Terrell Grice's The Phenomenon: But Where's Terrell?
By Elvin Harris | AmpliPhy Music & Culture
I love Terrell Grice. Let me start there.
From Kelly Rowland to Durand Bernarr to the Clark Sisters, Terrell has put so many amazing singers in front of us on The TERRELL Show. This man knows music, and you can tell he really loves it.
So of course I wanted to hear The Phenomenon.
This is Terrell’s third project, and he’s brought all his talented friends along again. Coco Jones, Dre Scot, Durand Bernarr, Avery Wilson. The list goes on.
And 23 tracks? I’m here for it. I’d rather have 23 songs than another one of these five-track EPs. No tea, no shade.
But here’s the thing.
I listened to 23 tracks, and I only came away with glimpses of who Terrell is as a singer.
Now, there are some good songs here. “REFUND” with Coco Jones is one of my favorites. But Coco can do no wrong in my eyes, so maybe I’m a little biased.
And among the songs where Terrell is on his own, “Good Care” and “Anyway” were standouts. Those two gave me a strong sense of who I believe Terrell Grice is as an artist. I could hear him, connect with him, and start to understand what he brings to a record.
That’s what I wanted more of.
Had he continued in that direction throughout the project, I think I would’ve walked away feeling like I knew Terrell the artist. Those songs gave us something to hold on to. But when he’s alongside the other singers, he too often blends in, and that sense of who he is gets lost again.
Then we get to “PEACE” with Avery Wilson and Tiyon.
Avery can SING. We know this. But what was happening on that song? I kept waiting for it to go somewhere. It was doing a whole lot, but I couldn’t figure out what it was trying to do.
And honestly, that’s how I felt listening to a lot of this project.
Outside of those standouts, I enjoyed some songs while they were playing, but when they ended, I wasn’t thinking about going back to them. Nothing consistently pulled me from one song to the next.
And where is TERRELL in all of this?
“He’s given everybody else the microphone. I’d like him to keep it a little longer.”
He’s spent years giving other singers their moment. I love that about him. But on his own project, I want to leave knowing HIS voice. “Good Care” and “Anyway” showed me that he can hold my attention on his own. I wanted more room for that Terrell to come through.
I know he went through a lot making this project, and I respect him for sharing something so personal. But I still want to hear more of him in the music.
Maybe he’s still figuring out what kind of artist he wants to be. That’s fine. Those two songs made me interested in hearing that journey. I just wish the rest of the project had given us as clear a picture.
⭐ The Verdict: 6/10
I’m giving The Phenomenon a 6 out of 10. I love the talent Terrell brings together, and “Good Care” and “Anyway” show us an artist worth getting to know. But across 23 tracks, that identity gets lost too often among the guests. He’s given everybody else the microphone. I’d like him to keep it a little longer.
Elvin Harris
AmpliPhy | LGBTQ Voices, Black and Out Loud.
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