Music can always be a channel for issues and ideas, even when on the surface it seems just another fun and funky slice of pop. And those are the opposites that make The Gap so attractive. Blending jazzy vibes, soulful tones and pop infectiousness, The Gap is also a platform for an important issue. It is from this sonic soapbox that Lo Marie reminds us of the disingenuousness and unfairness of the gender pay gap, where she is expected to “work hard to make an honest dollar, get $0.80 on the hour,” Well, quite!
But a poignant lyric doesn’t mean that a song has to be austere and serious, and around this message, the music is playful and buoyant, addictive and adventurous. Shards of guitars shimmer and chime, Hammond organs ebb and flow, basses pulse and beats gently drive everything along. But it is Lo Marie‘s vocals that stand out as the focal point, whether delivering soulful lines or jazzy scat singing and even when underlining her point with an unexpected curse, her crystalline and controlled voice is gorgeous to behold.
Lo Marie already has three well-received albums under her belt, each feeling like a step up for the last and The Gap sees her continue to elevate up that creative curve. It’s not only a great song but a timely release given that it landed on the unsuspecting public during March’s Women’s History Month.
