INTERVISION Shades of Neptune (Intervision Music)

[October 17th, 2007] [SPACE JAZZ] Goddamn, can Paul Creighton sing. And on Intervision’s second full-length, Shades of Neptune, he runs up and down his vocal register with the greatest of ease, moving from soulful ballads to staccato lyrical bursts with such finesse it melts your eardrums like butter.

Creighton and company wax chill and sexy, offering funk-laced jazz with a decidedly futuristic bent, making dance-soul fusioneers Jamiroquai an easy comparison. Opening track “10,000 Years” mixes synth and sax while Creighton’s voice drifts melodically, exploding suddenly into a fast-paced, highly verbose machine-gun flow. The same thing happens on the second track, “Live Out Loud,” creating a robust formula that’s prevalent through much of the album. “Sing, dance/ It’s an intimate romance formed by cosmic circumstance/ Move, groove/ What have you to lose except the tread beneath your shoes,” Creighton croons, drawing out the notes before firing into another trademark burst of fast-paced flow.

In a sense—many of the songs sound remarkably similar. But just when you think you’ve got the Portland-based outfit pegged, out comes a heartfelt breakup ballad like “Violet.” All of a sudden, Intervision’s tugging at your heartstrings as Creighton’s voice digs deep into a familiar emotional reservoir.

These slower songs can also bring the album to a screeching halt, occasionally evoking Coldplay and teetering dangerously close to adult-contemporary. But just when you’re ready to dismiss Neptune, it slaps you hard across the face with some deeply infectious grooves. Take “Always on my Mind,” a track that follows the somber “Violet” and builds gradually from a slow pop song to an all-out funk free-for-all. Bassist Mike Glidden slaps and pops under some serious Stevie-esque keys, and an assortment of horns blare blissfully as the track just keeps climbing.

Despite some redundancy and the occasional bring-down, Shades of Neptune delivers a deeply felt groove, placing it somewhere between classic soul, modern jazz and a distant, futuristic funk. Each song is heartfelt and honest, amplified by Creighton and crew’s commitment to sonic density—making for an undeniably smooth, sexy experience.