The name Carlos Morgan is synonymous with R&B in Canada. His debut album Feelin Alright garnered many accolades for its upbeat tracks and moving ballads. The album dominated the charts with fantastic singles upon its release. As the recipient of a Juno Award (Canada’s counterpart to The Grammy), Much Music Video Award, and countless others, Carlos was riding high as the King of Canadian R&B in 1996-97. Along with his sensational album, Carlos delivered live with electrifying concerts that had his loyal fan base always sharing in the experience. Carlos decided to take a long hiatus from the music scene but is now ready to return and get back to his greatest passion. Released on his SolRoc Music imprint, Mr. Morgan is back with The Compilation.
The Compilation is an assortment of older tracks coming together with a few new ones, to whet everyone’s appetite and prepare them for what Carlos has in store. And also, to expose Morgan to those who are not aware of his talents. Everyone’s favourites “Baby C’mon” featuring Shug, along with “Whatcha Got” featuring Mizz are both staples in Morgan’s work that had to be included. It would not be farfetched at all to call them ‘classics’ in Canada, as those two tracks etched Morgan’s place in R&B history. And they are two jams that can still keep a party rocking today. The new surefire tracks that are prominent, are the house sounds of “Pashmina Girl” that can make you stop short of a soul clap anywhere you are, and the vintage sounding bass line on “Fascinated” featuring Shug. He hasn’t forgotten about the strength of a ballad, and his vocal performance really comes through on the adult contemporary and very radio friendly “Sweet As You Are.”
For those who are not familiar with Carlos Morgan’s work, this is definitely a compilation worth checking out. The balance of old and new blend seamlessly and translate in a very good way. It is a clear reflection of his sound and his vocal talent, then and now. He sounds great and there is more to come. Look out for the release of his new sophomore album We’re Gonna Make It this year.