Deva Mahal just happens to be the daughter of blues legend Taj Mahal, and her debut album, Run Deep, is nothing less than a modern soul masterpiece. Introducing the ghosts of the past into a contemporary sprawl of gospel, R&B, rock and pop, the younger Mahal’s rich, expansive songwriting yields an engrossing, spiritual listening experience that rises above the everyday.
Inheriting not only her father’s worldly musicality, but also his defiance and toughness, Deva handles matters of the heart with expressive lyrics dealing openly with pain and loss. She thinks of each song as a letter. Let’s hope she keeps up with this kind of correspondence. “Snakes” is the atmospheric heart and soul of Run Deep, stomping and clapping and carrying thundering piano to a crescendo steeped in slave tradition. It’s a warning Deva gives herself to stay away from danger that’s wrapped up in the same kind of high-stepping, infectious R&B that also drives the more ...