In Need of Love is a gorgeous collection, from the nurturing Libation through to the brief coda that is Outro. The third album from singer Lisa Simone contains beautiful self-penned songs, some in collaboration with her musical and writing partner Hervé Samb.

The surname is a give-away for anyone who hasn’t heard the singer before, but she’s so much more than Nina’s daughter. Many of the songs refer to her roots, not least Legacy in which she acknowledges that ‘I am proud of the blood/That runs through my veins’.

However, for me, the two songs I’ll come back to again and again on this album are Wonderful and Right Now.  As a message for any woman from another, both songs tell of striving to be happy with who you are, wherever you are. The sleeve notes are clear: ‘This album is my gift to a world in need of love.’

Listen to Wonderful here:

The album is very much rooted around the hunt for peace; the lyrics are intense and soul-searching, while the music is eclectic and full of grooves from around the world. With Simone herself based in France, that country clearly has an impact on instrumentation and arrangements, with rhythms running through all the tracks showing influence from all corners of the world.

In Need of Love was recorded and mixed in Paris, with French musicians and this is obviously where Simone has found her musical home. As she’s about to embark on a tour with her quartet around Europe and even a Big Band in Australia at the end of March, 2020 might be a great time to catch her live.