LISTEN UP:
COMPLEX SIMPLICITY
TEEDRA MOSES

New music can be likened to a new relationship. You are never sure of what to expect, but you try to remain, at the very least, optimistic. Unfortunately, both music and relationships are riddled with disappointment and highlighted by fleeting moments of brilliance. Yet, occasionally you stumble on an artist that grabs your attention from the beginning and never lets go – never disappointing, creatively switching styles, and guaranteeing your loyalty song by song. One of the great differences afforded music which is absent from romance is that you can have more than one great one. I have quite a few. There are CDs that mark eras in my life, CDs that challenge me to think, CDs I wish I had written, and CDs that empower me. By far, my favorites are those that make me feel! So it is with Teedra Moses’ Complex Simplicity, undoubtedly one of the most underrated projects to be released in the new millennium

Complex Simplicity reminds me of the R&B that characterized my formative years when the quiet storm was my favorite radio segment because it promised artists like Jodeci, Boyz II Men, Mary J. Blige, and Babyface. R&B taught my young heart all it had yet to learn of love, life, and disappointment. Unfortunately, as music genres became more fractured, the sound of my childhood lost its claim on the greatest talent. While the musical horizon has been

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enriched with new trends like Bridge music, the scarcity of talent in rhythm and blues is tremendously disappointing.

In a bleak cast of stars, Teedra Moses enters stage left. Working initially as a professional stylist, Ms. Moses began writing songs for a number of artists including Christina Milian, Nivea, and Trina. Yet, it is only with the release of her personal album that we begin to appreciate her commitment to and understanding of the music of my heart. Complex Simplicity is the perfect stage to showcase the depth and breadth of Teedra’s talent, combining beautiful, sultry singing, classic stories of love’s angst, and infectious production; the product is an enviable debut. Every song on this project is worthy of rotation in a classic quiet storm set. In my opinion, a crush represents the most innocent and hopeful stage of love. It is befitting that “Be Your Girl”, a classic confession of love from afar, is the first track because it sets the bar of expectation for the rest of the CD. Fortunately, unlike most crushes which exceed the possibilities of reality, Ms. Moses rises to the challenge again and again. As evidence of her influence, Teedra channels a 1980s Patrice Rushen-like sound in the witty ego-driven “Caution”, a melodic warning to her bird of prey. In “Take Me”, Ms. Moses collaborates with super-producer Raphael Saadiq to create a harmonious nostalgic plea to return to the initial sweetness of love. Complex Simplicity ends with a moving narrative memorial to Teedra’s mother that morphs into a personalized family dedication of love and appreciation.

While Teedra has earned a growing cult following, she has yet to gain the exposure and recognition she deserves. Yet, isn’t that often the commonplace tragedy of both genius and love – unrecognized and unrequited? Ironically, the ingenuity of Complex Simplicity is that it is exactly the kind of CD that could garner mass appeal without forsaking the attention of true music critics. It is GOOD music that makes you feel. And everyone wants to feel good!

S. Ellard