SoulPatrol Highly Recommends “Just Up The Road”

** Melissa Young - “Just Up The Road”
(Supersonic Southern Soul)

I like this young lady from Atlanta, Ga. She’s a badd mama jamma and
she’s very reminiscent of another young woman from Atlanta we like a
whole lot named Ms. Monique. Melissa Young is in your face just like
artists Betty Wright, Barbara Mason, Millie Jackson, etc. from the past.

In addition to the lyrics & lead singing this album features soulful
guitar licks (a’la Bobby Womack/Wah Wah Watson), Drums that snap (a’ la
James Gadsden) and spoken word interludes that would make most rappers
wish they could go back to their high school English classes. Black
music needs more female artists like Melissa Young. I’m sick and tired
of hearing “passionless female singers” with beautiful voices, seems
like they are a dime a dozen in 2007. These are terrible times we are
living in and Black music needs strong females who are willing to
confront issues & problems directly. In fact it could be argued that
part of the reason why Black people are in the sorry shape they are in
right now is because Black females have “let stuff slide.” The evidence
of that can be seen the god awful behavior of young people today. Now I
realize that I may be on thin ice with some of yall and if that is the
case, so be it. But I have a feeling that Melissa Young wouldn’t allow
her son to sport a mouthful of gold teeth or wear his pants down around
his ankles & displaying his underwear for the world to see. Melissa
Young doesn’t tolerate “bad behavior” from her men, so I know she
wouldn’t tolerate it from her son. Kicking off with the monster slow jam
called “Rock Me”, Melissa Young is telling her young man exactly what
she wants, when she wants it and exactly how she wants it. On “Mr. Show
Neff” a song where Melissa Young seems to be describing her “deal man”,
she asks her prospective lover “did you get your stuff from your momma
or daddy?” Later in the song she she says “your momma must be proud of
you.” When was the last time that you heard an artist suggest that
“good parenting” might be a part of the criteria for finding the right
mate? There are more of these types of philosophies sprinkled through the
album and it’s refreshing to hear. Melissa Young - “Just Up The Road” is
a heavy & serious album that should be warmly welcomed by fans of true
soul music everywhere. This album is highly recommended

-Bob Davis, Soul Patrol