Temika Moore

“When I first heard Temika sing I said to myself, "Finally someone new has come to raise the musical bar. Temika possesses all the elements of a good singer; beautiful tone and phrasing, not to mention her ability to interpret a song. ” - Will Downing - Verve Music Group Recording Artist

Review by Howard Dukes

In an industry where successful artists adopt alter egos and media-crafted images even as they extol the virtue of “keeping it real,” Temika Moore is a stylistic and substantive oddity. She has released a string of projects in which the songs are about real people confronting real struggles, expressing real doubts and confusion and seeking real answers. She delivers these musical stories with a soulful and mature voice. It’s not too surprising that word about this Philadelphia native doesn’t stretch much beyond places where those virtues are viewed as…well…virtues.

Moore received kudos for her previous two recordings – Moment of Truth and Doing Just Fine – on SoulTracks. And she continues down the path of telling intimate, spiritual and inspirational stories on her new EP, The End of Me.
In an industry where successful artists adopt alter egos and media-crafted images even as they extol the virtue of “keeping it real,” Temika Moore is a stylistic and substantive oddity. She has released a string of projects in which the songs are about real people confronting real struggles, expressing real doubts and confusion and seeking real answers. She delivers these musical stories with a soulful and mature voice. It’s not too surprising that word about this Philadelphia native doesn’t stretch much beyond places where those virtues are viewed as…well…virtues.

Moore received kudos for her previous two recordings – Moment of Truth and Doing Just Fine – on SoulTracks. And she continues down the path of telling intimate, spiritual and inspirational stories on her new EP, The End of Me. Moore has been labeled as a gospel, jazz, R&B and soul vocalist during the course of her career, and the five tracks on The End of Me show that Moore has no intention of limiting her musical palate.

For example, the track “Let It Go,” first appeared on Doing Just Fine as a mid tempo R&B tune. Moore opts to give the version heard on The End of Me a sparse arrangement. The percussion and keyboards give the cut more of a neo-soul feel. Moore explores her jazz leanings on the title track, which is the last tune on the CD. She sings with a piano as her only accompaniment. The song’s theme makes this arrangement of vocal and piano appropriate. “The End of Me” tells the story of woman looking back on her life and concluding that her attempts to solve her problems or seek find happiness through her own efforts have failed: “If I burned a bridge/It’s not what I meant to do/if I broke some hearts/I didn’t mean that too/I believed the myth/and now there are some things I have to come to terms with/I don’t know who I am anymore/I don’t know what I’m fighting for/things that once were/are no more.”

The End of Me, in many ways, may be Moore’s most revealing and real work. Some might even call the record somewhat of a downer. The tunes that bookend this EP – the title track and the opener, “I’m Not OK” – talk about being overwhelmed and disillusioned. The modern R&B track “I’m Not OK” is a tune that many working women (are there any other kind) will appreciate. On this track, Moore sings about being worn down from being everything for everybody else and trying carve out a little room to deal her own issues.

While some of the tracks are not uplifting in the common use of the term, these songs are real – which means that the tunes are classic Temika Moore. Anybody who has struggled to maintain their sanity and their integrity in a world that often savages both will appreciate Moore’s musical candor as well as her virtuosity. Recommended
- See more at: http://www.soultracks.com/tamika-moore-the-end-of-me-review#sthash.mOFRvHPf.dpuf - SoulTracks.com

Review by Angela Lester

Temika Moore’s third project, The End of Me, takes an intimate look at an artist’s journey of self discovery. As Moore says in the notes, The End of Me

“…is the first installment of a collection of songs chronicling my journey to find and understand love – God’s love.”

The EP begins with “I’m Not Ok,” a more honest response to the routine question “How are you?” Moore answers the question in a way that listeners can relate to and sets the answer to a highly infectious rhythm emphasized by a surprising mid-tempo techno beat. Highly personal, the song reflects Moore’s desire to be honest and remove the mask that we all wear daily, inviting the listener to do the same with a collective sigh of relief.

“I Wish I Knew Back Then” showcases Moore’s powerful vocal range and talent. As the title implies, the song is about regrets but it is also about reflection and learning from past mistakes. The musical arrangement is best described as joyful.

The title song “The End of Me,” set to piano, is reflective and again allows Moore to exhibit her vocal ability and express her vulnerability.

“I’m broken for sure, my heart and my head at war”

She admits that she has reached her limit, which can be the start of true self discovery.

I highly recommend adding this EP to your collection. Learn more about Temika Moore at http://temikamoore.com/ - X2thel.com