Macy Gray

CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Deep Discount (U.S.)
LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Sampson Low Books (U.K.) / Deep Discount (U.S.)

7a Records reissues R&B diva Macy Gray's award-winning 2016 album Stripped in which the self-decribed "underground jazz singer" came to the surface with the backing of a jazz quartet.  The repertoire was accessible to both Gray's existing fans and to jazz purists; she reinvented her chart-topping, Grammy-winning 1999 hit "I Try" as well as four other gems from her 1999-2014 discography.  Metallica's "Nothing Else Matters" and Bob Marley's "Redemption Song" were beautifully reimagined while three new songs including the languid "Annabelle" premiered on Stripped. 7a's deluxe package has all of the same hallmarks as the label's Monkees releases.  The CD package offers a 20-page booklet with full lyrics and new liner notes by TSD's Joe Marchese; the lavish vinyl package also includes both the lyrics and liner notes.  The vinyl version is pressed onto 180-gram "cool white" vinyl.  With this reissue, Stripped's soul-drenched fusion of pure jazz and adult R&B comes into its own once again.