Laura Reed & Deep Pocket, a local band that combines motown, funk, soul and reggae, is the type of band that would find eager listeners on college campuses worldwide.  

The band is lead by Laura Reed, whose soulful voice is reminiscent of Amy Winehouse and Erikah Badu and is backed by a very diverse group of musicians and singers. The band includes trumpets, drums, guitars, sax and even harmonica.  

I would not be surprised to hear that Laura Reed & Deep Pocket have a considerable local fan following. The band’s music is energetic and lends itself to the jam band scene. The band is strong enough that they’re likely to attract followers who love funk, soul and reggae. But, Laura Reed’s singing voice is often outshined by her backing band.

It’s clear that Laura Reed has talent, but some of her vocals and lyrics seem a little immature and underdeveloped. She is obviously influenced by the great soul and R&B singers and groups and tries to bring that energy and enthusiasm to her performance.  

In “Don’t Go,” the kind of song you’d expect to hear in a smokey, dimly lit jazz bar, she hits the high notes within her register, but often her voice can be a tad nasally and falls short of what she’s trying to achieve.

The best song on the album is the Bob Marley-inspired “One World.” The other songs on the album, particularly “Well,” are jazzy and funky and combine elements of many different genres, including scratching, electronica and threads of reggae.

This band is a strange but intriguing hybrid of many different genres, and I think that’s exactly what they’re going for. The band definitely has potential, and based on the name of the group, Laura Reed is the star.  However, the star doesn’t necessarily shine in this release.