Traci Root

I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that Traci Root’s childhood lullaby was the song “You Can Do Anything” by Carole King. Her career as a model, dancer, author, public speaker, and social worker has already earned her the label “multi-talented,” a trait that also finds its way onto her debut album Greener On This Side.

The premise of Greener is simple: take the distinct styles of jazz, hip-hop, pop, and Keith Green-esque rock, and create a musical showcase that incorporates all of them. From the soulful rap “Dedicate” to the piano ballad “Star,” Traci Root’s attempts at diversity are admirable. But they are also a keen reminder that “genres” exist for a reason. Greener’s combination of styles never quite become a cohesive whole and the result suggests that Root may need to rediscover the balance between doing “anything” and doing “everything.”

“Dedicate,” the jazz and rap infused call to unity, is a song that would have benefited from a sharper focus. While the blending of genres (the verses are rapped and the chorus is sung) reflects her vision of cultural unity, it does little for her vocal talents. Root seems more suited to the vibes of the piano pop number “I Wanna Go To Heaven” than to the “yo’s” and “ya’lls” of a spoken word piece trying hard to be a rap. As “Dedicate” constantly shifts between standard English (”we’re perfectly capable of letting go“) and Ebonics (”and moving on don’t front oppression so long”), I can’t help but wonder why Root didn’t stick with one or the other.

The mellow track “Star” is on the opposite end of the spectrum, but still falls short of what Traci Root does best. “Star” shows that even a simple piano ballad can suffer from the anything versus everything dilemma. While there is no questioning Root’s piano skills, the song is a vocal and lyrical kaleidescope of styles. Root’s voice slips between straight and vibrato tones with little warning, and seemingly little planning. Parts that could have been emphasized in the chorus are sung softer than the verses and the melody is hard to untangle. Lyrically, “Star” seems like it was inspired by a page from a teenage girl’s diary. Featuring phrases like the “diamonds swallowing me whole” and the “heavenly nightlights,” “Star” proves a weak effort for such an adventurous artist.

Between the mistakes of “Dedicate” and “Star,” Root gradually discovers something close to a signature style. When her voice is at leisure, and not forced into an ill-fitting genre, she finds her place amid the laid-back, jazzy vibes of “Please Believe Me” and “Man With the Dusty Pockets.” Her best vocal effort is definitely “Source of Life,” a simple, breathy ballad. Instrumentally, the piano solo “Snow in Japan” also stands out for its evocative, narrative sound, reminiscent of pianist George Winston.

Hopefully, in the future, Traci Root will focus on the talents she displays in songs like these, and realize that singing every genre and being a diverse artist are not necessarily the same thing.

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