Gina Feliciano: A Song For You

“A Song for You,” from Levelhead Entertainment, is Gina Feliciano's debut album and, as such, contains the air of freshness and excitement you’d expect. “A Song for You” contains 13 songs, mostly written by her producers, Byron Ravenell and Terrence Grant. They’re cover a good mix of styles, from mid-tempo ballads (the piano-driven, jazz-flaired “Forgiven”), to pop-electronica (the soothing R&B soul of “I Need You”), to funk (the beat-driven, rock solid “More,” notable also for its gutsy exploration of the struggle to do right in the face of sexual temptation). Through it all, Feliciano’s warm vocals hold up well. The project is not without missteps; opener “Thank You” begins with a promising urban bounce, but its sluggish pace fails to deliver. But things heat back up quickly, the following track one of the albums’ best: the pumping rhythms and shimmering guitars of “Time and Time Again” serve Feliciano’s dulcet tones well. There are several brief tracks that are considered “interludes,” but I wished they had been developed into full length songs. They happen to be the tracks that feature Feliciano with a minimum of instrumentation, and the simple arrangements give that honeyed voice a chance to really shine. “We Worship You” especially stands out, for its purity and soulful beauty.

I enjoyed “Humbly I Pray” for several reason, not least of which is Feliciano’s heart. A preacher’s kid, she imbues her songs with a great sense of sincerity, and her praises soar beautifully through the R&B changes of this soothing track. The title track closes out the album with warm, horn-accented worship. “A Song for You” gives you every reason to expect good things to come from Gina Feliciano.

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