After the roller-coaster year of 2001, in which India.Arie's debut album "Acoustic Soul" went double platinum and received seven Grammy nominations only to walk away empty-handed, many critics thought the artist was done. Several wrote Arie off as a soul-burnout who came to face the reality that the current music world is not accepting of anything but po(o)p.
But with her sophomore release, "Voyage to India," Arie tells critics that she will not give in to their demands and pack up her bags. As she sings on the funky "Little Things," Arie found herself "running round in circles lost my focus lost sight of my goals/I do this for the love of music not for the glitter and gold." With a somewhat blatant reference to the Grammys, Arie forcibly tells listeners that she has put those memories behind her.
The tone of "India" is one of honest introspection mixed with a hopeful -- bordering on preachy -- spiritualism. The album's musical foundation lies in Arie's intelligent lyrics, interesting guitar licks and soulful voice. The release achieves greatness because of its coherence, which means, among other things, its lack of a hit single. Departing from the traditional mold which cast "Video" as the driving force behind the success of "Soul," this album is a unified entity, the embodiment of consistency which stands on it's own.
Satisfaction, though, is the overriding theme of "Voyage." Arie is satisfied with her body, mind, relationships and the state of her career. This happiness shines through on almost every track.
On "Get It Together," however, Arie's pleasure is tinged with a bit of annoyance: "speak words of beauty and you will be there/no matter what anybody says what matters most/is what you think of yourself."
Arie does, however, get quite bold with her lyrics on some songs. On "Talk to Her," the artist from Atlanta goes on a diatribe, instructing men, "it doesn't matter if she's wearin' a mini skirt or a business suit/whether she's 25 or she's 99/treat her the way your mama taught you to." It is hard to argue against these powerful yet absurdly Hallmark-esque lyrics because the message is so pure. While listening to this song, I almost came to tears thinking of all the times I mistreated my mother. I'm sorry, mom.
There is, too, an intermingling of funny, jabbing lyrics along with the heavier and more serious words. Arie pokes fun at her man while describing his complex personality on "Complicated Melody:" "if he were an animal/he'd be an ass/cause he's so stubborn."
The predominantly Spanish flavor of Arie's guitar work is at once both mellow and engaging. "Headed in the Right Direction" shines with the help of a few Eric Clapton and Santana guitar riffs. But once again, it is the intensely empowering lyrics that steal the stage: "headed in the right direction/I can see the light of day/now, I've found my pearl of wisdom/there's no need for me to be afraid."
A quirkier yet interesting aspect of the album is the three one-minute interludes sprinkled throughout "Voyage." Aptly titled "Growth," "Healing" and "Gratitude" they serve as both spiritual incantations to the gods and a light respite from the passionate album's core of music.
Arie elevates her love of the acoustic guitar to the plane of high art with songs like "Slow Down" and "Good Man," on which she demonstrates her prowess as a picker. The use of a string section on "Good Man" meshes with her chords nicely to show her uncanny sense of rhythm and flow.
This appreciation and awareness of musicality carries over to Arie's singing. Her voice contains the grace of Stevie Wonder, the soul of Marvin Gaye and the power of Ella Fitzgerald. The emotional vigor of her voice is particularly visible on "Little Things" and "Can I Walk With You," in which she borrows lines from Wonder's super-ballad, "As."
Although the voyage of India.Arie's career seemed a bit rocky last year, it is obvious that she is headed in the right direction. With its collection of honest, powerful and accessible tunes, "Voyage to India" may just be a starting point for a second, stronger phase of India.Arie's musical life.
