Elle Varner Album Review – Conversational Lush

Elle Varner Album Review – Conversational Lush

February 23, 2012 · by mtaylor · in ,

The first song I ever heard by Elle Varner was “Only Want to Give It to You” featuring J. Cole. Needless to say, it was a cute, poppy radio hit that I overlooked. Good thing I stumbled over her latest project, Conversational Lush, because if I hadn’t I probably wouldn’t have given her a second thought.

This mix tape, which dropped January 24th, is a very eclectic mix of pop, hip hop, and soul. It features songs about relationship issues, girl power, and fun. Elle Varner is reminiscent of Rihanna and Erykah Badu. That is, if Rihanna could really sing and did not have an accent. The mix tape is short and sweet, but this leaves the listener begging for more of Miss Varner’s catchy tunes and beautiful voice.

Her second track “WTF” tells the story of what seems to be the night from hell. She sings about waking up to find her car being broken into, finds her boyfriend with another man, and finally at the end, she gets robbed.

My personal favorite off of the mix tape is track four, “Do You Want To.” In this track, Miss Varner explains to her boyfriend that he is free to leave, although she knows that he won’t be going anywhere. The bridge of the song completely sums up what many of us in relationships have felt at one point or another. “When you say, this car isn’t driving like it used to/ why do you stay? / If you’re really leaving, what’s in your way?”

The beats on this mix tape are very upbeat and feature lots of live instruments which really gives it an eclectic feel. Elle Varner’s voice has a very wide range and the beats complement it well. In track seven, “Go,” she really reveals her vocal range, showing off a very velvety soprano, but also features a soulful quality reminiscent of Erykah Badu.

Elle Varner has not skyrocketed to the ranks of fame that she deserves for this mix tape, but consider her a star in the making. “Do You Want To,” “So Fly” and “Stay” are definitely the stand outs of this mix tape.

Rating: 8.9/10

By: Morgan Taylor

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