Cody ChesnuTT
Land On a Hundred
(Vibration Vineyard)

Raw soul. If I had to distill Cody ChesnuTT’s album, Landing On a Hundred, down to two words, those would be it. ChesnuTT’s smooth voice glides over funky R&B backdrops and drips with emotion and power on slower ballads. From track to track, Landing On a Hundred displays a rich variety in presentation and skill both on the part of ChesnuTT himself as well as his backing band.

Landing On a Hundred was recorded in the same studio that Al Green cut “Let’s Stay Together,” and while I’m hesitant to make too grandiose of a comparison, ChesnuTT embodies a similar stature and skill set. His voice is absolutely magically soulful in tracks like “Til I Met Thee,” “Everybody’s Brother,” and my personal favorite, “Chips Down (In No Landfill).” He takes on a harder edge on tracks like “I’ve Been Life,” “That’s Still Mama,” “Don’t Follow Me” and “Don’t Wanna Go the Other Way.” He embodies an entirely different, more Motown-esque, kind of energy on “Love Is More Than a Wedding Day.” ChesnuTT’s versatility is really impressive.

This album will hit you. No matter what you’re looking for, there’s something in there for you. ChesnuTT’s raw, intense, power-packed style of soul music is not something you hear everyday. The production quality, the instrumentation, the arrangements, everything about this album is designed to hit you in your soul. Know what you’re getting yourself into before you hit play.