He's Coming

7.0/10 — An enjoyable, calming listen, but definitely not one of my favorite Roy Ayers albums. I’ve come to really appreciate how reliably enjoyable Roy Ayers’ music is, and He’s Coming is another good example of that. There’s a warmth and ease to this album that makes it incredibly relaxing to put on, especially when I’m looking for something that I can just settle into and let play. The thing I always come back to with Roy Ayers is how unmistakably his everything sounds. The vibraphone, the jazz and soul influences, the grooves — there’s a unique combination that gives his music a personality you can recognize almost immediately. Even when an album doesn’t completely grab me, there’s still something satisfying about spending time with it. That said, He’s Coming doesn’t hit me quite the way some of his other albums do. I enjoy it, and there’s plenty here to appreciate, but I don’t find myself reaching for it as often. Compared with the best of Roy Ayers’ catalog, it feels a little less essential to me. Still, a 7/10 from me for Roy Ayers is hardly a criticism. It’s a smooth, calming, enjoyable album from an artist whose music I consistently find myself coming back to. 7.0/10 — relaxing, soulful, and unmistakably Roy Ayers. Not a favorite, but absolutely an album I’m happy to have in the rotation.