today is probably the result of careful planting from generations past. "Baby Love," the album's closer, finds Mullen reaching forward to the next generation as she croons a peace-filled lullaby to her children.
But lest you think she is too smooth to groove, "So in Love," finds Mullen drawing vocal inspiration from a rusty hinge, groaning, creaking, then slithering over a smoldering blues riff that would feel right at home on the Mississippi delta. "Under The Shadow" sports a light Caribbean flair, mercifully sans steel drums, while "Fall" uses well-placed fiddle to evoke a new-country vibe with an urban twist.
CCMMagazine.com
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agreed....| Posted September 10, 2008
agreed,lyrics were really nice but the music wasn't that great... but keep it up Nicole. I want ot hear more of you! Great Joba and God bless you abundently!
I Like It!| Posted May 26, 2008
Not her best cd but it's really good! I especially like the songs Sharecropper's Seed, Convinced, So In Love, Fall, and Elohim. The music is pretty good too. It's an enjoyable listening experience.
Lyrically Straight From The Heart---Musically A Disappointment| Posted February 12, 2008
Nicole has always been one of my favorite Christian female artists. Her music is very unique in that it blends contemporary music with Nicole's African-American heritage, with some urban, R&B, and sometimes even hip-hop, influences. This album is very different. The majority of the album is ballads. The album does get kinda boring after awhile, and is a rather disappointing release from Nicole. No upbeat songs like "Freedom", "Talk About It", or "This This." No bring-you-to-your-knees ballads like "Redeemer," "Come Unto Me," or "Call On Jesus." Just stories from Nicole's heart. And while the music structure itself is not the best, you can tell the lyrics are straight from the heart. Nicole's grandfather was a sharecropper, which is where this album's influences came from. In the title track, Nicole uses the situation as a metaphor, and a very creative one at that. This is also shown in songs like "I Wish" and "Grow Up." My personal favorite song on the album would have to be the powerful "One Touch." The song puts Nicole in the perspective of the woman who touched Jesus's garment. I also like "Convinced" and "Elohim", which are the only songs with a slight nod to her more contemporary side. "So In Love" and "Under The Shadows" are both very African influenced, with their trash-can-drum, street band feel. Both get old after a while as they are very repetitive. This is still a worthy release, and its songwriting is the thing that I really liked about it.
Nice but no punch| Posted August 13, 2007
Easy listening but nothing outstanding like My Redeemer, Call On Jesus, Music of My Heart. this is part 1...maybe she should leave it there and move to a new project or put more of her soul into it.
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