Novel - Song Cry II

Jay-Z‘s Song Cry was (and is) a powerful record, and I think that’s due in part to the fact that it was coming from a man who’d once spit, “Me give my heart to a woman?  Not for nothing, never.”  Novel, on the other hand, seems like a guy who’s in touch with his emotions, and so unreleased cut Song Cry II (making its online premiere at DJBooth.net!) is a very different animal.  That’s not a bad thing—on the contrary, it’s probably the best thing: Novel’s, crowd-pleasing, falsetto-laced vocals and soulful, sampled beat (which, unfortunately, is the reason why this record won’t be on his LP’s tracklist), make SCII a truly original riff on Hova’s classic, as well as a great listen in its own right.  At the end of the day, Novel may not have needed to make this song cry, but, as far as listeners are concerned, it’s a damned good thing he did.  In regard to The Audiobiography, Novel’s tipped us off that the LP’s June release may be pushed back due to label difficulties; keep your fingers crossed, and be sure to grab a copy of his latest single, Makes You Happy (out now on iTunes).