'If' You Think 'Love Is Overrated,' Gregory Porter Will Convince You Otherwise


While there are many good (or at least, valid) reasons to knock Valentine's Day, disillusionment with the idea of love shouldn't be one of them. Such is the heart cry from our favorite jazzy baritone Gregory Porter on his new single "If Love is Overrated." The singer-songwriter describes it as "a love song to love, in a pessimistic environment. It is the energy that excites the heart and the head without this love being announced to the world…a secret admiration even."

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The ballad begins with a cinematic Troy Miller arrangement, exquisitely performed by the London Symphony Orchestra Strings. Pianist Chip Crawford, bassist Jahmal Nichols, drummer Emanuel Harrold and saxophonist Tivon Pennicott entice us further into the dreamy soundscape as Mr. Porter concedes, "If love is overrated, let me be the one that is naïve/ If love is overrated, let me be the one that is deceived." With poignant resolve, he declares, "It’s a risk I’ll like to take / In the hope I’ll never wake/ From this thing I call my fate/ Reality."

The lucid visuals, directed by Douglas Bernardt, embrace the element of fantasy woven throughout the song. A stunning woman is seen surrounded by luminescent hues. At times, she remains still like a muse being painted by Mr. Porter's lyrical brushstrokes. Yet she also moves with hypnotic fluidity, prompting the singer to respond in kind, reaching out with love's embrace.

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Whether you're a jaded skeptic or a head-over-heels romantic, we think everyone can agree that "If Love is Overrated" is a sublime addition to any music lover's playlist. The sweet serenade is available for download, along with previously-released single "Revival," when you pre-order Gregory Porter's forthcoming album, All Rise.

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