Like the animated Wonder Twins of yesterday, "Love Jones" the movie and soundtrack form one tumultous, powerful hurricane composed of equal parts R&B heartache and soul-torn grief.
The soundtrack, which features some of the brightest lights in the R&B landscape like Lauryn Hill of Fugee's fame and jazz chanteuse Cassandra Wilson, seems a right fit for the movie's irregular cut -- a 1990s romantic story of love and modern courtship which centers around two Afro-American protagonists.
Winner of the jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival where it
premiered, "Love Jones" has billed itself as a sophisticated, intelligent portrayal of relationships and love in the Afro-American community. And as such, comedic predecessors like Eddie Murphy's "Boomerang" are quickly dismissed when Darius Lovehall (Larenz Tate) delivers the first track from the album, "Brother to the Night: A Blues for Nina."
Darius and love interest Nina Mosley (Nia Long) find themselves in the midst of upheaval. She is a struggling photographer and he a down-and-out writer on the brink of
stardom. They meet, by chance, at the Sanctuary, a haven where poetry is the ambrosia and honey for local artists and a asylum where words are the key ingredient is some ethereal life elixir.
After an awkward introduction where Darius spills his drink on Nina, he takes to the stage to recite one of his pieces. Making the most of the moment, he titles his seductive creation, "Blues for Nina."
This poem serves as the point of departure for the soundtrack which underscores the developments in the movie and acts as a kind of musical plot for the often stormy and bittersweet relationship that Darius and Nina enjoy.
"Hopeless" by Dionne Farris, with its lush-tender piano chords and Farris' wispy vocals, chronicles what happens when a person falls head-long in love. The pop confection, a glucose-coated ballard, is catchy yet lacks verve as snatches of keyboard and drum serve as the only accompaniment to Farris' vocals.
Although this track could hardly shove Farris back into the 15-minutes of stardom earned from her 1995 release, "I Know," the track is smooth and melodic. She croons: "They say I'm hopeless, as a penny with a hole in it."
The track highlights the transformation that Darius and Nina undergo after their first encounter. Darius, a Don Juan of sorts with the ladies and Nina, who is looking for anything but love, find themselves in the snares of a powerful "love jones."
Lauryn Hill's "The Sweetest Thing" again plays on those emotions that make women moist and men do crazy things. Her vibrato-filled alto carries the tune which is a fusion of spiritual and ballard.
The single, peformed against rich percussion and the harmonies of Hill and her back-up singers, showcases her vocal talent. However, like most tracks on the album the cut is incredibly sugary sweet.
Maxwell's rendition of "Sumthin' sumthin'" from his debut album "Urban Hang Suite" is slightly slower and scored for dramatic effect. He slithers his way through the ballard which like other tracts is a Sistine Chapel of full-scale melancholy. The song has
already had considerable air-play.
Groove Theory joins in on the lovefest with their contribution to the "Love Jones" compilation, "Never Enough." The track, a romantic paean's to a lover's limitless love, is a smooth, well-produced tune complete with Amel Larrieux's silky voice
set against sleek jeep beats. Groove Theory adds an younger, off-beat flavor to the soundtrack which is heavily dominated by older artists.
Stick veteran jazz singer Cassandra Wilson in with the rest of the low-wattage fixtures on the soundtrack and she becomes the bright light. Her contribution is a jazz montage titled, "You Move Me."
Again, with this song, the soundtrack speaks directly to the
relationship of Darius and Nina. Although they are both attracted to each other, there are so many obstacles to cross before their relationship can be realized. A one-night stand istheir outlet. Nina says to a friend, "It ain't no love thing," they "just kickin' it."
Other contributors to the soundtrack include R&B female quartet Xscape which provides a fresh direction to the song classic "In the Rain" and jazz standards from the the masters like Duke Ellington and John Coltrane.
Like its beginning, the soundtrack ends with a poem, "Nina's poem." It is voiced by the character Nina at the end of the movie. Instead of relaying her feelings directly to Darius, the poem serves as a sort of mediator.
The star power on the album can not carry "Love Jones -- the Music." What listeners get is an album which plays on emotions and feelings, no danceable hits here or catchy mantras to recite. Love is the album's focus and theme and its medium is the touchy, feely love song which is revisited in each of the 14 tracts on the album. Thus, pick up the album for a relaxion, not innovation.
