Compassion Abounds in Lisa Morales' She Ought to Be King
The message of "love each other" need not be shrouded in metaphor or hinted at roundabout but directly declared as Lisa Morales does frequently on her third solo album. Opener "Reach Out" is an effectively forthright plea for compassion and communication that even breaks the lyrical fourth wall to ask, "Am I reaching you?" while "Freedom," with a lightly funky Latin feel and organ leads from Santana/Journey co-founder Gregg Rolie, frames the power of love in overcoming injustice. Meanwhile, "Flyin' and Cryin'," a superbly penned duet with Rodney Crowell, expresses how love can lift you and wreck you. The depth in Morales' agile vocals resounds especially clear on the Spanish-sung "Suéltame" over nylon guitar strings and dramatically dynamic percussion, overseen by producer David Garza. Altogether, a varied collection of Southwestern Americana, rich with emotion and motivated with a lot to say. – Kevin Curtin Austin Chronicle