Floetry Floacism CD

Floetry's new album, recorded live at the House of BLues in New Orleans on July 3rd, 2003. Also includes a bonus DVD of the show.

Includes a bonus DVD.
Floetry: Marsha Ambrosius, Natalie Stewart (vocals).
Additional personnel: Mos Def (rap vocals).
Recorded live at The House Of Blues, New Orleans, Louisiana, on July 3, 2003.
On the strength of 2002's Floetic, Floetry became the Bush of neo-soul -- an English act with most of its commercial success in the States. Though the critical reception was equally warm in both territories, Floetic hit the Top 20 of the Billboard album chart in the U.S., while it didn't perform nearly as well in the U.K. With the two-disc Floacism "Live", Floetry give their U.S. fans a gift of sorts, with a performance -- recorded at New Orleans' House of Blues -- that is provided in both CD and DVD format. The show has a lot of energy, but it's best experienced visually, although the live arrangements are competent enough. Discerning fans will be satiated somewhat by the three new studio recordings that open the set, including a fiery "Microphone Fiend"- sampling tune that features Mos Def. ~ Andy Kellman
On the strength of 2002's Floetic, Floetry became the Bush of neo-soul -- an English act with most of its commercial success in the States. Though the critical reception was equally warm in both territories, Floetic hit the Top 20 of the Billboard album chart in the U.S., while it didn't perform nearly as well in the U.K. With the two-disc Floacism "Live", Floetry give their U.S. fans a gift of sorts, with a performance -- recorded at New Orleans' House of Blues -- that is provided in both CD and DVD format. The show has a lot of energy, but it's best experienced visually, since the audio element can be a terror to listen to without the added dimension of the visuals. By watching the performance, your concentration can be diverted somewhat from the fact that Floetry sound a lot better in studio form. The live arrangements are competent enough, but they're not all that exceptional, and they often seem to be present only for the sake of musicality (as in, "See -- we write songs; we don't make tracks"). Most importantly, Marsha Ambrosius is all over the place vocally, taking every possible opportunity to let some screeching, cracking melisma run wild. This takes away from the song in every case. And if it weren't for the track indexes on the CD, it would often be a challenge to determine where one song ends and where the next begins, given all the interludes, outerludes, redundant chit-chatter, and general noodling around. More discerning fans will be satiated somewhat by the three new studio recordings that open the set, including a fiery "Microphone Fiend"- sampling tune that features Mos Def. ~ Andy Kellman
On the intro to "Sunshine," Floetry's "floacist" Natalie Stewart introduces herself and songstress Marsha Ambrosius, greeting the crowd with the refreshing angle, "It's nice to finally meet you." She continues with the declaration, "Every single song on our album was written by ourselves; it's our lives, it's our feelings, our emotions, it's our truth." This phrase sums up the feel of Floetry--word-driven, positive, and wonderfully warm. The passion flows through the duo on their second record FLOACISM, which features three new studio songs followed by a live show at the New Orleans House of Blues.
The album starts with Mos Def and the twosome trading riffs over Average White Band's "School Boy Crush," one of the most durable backdrops (think Eric B. & Rakim's "Microphone Fiend") on the fetching single "Wanna B Where U R." Stewart & Ambrosius add two more soulful songs before they welcome us "to the Floetry experience," and it truly is an experience, as Floetry reveal just how powerful two voices can be, whether singing, rapping, genuinely bantering with the audience, or waxing operatic. FLOACISM is a clarion call to the world of neo-soul that Floetry is for real.

Entertainment Weekly (12/19/03, p.77) - (12/19/03, p.77) - "...Enriches their already soul-stirring urban confessionals with emotionally charged improvisations..." - Rating: B+