As on her debut album,
Stranger on Earth,
Shelina Ward (aka
Lina), aided and abetted by producer/arranger
Jeeve, mixes old swing elements into her otherwise unremarkable neo-soul tunes. In the musical tracks,
Jeeve displays an affection for string and horn sounds, sometimes appropriately distressed as if taken from scratchy old records, but these are juxtaposed to the usual thudding percussion sounds more typical of the genre.
Lina, who employs several different vocal styles, sings over these eclectic tracks, usually restraining herself from the ranginess she displayed on her debut as she explores the subjects of love and self-assertion. There are moments that vaguely recall the 1970s days of
Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band, another act with an affection for swing styles, but
Lina and
Jeeve never manage that group's humor or panache. When
The Inner Beauty Movement succeeds, it does so because of
Lina's catchy melodies and distinctive singing, not because of
Jeeve's gimmicky production signature. ~ William Ruhlmann