N0va – Lessons And Blessings

N0va – Lessons And Blessings – Album Review

From the man who brought you Whip Sessions, Hour Glass and Whip Sessions II, one our favorite Canadian emcees out there on the scene, N0va is back with his second record this year.  Fresh as it gets & released just a couple days ago, Lessons And Blessings is here, a new set of twenty-two cuts and a plethora of talented producers lending an assist.  Outsourcing creativity in collaborations can really pay off in unimaginable ways you’d never even think of…those are the benefits.  In a situation like this, over the course of an entire album that exceeds the length of your average blank CD, the challenge becomes creating that cohesion from track-to-track.  With so many hands in the pie, it’s up to the main star N0va to keep the record on-point and flowing correct; he’s given us no reason to doubt his potential to rise to the occasion from what we’ve heard in the past…let’s check Lessons And Blessings out & see what’s up.

N0va’s one of them expressive-types…always has been.  He’s pretty infamous for putting his personality right into the music, which, at his most focused, always ends up producing a checkmark in the win column…because you can audibly hear just how much enthusiasm, passion and FUN this guy has spittin’ his rhymes.  Oooooo right?  There’s that dirty word in all-things-rap…’FUN’…that’s the last thing you want to let people know you’re having if you wanna be down with the hardcore right?  Yeah…well…fuck that.  Welcome to a new age where art rules supreme and those that genuinely commit to their words, performances and music are the artists/bands that are succeeding out there through an authentic connection that connects them to their material and the material directly to the fans listening.  To put out a ‘perfect’ track these days could arguably take much less time than getting that genuine personality to break through in the music – and that’s where artist’s like N0va have the advantage of being ahead of the curve at the forefront of the class of Hip-Hop 101.  And YES…N0va is clearly having fun being there.

So…”where the bass at?”

“Oh shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit.”  Amen brother.  N0va comes out gunning with an incredibly smooth cut and a wild flow that immediately has him swinging for the fences with a stunning performance on the album’s opening cut “Selfish Eyes.”  Dig the jazzy beginning, love that bass that comes through next, and right away N0va’s back with some of his best.  Switching up his rhymes from traditional hip-hop bars and metering to a trap-style triplet delivery, the man transitions with ease alongside the ultra-smooth bars.  I can pick out the voice of actor Richard Jenkins in the sample…not sure which movie it comes from, but there’s no mistaking that voice for anyone else.  Detailing the straightforward ‘real’ of his situation and what’s keeping him driving forward and motivated, you could almost listen to “Selfish Eyes” like it’s a love song about Me, Myself and I.  N0va reminds me a lot of Lil’ Dicky here on this first track…tons of expression and character in his vocals and the transition between different styles is flawless.  Solid!

N0va keeps ‘lurking on the beat’ and does a wicked job of keeping the gloves up, ducking, weaving, stickin’ & movin through “Too Much To Learn.”  Really dig the beat on this cut – dig the way that N0va’s got his background vocals lined up as well, adding the punch and emphasis needed to make these lines deliver the impact he’s looking for.  Anyone that’s spent time smoking the green can likely relate to a lot of what he’s saying; I know for me, the moment I start smoking in the morning (daily), I instantly feel like the odds are stacked against me right afterwards…like there’s “Too Much To Learn” – and as N0va himself will tell you in the hooks of this second cut, the ‘grass always greener, there’s too much to burn.’  I hear that homie.  I patterned myself after Hunter S. Thompson as best I could, trying to find that balance between functionality and creativity without getting completely lost…it’s not always an easy thing to do…I think “Too Much To Learn” speaks a lot to situations like mine.  The struggle is real.  Rad beat, rad hooks & I really like the loose approach N0va takes to singing the chorus of this cut.

I was a bit more tossed up on “Swervin” – but if I’m being honest…I’m not entirely sure why.  I don’t think it’s a reflection on the song itself so much as maybe a comparison to the first two cuts from the record.  “Swervin” seems to make a more decided effort to emphasize the hooks, which are definitely catchy and they work well…I might take the backing vocals down a little here, but I think the contrast between their tones is an approach that generally works well for N0va’s music.  You can hear in the second layer that he goes for a more soulful approach…and I think that it works pretty well overall throughout the record, but wasn’t as sure about it on this third cut.  The verses are unquestionably killer on “Swervin,” that’s where I think the magic lies on this particular track, but my ears can definitely appreciate that many people would love the main hooks of the chorus here too.  For me, there’s no contest here, N0va’s outshining himself from the song’s complexity and delivery in the verse compared to the more simplified, mellowed-out hooks of the chorus on “Swervin,” but lyrically, it all fits really well.

Lots I liked about “Along The Way” and I think it also speaks pretty loudly about the multiple-layers of talent in this emcee in the smoothest ways possible.  N0va has never been one to shy away from creating & performing his own main hooks – this would be a solid example of what it sounds like when it’s all going right for him.  Some of my favorite lines from the record can be found within the verses of “Along The Way,” but even I’d admit, as cool as they might be…N0va might up the degree of coolness a couple more notches with the hazy sway of the hooks in the chorus.  Massive amount of catchiness in this cut – a lot of this one comes down to commitment and really giving yourself to the moment; N0va commits like Santa on Christmas here…every moment along the way is like a gift to your ears.  Gotta watch the peak a bit on those moments where the backing vocals come through at their loudest, but other than that, “Along The Way” deserves a solid green light.  That bass line!  Damn that’s smooth!

Continuing to display intense amounts of versatility and a depth of skills on the mic, N0va reaches further into the bizarre with the wickedly cut music on “Pennywise.”  Main hook I was undecided on – it works well enough but once again, definitely seems like you’ll find the majority of the beef in this meal right in the verse.  Musically, I think without a doubt that “Pennywise” is one of the coolest tracks you’ll hear a rapper spit rhymes to this year; it definitely plays with the carnival theme and there’s definitely references to the Stephen King’s It in here as well as detailing the struggle and love for the greenbacks.  Listen to the way the main star does his thang though…whether or not you dig each and every part he’s ever come up with is kind of beside the point ain’t it?  Facts are facts…N0va’s not usually one to settle into one particular gear or rely on just one method of delivery…the amount of time he spends switching it up and transitioning smoothly from bar-to-bar without it sounding jagged or ragged deserves respect.  The first verse of “Pennywise” grips & rips impressively – and overall, you can hear the style & swagger of N0va’s approach dripping from every corner of this eerie beat.  It’s a RAD beat mind you…but yeah…eerie as fuck, as intended.

One drawback to having a long album or an entire catalog of releases to look back on, as cool as that all might be, it can definitely become easier to spot the moments where things are going completely RIGHT.  Hard not to listen to “Status Quo” and not acknowledge this as being one of the best you’ll find in the N0va catalog.  Whatcha want?  Lyrics?  Of course, they’re there.  Style, flair, flow?  Yup, yup, yup.  Musically?  KILLER.  Hooks?  Plenty of’em.  It’s a return to the smoothness here; a really smartly produced track that explores the depth and contrast between a bold low-end and bright piano sound.  It SHOULD have probably come out as a slow-jam, yes?  Maybe in the hands of any other artist or emcee – but not N0va; the man puts in a noteworthy performance here.  I’ve mentioned here in the studio at SBS many times and on the page here as well, that the very beginning moments for a vocalist in any genre are often the absolute toughest to make come out as well as the rest to follow.  Makes sense right?  It’s often easier to find that gear you want along the way than it is to bust right out of the gate, pedal to the metal.  That’s a truth that applies to almost everyone but it doesn’t apply to N0va on this track, no doubt about it.  He comes out with the perfect energy and tone to make an immediate impact on “Status Quo” and does an extraordinary job on his verses in this cut.  The loose approach and swag he puts into the chorus and breakdowns, with this particular music, is massively effective & captivating.

If you’ve been paying attention to these lyrics along the way, it’s no secret that N0va likes his green.  “No Team” explains ‘the life’ in great detail…from his own perspective but one that many would certainly like to get in on.  I bring it up for a reason though…as a fellow smoker, I think I’ve gotta hand it to the man for keeping the focus up and his performances sharp.  Might be the weed, might just be the man’s ability to dive right in and commit to the moment he’s in – whatever it is or a combination of both, it all propels and drives his themes, lyrics and style on songs like “No Team.”  N0va adds a real jazzy quality to his hooks in his singing voice…undeniably signature; it’s recognizable enough that you should be able to pick out a N0va track on your playlist blindfolded.  I think he’s got another really interesting beat to work with here as well – listen to how subtle and low-key “No Team” actually IS…or at least, would be without what N0va brings to it and the extra kick-beat that punches in to make it move…other than that, “No Team” could have been one of the quietest cuts on the record.  But that ain’t N0va’s style…he’s here to get LOUD and get the party started – songs like “Status Quo” and “No Team,” hell even “Pennywise,” they really highlight just how well this emcee can use the space he has.

Working with a hypnotic & rhythmic jam, looped to perfection on “Tongue Tied,” Lessons And Blessings continues with a solid demonstration of combining the old-school with the new and paying respect to the genre.  You can hear it right from moment one on “Tongue Tied” – this cut actually reminds me of some of the solid cuts you’d hear from Naughty By Nature that lined their records outside of the commercial hits.  That’s not to say there’s not enough hooks here on “Tongue Tied” that it wouldn’t get noticed if he put it out there as a single, it’s a solid tune…but one that runs a bit deeper than anything surface-level like we usually find out there on the radio in the mainstream.  This is that cut you really look forward to in the middle of a record…or…I mean I guess in this case, it’s first third.  “Tongue Tied” has a noticeable edge to its attitude that I think you can hear…a slight amount of extra aggression and subtle venom slipping through the microphone that seriously works in N0va’s favor to make this real.

Now…the last thing I’d want to do is give you OR N0va the impression that his approach is gonna work for everyone out there…that’s just simply not how a signature sound or stylistic approach is ever going to work.  You find the people that ‘get it,’ and believe me, those that do, they’re fans for life.  You might like or love the way that N0va sings his hooks, or maybe it’s not your thing or you don’t like the tone; but if you’ve got respect for commitment and focus, then I think you’ve gotta respect this guy when it comes to a track like “Elixir.”  With his unique swagger on the mic and recognizable tones, when he’s at his best, I think performances like you’ll find on smartly-cut music like you’ll find on “Elixir” are what will win you over.  He’s been around for long enough that he’s likely experienced the love & support in addition to a few haters out there…but as the man raps about life & love on “Elixir,” you can hear the maturity is there and he’s ready to embrace the uniqueness of his own style & sound through fully committing to the performance and expression in his words.  Excellent cut musically…I have no idea where that sample is from, but he’s picked a wicked track to work with here with an absolutely angelic set of female vocals backing him up that are a perfect fit thematically for what he’s going for on “Elixir.”

The multi-faceted dimensions of this record that come about organically through his use of several producers has definitely put N0va into some different atmospheres along the way.  “Cottonmouth” takes the tone into a more serious vein musically while N0va keeps it loose on the mic in the hooks.  I’m impressed with this emcee each time I make an effort to just listen to the beats he’s working with for what they are – quite often they’re minimal like “Cottonmouth” but end up being a perfect canvas for N0va to paint his verbal imagery all over.  With a tiny click or a tick in the percussion, he finds those beats and bars insightfully well, always delivering something entertaining on the mic.  I was a bit mixed on “Cottonmouth” overall…decent track and it has a distinct intensity as he rolls through the verse; wasn’t as sure about the chorus.  Sometimes that contrast between the ultra-focused style he takes to the verse can sound juxtaposed with his looser approach and swag he puts into a hook and I think you can feel that a bit on “Cottonmouth.”  N0va’s taking a defined approach to how he wants these hooks to sound…and there are advantages/disadvantages in that…sometimes, we’re going to want to hear that sharp focus stay in place as it moves from part to part.  Don’t get me wrong, he’s just as committed as ever in each part…but the combination of the two-styles of approach here makes “Cottonmouth” come out a little bit uneven in how its structure flows & sounds to us as listeners…that’s what I’m sayin.’

So there’s risk there…but that’s what comes along with having a recognizable, signature style.  If it’s workin’ and it’s building up that following you’re looking for, you’re in great shape – if not, that’s when it’s time to change up the approach and add some more diversity to the ideas.  “I Don’t Need That,” is another example of that kind of beat like “Cottonmouth” that might have turned out better with a more straight-ahead, similar hook to what we hear in the verse tone-wise.  What I think becomes extremely clear around the point of “I Don’t Need That” on Lessons And Blessings…is that deep-down, N0va wants to be a singer just as much as he wants to be an emcee, if he’s being honest with himself.  He’s split the majority of what we’ve heard pretty much 50/50 down the middle between rapped bars and choruses sung aloud…and I think the reality is that the rap comes out with a universally accessible sound while the singing is a play to a much more niche audience.  That can pigeon-hole him in some ways…and I’d advise some caution there once again and encourage the man to continually seek ways out to switch it up and get even more creative in the approach; he’s got unique hooks and that part’s locked-down – now it’s just about pumping up the differences in how he performs them to make these tracks stand out as they should.  As excellent as “I Don’t Need That” IS…and it IS a great track on this record – N0va’s still running a heavy risk on applying such a similar approach to how he’s coming at this new material that on a record with twenty-two tracks on it…well…you’ll burn some people out along the way if you’re not too careful.  There are incredible lines in the verse of “I Don’t Need That” that simply can’t be ignored though…and personally I like the way he sings this one – I can recognize the risk he’s taking, but I can still appreciate it as an individual track that’s executed exceptionally well.  It’s only when surrounded in the thick of similar ideas in the structure and flow that a track like “I Don’t Need That” wouldn’t make the impact it deserves…so stick with this one and stick with N0va here, it’s plenty worth it.

Two of the shortest cuts come firing off back-to-back with “Oh Lord” and “Spider’s Web” starting up the second-half of Lessons And Blessings.  It’s funny…when I was listening to “Oh Lord” all I could think about was how interesting it is to watch the still-young genre of rap go through what rock has been through so many million-times before – imitation.  I grew up in the grunge-era…watching the explosion of Nirvana and how the industry went out to sign a whole shitload of shitty garage bands in hopes of discovering the next version of a huge hit with something exactly similar.  With the new twists and innovations on the rap-genre morphing into trap – without saying it directly, “Oh Lord” is a comment on a lot of what I’d just mentioned…the instant need to ride nuts and try to catch a ride when someone’s already BEEN ridin’ – know what I’m sayin?’  There’s an element of this rhyme that’s a bit played in the sense that every emcee out there in the world wants to proclaim the throne and point out the reasons as to why they’re better than the rest out there…but at the same time, N0va’s making many inarguably solid points along the way that you can’t help but agree with.  As for “Spider’s Web” – I feel like I’m forever cursed in the sense that quite often, my favorites can be the shortest tracks on an album – I wanted so much MORE of this cut!  It’s less than two-minutes long, the hooks are sung perfectly, the beat has incredible diversity and style in its unique sound…it’s a quick departure from what we’ve heard so far and one that really works well for N0va.  Loved everything about it…it sounds personal, it sounds real…the final twenty seconds or so have the short hook from the beginning come back to end the song, having N0va sounding more confident and right on-target with that focus we’re looking for.  It all matches perfectly – “Spider’s Web” makes for a short song & highly memorable moment on this album.

Dude’s undeniably got BARS on “Standoff.”  With pop-culture references that range from Adebsi from the HBO show OZ to the Notorious B.I.G. to Neo from the Matrix and everything in between, N0va flexes his speed & skill through the verses of “Standoff” and creates some elbow room for himself.  I’ll say this…he can definitely provide himself with his own competition on the inside of a track – it’s hard to listen to “Standoff” and not feel like he might be outshining himself hard between the verse and chorus once again.  Listening to this guy string syllables together like this is a freakin’ treat for your earholes – and in the verses of “Standoff” I think he’s got some of the best bars he’s spit so far on the record; the verse from about ninety-seconds in and his flow over the next minute?  Please homies – he’s KILLIN’ IT.  I’d highly advise N0va to step outside the box and think about how those hooks are coming out though – he’s switching it up plenty with the ideas in the melody on how they’re sung, which is great…but now it’s about providing that versatility in sound and adding some punch to those ideas so they can make their impact and stand out more separately from each other…an effect or two, even some reverb, an echo, something…I think it might be the final ingredient that N0va’s searching for to completely set it all off.

For what it’s worth, “Heart Of Stone” starts to creep a bit closer to what I was looking for in the chorus.  It’s still somewhat the same approach, but the subtle-layering of these background vocals really fit the tone in a haunting and appropriate way that furthers the strengths of the song.  It could be that they’re not up as loud in the mix this time around…but I think that “Heart Of Stone” probably indicates a sharper focus in the production that brings out the best in both the vocals and music overall.  Rad track with a haunting and mysterious atmosphere that hangs like smoke in the air, N0va is right in it here – the seriousness in his tone has risen and you can tell just by listening to the way he delivers his lyrics on this cut that it is game-fucking-on.  While I don’t know that “Heart Of Stone” would necessarily be ‘the single’ – I do think it’s easily one of the best cuts on this record with a highlight performance from N0va.  When things line-up through ambition, intention, tone and performance like this, again, I think you can hear the differences that lead to success on individual cuts throughout records of this magnitude in size & scope…”Heart Of Stone” is another huge victory and stunning example of the man nailing it 100%.

MORE in the tank from this emcee to come though, and it reveals itself immediately as we dip into the final third of Lessons And Blessings with an incredible track called “Boomerang.”  LOVE the beat on this one – the mix on that drum sound is UNREAL, love the way there’s a layer of what sounds like videogame samples and flute-like melody coming in to join the low-end groove in the bass-line.  A real highlight for style, N0va keeps this one captivating and highly charismatic through a vibrant flow that hits the mark big-time.  One of the strongest hooks on the album as well – I gotta say, “Boomerang” almost has a liveliness that you’re not expecting to find this deep into a record; there’s an enthusiasm and passion that N0va can’t remotely hide on this cut…you can hear that innate enjoyment he gets from rapping mix perfectly with his focus on this track.  A not-so-subtle metaphor for karma, N0va spells it all out for ya on “Boomerang” with a jazzy swag to his step while he details the give & take of life for y’all.

“Matchstick” was unique in the sense that I almost felt like this track was just slightly too edgy for this particular record.  Don’t get me wrong, subject-wise, N0va’s rapping about much of what he’s rapped about so far to this point…that’s still intact – but the serious vibe of this music is like, uber-serious.  On the one hand, it’s a sound & style that I think works incredibly well for him – I think “Matchstick” is probably one of the most audibly-captivating tracks on the record…BUT…by comparison to the rest, this cut sounds deadly serious.  You always want to hear something that takes the music and direction of a record down a different path…but I’d have to admit, this one sounds like it’s ready to bring you right to the edge of a cliff and then give ya a gentle shove, sending you to kiss the crashing waves below!  In terms of cohesion for an album – this would be the ‘water-cooler moment’ and could likely be a polarizing spot on the record that people will remember and talk about, which is always good.  As to whether or not you agree with its inclusion on this particular record or if you think this might have served N0va better as an individual single…we all might hear that one differently.  At the end of the day, I think he displays excellent commitment to this cut and does the atmosphere all the justice it deserves with a subtle, slow-burning & expressively-intense performance…and I think that’ll win people over.

Without question to my ears, “Broken Mirrors” is another one of Lessons And Blessings strongest ideas.  That amazing sound of the rubbery-synth and the low-end is right on the threshold of wanting to be contained…that might be the only slight, and I mean slight, issue here if there is one at all – like I said, it’s right on the line and at a few spots I was convinced it passed that peak a bit more than he’d want.  But fuck that…it’s minor if anything – the bottom line is the hook on this cut is so freakin’ REAL and rad that N0va will win you over quickly with a wicked melody line in the chorus of “Broken Mirrors.”  Mixing it up with speed and structure, timing and pace…it all pays off big time with a standout performance that really has the uniqueness required to separate itself from the rest and make that impact on us.  To me, this is creative, this is extremely fresh…from the idea itself to the inspired performance N0va puts in – “Broken Mirrors” makes an impression from the music to the words; it’s a complex cut lyrically to have it move like it does, but the emcee in question makes mince-meat out of the bars and proves when he’s right in the flow, he’s got the ability to mix charm with character that pulls you right in close to listen.

Lightening-up the vibe at the official ending of the record with “NFZ/Hey You” – the vibe in this cut is completely inviting to listen to.  Vocally…it’s N0va…there are moments where he’s bang-on, hitting the sound in a perfect match to the atmosphere, and a few moments where you want that tone to come through a bit closer to the tone in the music and not contrast or clash as much.  The switch past the three-minute mark sounded brilliant – N0va shifts into a nearly spoken-word rap that gradually speeds up and gets continually more complex, all spit with precision and professionalism.  He does an impressive job of dragging out syllables or speeding up a rapid-succession of words to fit the metering here – and even that’s not an easy task when the beat you’re working with is like…in reverse from about the mid-point of the song on-forward.  There’s definitely two defined parts that divide “NFZ/Hey You” – but they’re two parts that complement each other well and lead to one satisfying & vibrant cut at the end of Lessons And Blessings.  Love the punch in the low-end of this beat in its first half, love the innovative and creative way that it finishes by transitioning perfectly into the reverse-sounds and clever final minutes.  N0va spits straight at us here in plenty of space…and it sounds great – the final minutes of “NFZ/Hey You” was an excellent way to end the album with memorable bars to send us off with.

But wait!  There’s MORE!

Bonus cuts always crack me up.  Seriously…how on earth so many of these apparent ‘afterthoughts’ that I hear on records out there, not just this one, but MANY of them…basically always have songs that shouldn’t be like, ‘maybes’ so much as required inclusions.  Like N0va…what you’re telling me here is that I’m supposed to somehow imagine Lessons And Blessings without “Shooting Stars” – that’s what I’m supposed to believe is a possible thing?  Who would want that?  In terms of style/flow, I’d argue that this cut ‘fits’ this record more than say, “Heart Of Stone” did…it mixes that light-hearted vibe, fun, passion, social-awareness and personal-revelations that N0va does so well.  I also think he reaches a bit further in the vocal-department here with a more committed melody that requires him to sing it with an audible focus…and I think it works for him here.  So essentially, what I’m saying is, I’m not sure how “Shooting Stars” is a ‘bonus cut’ – it might take the music in a more like…I dunno…slow-dance sound I suppose…but I think he nailed everything about this cut and made easy-listening cool here.  Or as he puts it himself, he’s ‘so dope, like what y’all burn up on a spoon’ – true dat homie, true dat; “Shooting Stars” mellows you right out like a great high does.

I’m concerned about this homie though…he’s got ‘nothing to eat, so he snacks on Patrone’ – get out there and buy some N0va people and maybe let’s get some food into this guy’s system, at least a lime.

To further my point – “Blood And Sweat” is a BONUS TRACK.  HOW?  N0va says so much that’s seriously important to say here…the music is some of my favorite from this entire experience and the textures in the production on this cut are completely rad to listen to.  There’s a hypnotic-element to “Blood And Sweat” that pulls you right into this one…and you quickly get lost in a sea of words that simply make some damn SENSE, so listen up!  That’s not a comment on his previous lyricism for the record, N0va always lets you know what’s on his mind without a filter – but this is intensely focused on the situation of the world at large and the current state of the nation.  Personally, my Lessons And Blessings NEEDS “Blood And Sweat,” just sayin.’  I’m not saying that every single track out there in the world needs to get political like this bonus cut does – but it’s also impossible to deny how tragedy can inspire true art in tracks that sound like this.  While the weight of the world is clearly on his mind…that will, that WANT to create a song that expresses what we all as a collective are experiencing creates something undeniably important here.  With N0va’s natural tendency to speak his mind, this still fits right in; were it not for “Heart Of Stone” this would be the most serious tones you hear on the album, but still light enough to fit in overall and dammit, it’s essential to this record in my opinion and a serious highlight in the bonus set.

Production-wise, I think N0va ended the extended version of the record on the clearest and cleanest of possible ways with “Sleepwalkin.’  REALLY dig the music on this final cut of Lessons And Blessings…that’s a bold sample to work with but an incredibly smooth sound.  On the whole, “Sleepwalkin’ makes the most sense to me for its ‘bonus cut’ status – but I still think there’s plenty of merit here.  Passing the mic to Art Thou Psychedelic was a completely solid move – switching up the sound once more before the end of the album was a great choice in itself, but facts are facts, with his incredibly pimp-smooth tones, Art Thou Psychedelic brings the personality to the bars on “Sleepwalkin’ in all the best of ways.  Good final tune…one that brings the record out of the depths of seriousness to lighten-up just enough at the end through a tight collaboration that completely works.  Hooks are accessible…definitely the kind of last cut that puts a memorable melody in your head that you’re bound to be singing for days afterwards.

N0va’s put together a record full of inspired performances once again while proving there’s still even more potential that still exists within him.  We’ve reviewed FOUR records from this emcee at this point and he continues to give us all the reasons to keep on listening.  Lessons And Blessings is another solid chapter in his story and wildly entertaining ride…one that highlights his ability to commit to his material and showcases how he’s developed as an artist over the years.  His latest work always reflects his best and he puts genuine enthusiasm into every pivot, shift and transition he makes; that high-level of dedication, commitment and professionalism always translates to us as listeners and establishes that authentic connection that keeps us coming back for more.

Find out more about N0va from his official Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/ShawnN0va/

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