Kindred the Family Soul - Surrender to Love (20 tracks) +Album Reviews

KINDRED ARE AWESOME - just stop calling them Nick and Val

Karl Miller | Phoenixville, PA United States | 04/05/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Living in Philly, I knew of Kindred long before this CD dropped this week - their live shows are legendary, their band is tight as it gets, and their vocals are awesome.
"Surrender To Love" is everything fans of Kindred have been waiting for. Incedibly loving vocals - solid instrumentation. And songs about love, trust and spirituality that sound like nothing else on the radio today.
If you've allready heard "Far Away", you have an idea of how good this CD is. Currently getting huge radio play, "Far Away" is every struggling couple's theme song, with its too busy with the world style lyrics, and hope for downtime with the one you love (just make sure the baby is asleep!). But "Far Away" is only a small sampling of Kindred. They get 70's style funky on the title track, take you straight to heaven on "Weather The Storm" (a beautiful song, expressing the hopes for success, even if it means leaving the one you love behind), and sing the best "praise" music since Kirk Franklin took the stage on "Spread the Word".
What makes Kindred special is that everything works. You haven't heard a band like their's since Rufus, with REAL guitars, keyboards, percussion and horns. What an oasis in today's environment.
BUT PLEASE - ignore all the comparisons to Nick and Val. While A&S always wrote great music, I never thought their voices blended perfectly, like Rene and Angela or Womack and womack, two acts that are much closer to where Kindred comes from. Even better, don't accept any comparisons, and go into this music expecting to hear something original, soulful and beautiful.
So far, this is the best soul album released ths year. Kindred The Family soul is simply awesome, and "Surrender To Love" does them mighty proud."

4-1/2 stars -- Surrender to Kindred

Anthony Rupert | Milwaukee, WI | 06/28/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Jill Scott went to a local club one night and saw a performance by Aquil Diya and Aja Fatin, a husband-and-wife duo. She was so impressed with them that she immediately signed them to her record label, Hidden Beach, under the name Kindred the Family Soul. I'm not sure whether or not they had that name to begin with, but regardless, Surrender To Love is definitely worth your time.What's the best song? Pick one: "Stars", "Meant To Be", "What Happens Now", and the list goes on. The music is great, and the lyrics ain't bad either. There's the woman's anthem "I Am", the creative title track, and, of course, "Far Away". And although I love "Rhythm Of Life", the remix blows the original out the water, particularly because of the extra flava (and I didn't say flavor, I said FLAVA). Even guest raps work well on this album, as evidenced by "Party's Over".If only this album weren't so long (74 minutes), I could give it five stars. Oh well, Surrender To Love is still classic in every sense of the word.Anthony Rupert"

USA TODAY said it all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kelly T. Preston | Santa Monica, CA | 03/28/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I saw this in the paper on tuesday and bought the CD the same day. THANK YOU USA TODAY!
After being burned by weak CDs so many times I started using this review section to help purchase CDs. This one was dead on the money. I have not stopped listening yet!!!
I went to hiddenbeach.com as the card in CD case suggests and found the review which got me to buy this album and discover this label sitting just a few blocks away from my house. I have copied it here for you to read for yourself. This is one great CD!!!!

USA Today Gives Kindred's "Surrender to Love" Album 4 out of 4 Stars!!!!!
"It's rare these days that you get an album that you just want to put on and play. But Philadelphia husband-and-wife singer/songwriters Fatin Dantzler and Aja Graydon and the 10-piece band they front have created a richly textured, soul-soaked set that is hard to pull away from. While they've drawn comparisons to Ashford & Simpson and their music shows an abiding affection for old-school styles, Kindred is decidedly contemporary. They sing of love, life stresses, the challenges of parenthood, following one's dreams and the good times, and it is easy to surrender to their vibe."Written by Steve Jones in USA Today's Life Section on March 25th, 2003I also read the background info on the label and I am super impressed. Go get em Santa Monica's Hidden Beach. I am proud to be your neighbor!!!"

Kindred....Don't Let The Name Fool You!!!!

Tawana Hawkins | Akron, Ohio | 07/09/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There is nothing else out there even remotely like it. I looked up the word Kindred in the dictionary one of the words was similar. They are Kindred but they are beyond compare and virtually in a class all by themselves because there's no one else like them ANYWHERE. What a welcome change and breath of fresh air they are. It's hard to pick a favorite song because as soon as I think I have one...there's another one I find I like equally as much. I was able to here an advanced copy, but that didn't stop me from going and buying it as soon as it hit the stores. Actually I could hardly wait for the rest of the world to hear, feel and understand what I really couldn't find words to express. I love them. You hear the love and how well they compliment each other on this project. Kind of a new millenium version of Ashford and Simpson. Here's hoping they emulate them in the longevity of their contributions to music as well as the success they have enjoyed over the years. Kindred....family and the universal language of love. I can hardly wait for them to come to the Northeast Ohio area...hint,hint. Continued success and love to last a lifetime."

Aja & Aquil.

The Groove | Boston, MA | 03/28/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In a climate where everything is borrowed, sampled, and stolen; where the music is all but an afterthought, it's refreshing to see this husband-and-wife team help bring the soul back in soul music. I remember seeing "Surrender to Love" at a record shop, and the first thing I noticed is that they're on the Hidden Beach label, home of Jill Scott. That, and the recommendation of a friend, turned me to this CD, which is 74 minutes of unpretentious, straight-up soul. Sure, it could have been shorter and more concise, but I was really impressed by the love and creativity that Aja and Aquil invested during the making of "Surrender to Love." I was swayed by great tracks like "Surrender to Love," "Rhythm of Life" (and its remix--hidden bonus track), "Whatever Happens," and the old-school flavored "Spread the Word." These jams, as well as the rest of the album, display good chemistry between Aja FaTin and Aquil Diya, who also co-write much of "Surrender to Love" and share lead vocals. I wouldn't be so quick as to call them the new Ashford and Simpson yet, but this great CD sets the tone for what could be a very promising career."

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