Anthony Hamilton Ain't Nobody Worrying CD

Personnel: Anthony Hamilton (vocals); Kelvin Wooten (vocals, acoustic guitar, strings, piano, Fender Rhodes piano, Clavinet, organ, keyboards, drums, percussion, drum programming); James Poyser (guitar, piano, Fender Rhodes piano, keyboards, drums, background vocals); Mark Batson (guitar, keyboards, drums); David Forman, Curtis Chambers, Raphael Saadiq, Norris Sirone Jones (guitar); Gloria Justin, Emma Kummrow (violin); Davis A. Barnett (viola); Larry Gold (cello); Christopher Farr (saxophone); Andy Skaggs (tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone); Matt Cappy (trumpet, flugelhorn); Tim Gordon (trumpet); John Thornton (trombone); David Balfour (keyboards); Bobby Ozuna (drums, percussion, turntables); Ahmir Khalib Thompson, Richard Jenkins (drums); Christopher "Wurlwyde" Pottinger (percussion); Tarsha McMillian, Stacey Richardson (background vocals).
Audio Mixers: Vincent Dilorenzo; Daniel Romero; Phil Tan.
Recording information: Allustrious Recording Studio, New York, NY; AXIS Studios, Philadelphia, PA; Blakeslee Recording Company, North Hollywood, CA; Reflection Sound Studios, Charlotte, NC; Studio 609, Philadelphia, PA; Westlake Audio, Hollywood, CA; WoodaWorx Productions, Huntsville, AL.
Photographer: Danny Clinch.
After the success of his 2003 album, COMIN' FROM WHERE I'M FROM, R&B/soul singer Anthony Hamilton followed up in earnest during 2005, first with a collection of previously unreleased tunes, SOULIFE, and then with another new studio record, AIN'T NOBODY WORRYIN'. This latter disc truly solidifies Hamilton's sterling reputation; it's an utterly confident outing that nods to 1970s soul music without being beholden to the style of that era. In fact, Hamilton's deft balancing of both vintage soul and contemporary production is what helps the expressive vocalist stand out in the crowd. Rather than calling up his R&B/rap peers for guest shots, Hamilton largely goes in alone on this solid record, allowing superstar producer Mark Batson and others to create organic backdrops that perfectly showcase his undeniable talent.
After enduring ten years of busted label deals and other forms of neglect, Anthony Hamilton finally caught a break. Though 2003's Comin' from Where I'm From only threatened to crack the Top 30, it became a steady seller on the back of the slow and lean "Charlene" -- a risky pick for a single since it sounded nothing like "Yeah!," "Lean Back," or any of the ballads that were getting rotation on R&B stations at the time -- and eventually went platinum. A disc of previously unreleased recordings, Soulife, debuted near the Top Ten in mid-2005 and made it clear that Hamilton had become a major artist with a hungry following to prove it. Ain't Nobody Worryin' will enhance his rep. Had "Charlene" flopped, the album might've come out a little different -- perhaps a little more pop, with a couple guest MCs and some bouncier beats -- but it's even more organic and individualistic than its predecessor. It's also more poignant. Despite what it looks like, the sentiment in the album's title and song of the same name is a world apart from Bobby McFerrin's carefree "Don't Worry, Be Happy": as Hamilton lays it out, people are either too resigned to their problems or too caught up in them to worry. This seriousness transfers to "Preacher's Daughter," a criticism of preachers who are too occupied to take care of their own, as well as the opening "Where Did It All Go Wrong," a breakup song that's as stunned (and nearly as stunning) as Bill Withers' "Hope She'll Be Happier." There's also "Never Love Again," the kind of heartbroken ballad that's potent and sweet enough to sadden someone who's in a completely different situation. But all of this only covers one third of a well-rounded album that's as generous in its expressions of optimism, faith, and lasting love. With spiritual songs both personal ("Pass Me Over") and universal ("Everybody," simultaneously a convincing reggae jam), Hamilton extends his reach with cEntertainment Weekly (p.79) - "Like Mayfield and Marvin Gaye, Hamilton also has a social conscience....Hamilton's Southern-fried slow jams go down easier than a plate of grits and gravy. Maximum R&B, indeed." -- Grade: B+
Q (p.117) - Ranked #85 in Q Magazine's "100 Greatest Albums of 2006."