Tuelo - Regarding My Heart (2024) Hi-Res

Folk music comes in different flavors & many foreign countries & cultures have their regional folk music. So, it’s no surprise when South African-born & New York/Dublin-based folk/rock/World music artist Tuelo began to lay down some interestingly sumptuous songs. Each unravels in a haunting narrative (“Regarding My Heart”) & the music is chamber-like as it cruises & flows with melodic singularly.

Different from the standard American folk song, each tune is broken up by a short introductory vocalized chant. There are 13 cuts (including the chants). But it narrows down to 6 songs proper & one acoustic version of “Some Kind of Love” at the coda. This is Tuelo Minah’s 2nd LP (as Tuelo) & her program is stunningly produced on Regarding My Heart.

Some songs aren’t so far adrift from what folk listeners are accustomed to. The first version of “Some Kind of Love” is beautifully composed & performed. It possesses a commercial/mainstream attraction in all its inceptions. Yes, it’s somewhat repetitive but that’s what makes it a catchy, infectious pop-folk tune. It has African overtones that older American listeners will recall the dynamism of Miriam Makeba’s surprise ‘60s hit “Pata, Pata” & Tuelo’s silky & sure voice is up to the task.

The songs explore varied topics. Self-love, loss, loneliness & defiance without depending heavily on controversy & politics. On “Green Light” Tuelo surrounds herself with superb percussive layers. She’d benefit even more by following the lead of Joni Mitchell who used the Burundi drummers on Joni’s “Jungle Line” decades ago. South Africa’s late Johnny Clegg & Juluka utilized similar percussive delights in their superb “Scatterlings of Africa.” Even African folk music requires a universal dynamic “hook” to snare the masses. This would be the ingredient. Tuelo has the attractive vocal power & articulation.

There is a spiritual touch. Yet never so heavy as to dominate. I had thought the “chants” would distract from the songs, but many are good intros & never interfere with the compositions. Aside from Tuelo’s heartfelt efforts, it becomes obvious if she wanted to, needed to, she could switch to the vitality & brio of more traditional American folk, easy listening & some jazz since her tonality is universal.

“Bitter Weeping” shows off Tuelo’s range & while she doesn’t necessarily have the octaves of Minnie Ripperton (“Loving You”), her vocal swell is more harmonic than a Nina Simone & far less raw than Billie Holiday. When Tuelo pulls out the African folk tradition (“My Friend Saba”) it somehow doesn’t sound so foreign since it has a sincere spiritual tone. The words crest with festivity despite their implied sadness. She makes the music something to experience beyond a mere listen.