LiV Warfield “Captivates The Heart” with Her Upcoming Album, The Edge
- Atarah Jeffers
- Sep 11, 2023
- 9 min read
Updated: May 8, 2024
Written by Atarah Jeffers
Published September 11, 2023
Chicago, IL– The Illinois native, LiV Warfield has an album of the decade pending release that is bound to have listeners on “The Edge” of their seats.
Her first studio album in nine years, Warfield began promoting the anticipated album in March of this year on her social media. Through a new promotional tactic, critics, bloggers, and column writers were invited to have early access to the unreleased album and post honest feedback in the weeks leading up to the release. I was one of those writers blessed with such access, and, boy, do I have a review for you!
1. The Edge is a solid eight track album, with each song opening a different window of introspection, reflection, and invitation to self-discovery to the listener. “Edge” was released on June 9th as the first single and title track to the album, giving listeners a taste of what's to come.
This particular track opens the album with a gravitational riff on the electric guitar, later embellished with drums, bass, and tambourine. The lyrics describe a push and pull relationship you often have with following your heart and taking a leap of faith. The is a wonderful scat at the bridge, and melodies familiar with the funkiness of Prince’s 3RDEYEGIRL era of the 2010s. The chorus “will you come be with me” is repeated and serves as the outro for the song, perfect as an open invitation to continue this journey with Warfield for the rest of the album. An invitation that is readily accepted.
2. The second single, “Maybe They'll Take Your Picture,” was released on August 4th, reverberating a funky bass that can get any crowd to the dance floor. This single was soon followed up with a corresponding lyric video and lyric visualizer. The bass riff in this song is groovy and perfect for a quick 2-step or line dance routine. This song allows for a full band banter, featuring a trumpet solo, guitar, jazz keyboard, gospel tambourine, a funk bass, hand claps for a take me to church feel. The scatting on this track is pure skittles for the ears!
Lyrically, this song is a proverbial anthem about living for the now so that your legacy can follow your footsteps. Phrases like “live your life!” and “Do it cool, maybe they’ll take your picture” speak to how living in the moment makes way for memories that others will want to capture with you. If you follow your purpose in life, others will acknowledge that and your impact will live on.
3. “Chess” sits third on the tracklist, slowing us down for a reggae/blues shot of sonics, with a rock’n’roll chaser. Once this song plays, your head will instantly bop to the plucks of the guitar as your body sways to the waves of the bass. The lyrics “I miss the memories of your touch,” and “haunt me till I die” stand out in this complicated ballad.
The song tells the story of a lover reminiscing of a lost love, missing the old days and sensations of an electric love, while also acknowledging the red flags she ignored in the relationship. Warfield has strategic ad libs and scatting that mimic heart strings being plucked by the lead guitar on the track. “Chess” is easily a classic, filled with the scornful, soulful, sultry melody of a rugged lovestory.
4. Fourth in line is “Bloom”, noted as Warfield’s favorite on the album in her Windy City Live interview in Chicago, Illinois on September 8th. Opening with a simple kick drum, top hat, and organ, the listener is transported to a pew in a cathedral, listening to what sounds like Warfield’s open letter to God. In this confessional style track, the listener is wades between the gospel notes of tambourine and organ, and the blues staples of guitar and trumpet. The listener is treated to a surprise violin interlude and a trumpet run that is familiar to the music of Denise Williams.
Lyrically, the song details how far Warfield has come in her life journey, that she is proud of that journey, but still reeling with the scars and wounds that have marked her along the way. The line “ “ has a great moment of an upward crescendo, but instead of an expected melodic lifting of the song, Warfield chooses to return to the more somber echo set in the first verse. Unfortunately, this melancholy instrumentation weighs down the track and was a lost opportunity to make the song more anthemic and inspirational.
5. Next is “Get To Know”, and is one of two personal favorites on the album. As soon as the track begins, the listener is brought to their feet to dance to the afro-latin guitar, bass, and bongos. Reflective of samba, Brazilian jazz, and the call and response stylings of drummers in West Africa and the Caribbean, you can't help but find a dance partner for this track and race them to the nearest dance floor. The brass section perform as background singers in this piece.The melodies compel you to lift your hands in the air, and let go of the stress you carry.
What makes this track fun is the nod to 1970s funk, decorated with buttery harmonies, intuitive scats, amazonian flutes signature to a James Bond special agent film. This secret mission attitude is echoed in the lyrics, as Warfield acts as an undercover truth teller, letting you know it’s ok to “dance to release all the pain.”
“Get To Know” is a song I am most excited to see performed live. With its alluring and intriguing instrumentation, and the lyrical content to match, you can’t help but replay this song again and again. The chorus chants, “Get to know Love, and respect it. Listen to Love, don’t regret it,” giving an unexpected religious undertone. In the context of the Bible, God is Love (1 John 4:8 ESV). So these lyrics’ call to action caused me to pause and ponder my own relationship with God and ways I can strengthen my ability to hear His voice and heed His call. This faith based undertone is echoed in other lyrics like “reborn again,” which may be a reference to being born again in the Christian faith. Either way, faith based or not, the messaging in this song is quite clear: enjoy this life, learn what you can, and follow the path before you. On this earth we plant seeds, have faith and hope that those seeds will grow and produce fruit. As you wait for that harvest, don’t waste your time with distractions; let go of pain, regret, and shame and let your light shine through it all.
An acapella single teaser for “Get To Know” was released on socials on September 10th, stirring up more suspense for Friday’s release.
6. Sixth on the list is “Another Day In Paradise,” a surprise cover of Phill Collins’ 1989 song of the same name. Warfield’s rendition is slowed down with more rocked out elements of drums, electric guitar, bass, and maracas. Warfield approaches this song about unhoused awareness and visibility with an anthemic approach. The guitar solo as a chorus cries the message and emotion of the lyrics with an electricity that can be hard to emote by string.
The vocalizations on the versus heighten Warfield’s strength as an alto as she sings with a buttery clarity reminiscent of a Sade or Toni Braxton serenade. The electric guitar musicianship is like that of a 1990s RnB Carlos Santana.
The gravity of the story in this song is gracefully paced with harmonics fitted for an activist at the front lines, shouting for the world to love on thy fellow man as we all share this paradise on earth. Warfield pleads to the listener to “think twice” with her beautiful vocal performance on this ballad. This track showcases Warfield’s range the best so far on the album, demonstrating the sweetness and skills of her lower register.
“Another Day In Paradise” is easily my second most favorite track on the album. This cover will readily regain the chart-topping glory of its original release, as Luke Combs has achieved for Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car.”
7. Track seven on the album is titled, “Stare.” This song fuses rock’n’roll and country and features a grunge style breakdown. Full of spunk and sass, the highlight line in the pre-chorus is “Please, please. Mother, may I tell them about themselves?” This line made me chuckle, having made this request to my own mother on several occasions over the years. The song progresses with a punchy, in-your-face, dare to stare attitude, as implied throughout the lyrics in the chorus and verses. “Stare” maintains a heavy guitar instrumentation and kick drum rhythm for the majority of the song, complete with hand clapping and foot stomping, as if intended to be a rally cry for audience participation.
Sonically, it sits between Tina Turner's “Nutbush City Limits” and Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror.” I also sense a very loose “Cream” by Prince influence on this track. Lyrically, the focus of the song is to warn about the side effects of staring in one direction or the next. You can watch others, and lose yourself in their identity. Or you can stare at yourself long enough until you finally change.Whether that change is for the better or for the worse is up to you.
8. We have finally come to the last track of the album, but not the musical end of our journey with Warfield. Titled “Saviour,” I can confirm my earlier impressions of religious undertones throughout the album.
This track begins with a 40 second instrumental of ethereal soundscapes, otherworldly chants, and the vibrational bell tones suited for mindfulness and serenity. This musical progression in of itself implies a transformation of some sort, a sonic metamorphosis. This instrumentation choice definitely offers a “come” and “go in peace” vibe for the listener. Once the main guitar strums its tune, we are transported to a 1960s folk song campfire scene. The vocals and ease of the guitar makes you intuitively close your eyes and rock yourself in a comforting embrace.
Featuring electric and acoustic guitars, drums, bass and a shaker, Warfield’s vocal performance is gorgeously executed yet again. The crisp nature of Warfields alto voice is highlighted as she sings this ballad with all the power and emotion you can expect for her to deliver. The mixing of the vocals on this track is sonically matched to that of a festival or stadium of thousands.
Breaking down the lyrics, Warfield repeats the phrase “feels like” in both verses, creating another confessional style song. This song feels good, like a therapeutic release of hopes and cares. The words “feels like” implies the evolving nature of relationships and emotions. She describes feeling rejection, hopeless, condemned. But later being saved, and finally feeling free and connected to her savior that “was there all along.” As the song progresses in time, Warfield’s vocals also build in emotions and revelations.
As the song continues, I notice yet another Prince influence. This track could easily fit on his The Rainbow Children album from 2001. Another stylistic match would be "The Cross” from Sign O’ The Times released in 1987.
This ballad is a pure, transparent snapshot of the human experience. It tells the story of a human being navigating life in their own strength, being worn down by life, only to realize that a supernatural, higher power is there to hold us and put us back together again. To free us from our burdens and to “catch us when [we] fall.” This is a wonderful note to leave the listener on, one of hope and peace.
Final thoughts? LiV Warfield is a fantastic storyteller that uses music as an instrument of connectedness. Her commitment to live musicianship on her album sets her apart and keeps her music on tier with her noted musical inspirations. She is a talented songwriter, gifted songstress, and rock’n’roll queen to witness in action. Her album The Edge will further establish herself as a funk diva: loud, proud, and ready to make a change. Get a copy of this record (support your local wrecka stow) and bring it to a LiV Warfield show near you. Get that baby signed and enjoy an album for the decade.
LiV Warfield is a native of Peoria, IL. She began her music career visiting open mics while studying at Portland State University. During that time, she was tapped by Prince and later joined his band New Power Generation, of which she was a member from 2009 until his passing in 2016. Warfield has much acclaim for herself, winning several awards and nominations, including BET’s Best New independent Artist (2008) and NAACP Image Award Nominee for Outstanding New Artist (2015). Additionally, Warfield has graced the stages of AfroPunk, Lollapalooza, Montreux Jazz Festival, Good Morning America, ABC Today, VH1, the BET Awards, The Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live!,The Arsenio Hall Show, and many more! Warfield credits musical influences like Nina Simone, Tina Turner, Sade, James Brown, and her close mentor, Prince, as she shaped her own unique sound and artistic voice.
Warfield will begin her U.S. and European tour for the album this Wednesday, September 13th in Washington, D.C.
“The Edge” is set for release on Friday, September 15, 2023. Join Warfield for her album release listening party by purchasing a ticket on Eventbrite.
Great review! I'm a big fan of Liv and her music (and a fellow Chicagoan) - can't wait to hear the album myself this Friday!
Awesome review and dissection of each song! I will definitely check out her work.
Can't wait to see this artist when she comes to Chicago.