There’s so much to like in this 20-minute Nao set which starts out strong and gets better and better. The moments where Nao’s vocals surprisingly dip into her lower range offer lots of contrast with her natural high voice. The counterpoint between Nao and the backup singers (especially the lower range of Taylor Samuels) is well crafted. The band shows lots of cohesion and groove, from the tonal quality of guitarist Ariel O’Neal, the excellent chord voicing of Joe Price in keyboards, not to mention the understated backbeat from Henry Guy on bass and Samson Jatto on drums. Put this recording on and listen all the way to the end.
March 18, 2019 | Sidney Madden -- In astrology, your Saturn return is the time in life when Saturn goes back to the same spot it was at the time of your birth. As Nao explained during her appearance at NPR's Tiny Desk, "It's about leaving adolescence and going into adulthood."