European and American audiences often somewhat patronizingly think of African pop music as being somehow more "pure" and "elemental" than their own. However, the marvelous thing about the first full-length album by Nigerian soul belter Asa is that the singer-songwriter has created an album that's as immediately accessible as Duffy's ROCKFERRY or Adele's 19 in its blend of R&B, pop, and vintage soul. Even the one track in Asa's native tongue, "Eye Adaba," wouldn't sound out of place on a Corinne Bailey Rae album.
