Rehya Steven's Vintage Love Will Keep You Movin' and Groovin'

Vintage Love the new album from Rehya Stevens, which will be released in February, opens with the beautiful title song, an R & B mix, written by Ms. Stevens and Larry Antonino, on which she accompanies herself with keyboards and synthesizer bass.  The beats are much more pronounced on “Paradise,” a good dance tune and in the background cymbals are constant. As is the common thread throughout this splendid album, it is Encino, California’s Rehya Stevens’ vocals which distinguish her from R & B artists who let the music carry them. Make no mistake about it, it is Rehya Stevens’ beautiful, ethereal soprano vocals that drive these songs and take them from being merely good to very good. Had this album been released in 2012 Riveting Riffs Magazine would have picked it as our # 1 favorite album of the year.

The song “Over & Over,” written by Rehya Stevens and Tio Banks is a fabulous song, with Ms. Stevens demonstrating she has a big voice and contrasts that with her own, softer background vocals, with the song being introduced by Alex Teamer’s pretty, but simple keyboards melody. The percussion is minimal and allows plenty of room to showcase Rehya Steven’s breathtakingly beautiful vocals, which she arranged and mixed. As the song progresses the tempo quickens and while the strength of the song builds, as does the volume, it is never overpowering, always retaining a subtle element to the music. Are there dance clubs that play indie music? If there are those types of clubs, “Over & Over,” should be a popular DJ request. This is a song that gets your body moving to the music, before fading with a soft, pretty piano outro.

Rehya Stevens says the inspiration for the song “Over & Over,” “came from my struggles as an artist, years spent banging on doors, getting rejected and often not being taken seriously.”  The chorus reflects her musical journey, “Keep tryin’ / Over & Over / Keep reachin’ / Higher and higher / Keep tryin’ / Over & over / Keep reachin’ / Higher and higher / Until you’re flyin.’”

She says of writing the song “Over & Over,” “I was thinking about all the kids out there, who have taken out hefty student loans to become doctors, lawyers, teachers and musicians. I remember those lean years all too well, of putting groceries and gas on high interest credit cards and working at three menial, low paying jobs, while studying music around the clock and being exhausted most of the time! I wanted to tell these kids to keep going! It gets better and you will arrive! I am sending them love, light and encouragement. It is so easy to throw in the towel, believe me, I know.”

Vintage Love’s “All Because Of You,” clearly a dance tune, is heavier on the beats, louder and possesses more of an electronica vibe. It is another original song written by Rehya Stevens and Sandro Albert.

The song “Tolerance,” is about breaking down racial barriers that still exist in some circles, “In a world of black and white / She was just a girl in love / With a boy / But her father threatened life / He would not let his daughter love / A colored boy.”

It is a song about a guy and girl who meet and fall in love and their world is blissful, until her father learns that his skin is a different color than hers and forbids his daughter from seeing him again. The scene changes in the second half of the song, as it speaks to the issue of sexual orientation and the persecution that is endured by two boys who fall in love.

Arriving at almost the mid-point of this fourteen track album, the sixth song “A Little Bit Of Rain,” is a writing collaboration between Rehya Stevens and Larry Antonino. This is an easygoing mid-tempo song with Ms. Stevens accompanying herself on piano, Larry Antonino on bass, Gene Black on guitars, Dave Hooper (drums) and Alex Teamer plays the B-3 and other keys. There is the suggestion in the song that shutting the windows to keep out the rain may be a metaphor for putting up walls to protect ourselves in relationships when we get scared and we feel that we are about to be hurt.

We really liked the instrumental arrangement for the love missive “Never Give Up,” and in particular Gene Black’s guitar, Oneida James’ bass and Rehya Stevens piano and keyboards really lift this song and create an appropriately positive, warm mood for lyrics that speak to standing by the one that you love and being their biggest cheerleader. Gene Black’s brief guitar solo is superb.

“Good Man,” a dance tune, reflects upon past relationships and the next song “L.O.V.E.,” a modern R & B tune written by Rehya Stevens and C Minor invite the listener to the dance floor. This is one of our personal favorites from the album Vintage Love.

The song “Sarah,” is a letter to Ms. Stevens’ niece upon who she absolutely dotes in real life and it professes her love for the child

"Happily Ever After," a song by Rehya Stevens demonstrates just how dynamic a singer she is and it is only one of many excellent songs on an album you are going to love when it is released in February. Her powerful vocals are showcased in this terrific Pop song that will have concertgoers singing her words back to her.

“This album, Vintage Love is my best work to date. I purposely collaborated with countless musicians and writers to create an album that has depth and character. The songs on this record are fourteen of the best songs that I’ve written and co-written over the last five years.

The records that I play repeatedly for decades are the ones that take me on a journey, musically, emotionally and spiritually. I feel I’ve created that kind of a record with Vintage Love. It has thought provoking songs, songs of encouragement, personal and confessional songs, fun songs, sexy songs and fun loving songs. It doesn’t stay in one place for long and it moves the listener along through a musical arc.

I have made a record that I will be proud of for the rest of my life,” says Rehya Stevens.

We agree. Vintage Love is sure to be a hit with fans of good Dance, Pop and modern R & B music, who like to move their body to the beats and feel the groove. Watch this space and we will let you know when the record is released in February.

Please visit the Rehya Stevens website.

Reviewed by Joe Montague

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