Watch The Sun (Morton/Empire)
PJ Morton
Released April 29, 2022
DownBeat Four-and-a-Half-Star Review
YouTube:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nO3hSZj2GY4gXiko1wTgr_53qziwJhDeU
Spotify:
About:
The proper R&B follow-up to 2019’s Paul has 11 songs and features an all-star cast of collaborators, from El DeBarge and Jill Scott to JoJo and Alex Isley, to name a few.
Water The Sun features an appearance from the legendary Stevie Wonder, who joins Morton and Nas on a new song titled “Be Like Water.”
Coincidentally, Morton wrote and recorded Watch The Sun at Studio In The Country in Bogalusa, Louisiana, where Wonder created his 1979 album, Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants.
About choosing guest features, Morton said, “One of my main rules is to not think of guests while I’m creating. When you think of the guest first, it becomes about what would fit for them instead of just making the best song I can make. Every guest is there in a super-intentional way – not because of who they are, but because they fit on these songs.”
With the current state of the world, Morton saw it necessary to make music with little interaction from outside influences.
“I think these last couple years taught us to identify what is truly important. It was important for me to tell an honest story on this album. The album is an unapologetically soulful painting about the true challenges in life and love,” shared Morton in a statement about his new album.
Track Listing:
1. Love’s Disease (Just Can’t Get Enough) (PJ Morton) 02:57
2. Biggest Mistake (PJ Morton) 03:05
3. Please Don’t Walk Away (PJ Morton) 03:51
4. Watch the Sun (Jamar McNaughton / PJ Morton) 02:54
5. My Peace (André Benjamin / Patrick Brown / Byron Manard Chambers / Joanna Levesque / PJ Morton / Antwan Patton) 03:47
6. Be Like Water (Nasir Jones / PJ Morton) 03:17
7. So Lonely (PJ Morton / Wale) 03:34
8. Still Believe (PJ Morton / Jill Scott) 03:40
9. A Lil Too Heavy (PJ Morton) 02:50
10. On My Way (PJ Morton) 02:21
11. The Better Benediction (PJ Morton) 05:23
Personnel:
PJ Morton: lead vocals, keyboards, drum programming
Chris Payton: guitar
Lamont Garner: percussion
Raj Smoove: scratches
Brad Walker: tenor saxophone
TJ Norris: trombone
Steve Lands: trumpet
Brian Cockerham: bass guitar
Edward Clark: drums
Featured artists:
Chronixx (4)
JoJo (5)
Mr. Talkbox (5)
Nas (6)
Stevie Wonder (6)
Wale (7)
Alex Isley (8)
Jill Scott (8)
El Debarge (10)
Darrel ‘Musiqcity’ Walls (11)
Gene Moore (11)
Samoht (11)
Tim Rogers (11)
Zacardi Cortez (11)
Mixed by Reginald ‘ReggieNic’ Nicholas
Mastered by Colin Leonard
Producer: PJ Morton
Review:
Armed with magic and mastery, PJ Morton has fashioned a collection of tracks for our time that is forward-leaning while still capturing the Cognac-richness of crème de la crème of vintage soul music. A child of two New Orleans ministers, Morton’s career began in the church, and though his songs are primarily secular in nature now, Watch The Sun is bursting with evidence of PJ’s continued ministry: delivering messages rooted in positivity and perseverance on tracks like the gospel cut “The Better Benediction.” The singer also implores listeners with the Buddhism truism popularized by Bruce Lee to “Be Like Water” (on the track of the same name) in the face of adversity. On Watch The Sun, PJ assembles a veritable who’s who of featured artists (both young and seasoned) including Jill Scott, the incomparable Stevie Wonder (whose profound influence runs deeply through Morton’s work), El DeBarge, JoJo and Alex Isley, all to great effect. Scott’s restless spoken-word exhortation at the top of “Still Believe” perfectly complements Isley’s wistful refrain. “So Lonely,” which successfully melds the schoolyard chant of “rain, rain go away” with a laidback second line-ready habanero groove proves to be the perfect centerpiece for D.C.-bred rapper Wale’s outstanding bars. “On My Way” features El DeBarge, who delivers a stunning take alongside Morton. This album highlights the fact that while PJ is a virtuosic songwriter and vocalist, he’s also a sensational producer who knows how best to showcase the talent of others. PJ Morton is particularly well-suited to make music engineered to be a balm for the mind, heart and spirit.
Ayana Contreras (DownBeat)
