A level of consensus!
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[6.00]
Iain Mew: I like the slick spaceship vibe just about enough to be convinced that the arrogance of “I found someone on my level” is a necessary component to powering this instance of it.
[6]
Alfred Soto: The rhythm guitar tugs at the verses and chorus, urging them forward. The former lead signer of Mint Condition’s rich purr, reminiscent of contemporary Raphael Saadiq’s, is the attraction
[6]
Thomas Inskeep: Mint Condition’s singer branches out on a cool, relaxed R&B cut. Over a quarter-century since MC’s debut album, Stokley’s voice sounds as perfect as ever; I can listen to him sing anything. “Level” is on some “real music” Isleys-in-the-’70s guitar-centered ish, which makes perfect sense when you remember that Mint Condition are a band and always have been; organic instrumentation is his thing. This sounds organic and fresh and light and summery as fuck.
[7]
Ashley John: Stokley’s voice carries this safe, solid track and elevates it from hollow to warm. “Level” sits at an even tempo but in a way that is comforting rather than boring. Stokley has witnessed and weathered the trends of the past thirty years, and “Level” smartly synthesizes them with classic R&B sensibilities.
[6]
Stephen Eisermann: Stokely has something off about his voice. This track is light, breezy, romantic, and very nostalgic, but Stokely’s vocals range from effortless to karaoke-like. His performance on this track reminds me of various “American Idol” or “The Voice” performances from recent years: the vocal isn’t bad, it’s just not particularly unique or engaging. As Simon himself would say, I’m sure I’ve heard this same vocal performance at various open mic nights across this country and Stokely will have to do a hell of a lot better than this if he hopes to make a major splash.
[5]
Edward Okulicz: That chorus lyric is confusing me, the way Stokley sings makes me unsure whether he’s smugly celebrating meeting someone of his status, or being amazed that he met someone just on his kind of wavelength. The generosity and lushness of the track, especially the backing vocals, tips me over to the latter. It’s nothing if not easy to please and tasteful, after all.
[6]
Katherine St Asaph: R&B out of era; the waterfall glissandos, trap percussion and guitar suggest entirely different decades. Stokley floats between them all like a breeze: as effortless, as insubstantial.
[6]