Push & Pull by Tina Leon
Tina Leon grants her audience access into her inner world of romance with the release of her debut full length album, “Push & Pull”. The title represents the emotional charge that empowers this body of work. Through her songwriting, Leon reconciles the tension between the warm affections of romantic partnerships, and the strenuous moments of disappointment that come from these same relationships.
The desire to support and nurture is an essential quality in Leon’s work. In the song, “Hold Me” Leon reveals a willingness towards vulnerability, she fights for the importance of physical closeness and the comfort found in sensual connection. The song expresses a capacity to share in a loved one’s struggles, urging them to “forget your burdens and worries, let me help you lift all that’s heavy”. There is a beauty in wanting to share in the experience of life with someone, to bear witness to each other’s struggles and successes.
On the contrary, there is another force at play expressed with poignant intensity in the song “WTH”. Leon sings with the full force of her spirit against emotional apathy. She tries to understand “what the hell happened baby…you don’t look at me the same way”. Leon doesn’t fall into pessimism, she fights against it. She acknowledges dysfunction as a real aspect of relationships, and it is an essential theme of the album, but it is never given enough attention to influence her definition of what love is. Leon’s songs have an overarching commitment to the power of love and how that power can create lasting, harmonious partnerships.
The production value of “Push and Pull” mirrors Leon’s vigorous passion. The full fledged sound incorporates all kinds of influences, from string sections, synthesizers, up beat rhythms, and melodies that crescendo alongside Leon’s soulful vocals. The deep feeling that Leon pours into her music, accompanied by the bright, complex variety of sound, makes the album burst open with a colorful array of emotion.
Leon explores subject matter forever relevant to human life. Finding a partner and nurturing that relationship plays an immense role in our existence. These relationships, to a large extent, can affect our well being and life trajectory as a whole and they fill us with “lots of questions burning”. Leon doesn’t offer any clear cut answers, probably because there are none. Instead, she is upfront and undeniably authentic in her needs and wants. This clarity of emotion is a light shining in a world that can be somber and lacking in love. Leon inspires us to be forthright with our own emotional needs in a bold and unapologetic way, which is in itself a kind of answer. In her own words, “life is too short and we owe it to ourselves to live it.”
Tracklist
| 1. | Settlin' | 3:12 |
| 2. | WTH | 3:11 |
| 3. | I Should Be Enough | 3:41 |
| 4. | Erase | 4:12 |
| 5. | Hold Me | 5:19 |
| 6. | The Current | 3:10 |
| 7. | Float | 4:56 |
| 8. | Like | 5:41 |
| 9. | Plans | 3:46 |
| 10. | Chemistry | 2:58 |
| 11. | Fire | 2:56 |
| 12. | Love Is Stronger Than Pride | 5:01 |
Credits
Songs written and composed by Marie-Christine Depestre, except for "Love Is Stronger Than Pride" which was written and composed by Sade Adu, Andrew Hale, and Stuart Matthewman.
Vocals: Marie-Christine Depestre
Drums: Maxime Bellavance, Alex McMahon, William Côté, Kevin Warren, Thomas Sauvé-Lafrance
Bass: Antoine Gratton, Alex McMahon, Fabienne Gilbert
Keys & synths: Alex McMahon, Jérôme Beaulieu, Antoine Gratton, Ariane Moffatt
Piano: Antoine Gratton, Alex McMahon
Guitar: Antoine Gratton, Alex McMahon
Tenor, baritone saxophone: Sebastien Grenier
Violin: Amélie Lamontagne
String quartet: Quatuor Esca
String arrangement: Antoine Gratton
Percussion: Alex McMahon, Thomas Sauvé-Lafrance, Antoine Gratton
Programming: Félix Petit, Antoine Gratton, Ariane Moffatt, Alex McMahon, Majosty and Agoldencoast
Recording engineers: David Laurendeau, Alex McMahon, Félix Petit, Ghyslain Luc Lavigne, Ariane Moffatt, Jérémi Roy, Majosty
Record producers: Antoine Gratton, Alex McMahon, Jérôme Beaulieu, Félix Petit, Ariane Moffatt, Majosty
Executive producer: Marie-Christine Depestre
Mixing engineer: David Laurendeau
Mastering engineer: Richard Addison at Trillium Sound, Montreal QC
Photography: Oumayma Ben Tanfous
Artwork: Siou-Min Julien
Stylist: Vanessa Borris
Makeup artist: Audrey Toulouse
Hairstylist: Verline Siverne
License
All rights reserved.
Tina Leon is a singer and songwriter from Montreal who draws her inspiration from the Motown Generation and the soul music of the last decades. Having already sung and collaborated with Stevie Wonder, DJ Champion and Garou under the artist name of Marie-Christine Depestre, she now appears in a new light, more authentic and full of life than ever.