Album Review: The New Respects' 'Here Comes Trouble' EP

2017
5 songs
Length: 16:26
Available to buy from The New Respects website or Google Play

The New Respects are a dynamic young rock n’ soul band (yes, I said it!) from Nashville, Tennessee. The band is comprised of singer/guitarist Jasmine Mullen and her cousins, the Fitzgerald siblings; twin sisters Alexandria and Alexis on guitar and bass respectively, and their brother Darius on drums. Their debut EP, ‘Here Comes Trouble,’ is high-energy, rock and roll soul, with funky beats and a classic rock guitar sound.

The Fitzgeralds are children of preachers and were raised on gospel music. Mullen is the daughter of Nicole C. Mullen, a successful Christian singer-songwriter. By their own admission, the band lived a pretty sheltered life musically; so their reference points were mostly limited to gospel music, and this forced them to experiment (Rolling Stone Magazine).

The gospel influence comes through loud and clear; particularly on the track ‘Shoes’, with the combination of Mullens’ uplifting vocals, simple percussion, choir sound, and the use of call and response. Gospel overtones are also paired well with classic rock on ‘Frightening Lightning,’ which opens with a Lenny Kravitz style guitar riff, and incorporates a raw guitar sound throughout.

Mullen’s voice is smooth, powerful and versatile, like a young Lyn Collins. ‘Come As You Are,’ is a soulful ballad that shows off her impressive vocal range. She also funks it up superbly on ‘Money,’ her rich voice accompanied by a funky bassline and jazzy drums. On ‘Trouble,’ we’re given a shot of blues rock, with Mullens’ commanding voice lending itself wholly to the blues rock sound, oozing attitude from every fibre of her being.

‘Here Comes Trouble’ is infused with youthful exuberance and positivity. There is definitely a Christian bent to the lyrics, but the aim is not to promote Christianity; it’s just indicative of who they are. The band think of themselves as a band of Christians, rather than a Christian band. As Mullen asserts ‘We have enough people, I think, writing songs about what each one believes’ (World Cafe).

The New Respects show some adaptability on their debut EP, toying with different musical styles to great effect, while knitting the whole thing together with their own signature style. And it’s refreshing! Honestly, I’ll take my rock and roll with a side of gospel any day of the week.