Muthas Of Invention / Latest Releases / Tell It Like It Is by Stephanie Mckay
Tell It Like It Is
Stephanie Mckay
Release
date: 28-7-08
Label: MOI
Stephanie Mckay’s sophomore album, Tell It Like It Is, was released through new label imprint Muthas Of Invention on July 28th.
While the singer/songwriter’s first album, (Mckay, released in 2003) was a collaboration with Portishead’s Geoff Barrow, Tell It Like It Is sees the Bronx-native work with local musicians to produce an album that wraps up classic soul, seventies funk-rock and old-school hip hop influences into one vibrant outpouring. “There is more of a social message on this album. There were so many things that I saw as a New Yorker,” says Stephanie. “9/11 was just one of them.The frustration of so many people coming together to stop a war, trying to get a straight answer out of the government – hence the title ‘Tell It Like It Is’”.
The album is packed with classic gems from the feel-good joy of lead single Jackson Avenue which reminisces over the early days of hip-hop and life in the Bronx to the outrageously funky, horn-fired groove of ‘Kinky’. And then there is the moving This Letter, a song Stephanie wrote after reading a column in her local paper filled with letters written by mothers, girlfriends and sisters of soldiers fighting in Irag. The 12 track album was written by Stephanie Mckay apart from Oxygen, Stephanie’s stunning interpretation of Willy Mason’s breakthrough single. “I covered Oxygen because in my opinion. It is a brilliant song lyrically. When I sing the words I feel the emotional intention behind every word.”
Indeed, such an unlikely cover hints at Stephanie Mckay’s position as far beyond that of the average soul singer. She has sung with Brooklyn Funk Essentials, collaborated with Talib Kweli, worked with house producer Lil Louis and played guitar for Kelis. Last year she featured on jazz musician Roy Hargrove’s Grammy nominated RH Factor album.
