Born Valvin Roane II, “V” was nicknamed at an early age by his father,which stuck with him till this day. He was raised in South Jersey, and sang regularly in church, which is where he hooked up with James Poyser leading him to be introduced to DJ Jazzy Jeff and the whole Touch of Jazz extended family.
The Revelation Is Now Televised is a stunningly beautiful soul album produced by DJ Jazzy Jeff & Pete Kuzma (Jill Scott’s band leader). All the elements of Marvin Gaye ‘s best recordings are crystalised in this album.
V has worked with Will Smith, Musiq Soulchild and Justin Timberlake, and he is currently rehearsing with Jill Scott and Erykah Badu in preparation for a North American tour.
Review:
The opening track of V's first album is a smart takeoff of the old
standard “It Was a Very Good Year,” dramatically setting the scene for the
album in much the same way that the similarly lush opening of OutKast's The
Love Below does. The Philadelphia-based R&B singer's a mellower cat than
Andre Benjamin, however, and he's also glossier and more suave than Anthony
Hamilton, the other neo-soul singer he most closely resembles. If the churchy
Hamilton's the new Al Green or Bill Withers, V is more like the new Lou Rawls:
he never breaks a sweat on The Revelation Is Now Televised, even at his most
impassioned. Similarly, the production (headed up by the too-quiet Jazzy Jeff)
is elegant and richly detailed, balanced between crisp R&B electronics and
the orchestral vibe of classic Philly soul. To complete the hometown rooting
section, the great Jill Scott guests on the album's high point, the
exhilarating “Born Again.” A hugely enjoyable album that looks backward
while remaining utterly contemporary, The Revelation Is Now Televised is a
must-listen for neo-soul fans.
All Music Guide – Stewart Mason