Michele D'amour and the Love Dealers - What It's All About (2026)

On ‘What It’s All About,’ the latest release from Michele D’Amour and the Love Dealers, the band leans into the blues and classic R&B tradition
Echoes of Etta James, Jr. Walker, Martha and the Vandellas, The Isley Brothers, and Al Green run throughout this set, giving the album a warm, vintage feel while still sounding fresh and immediate. The album showcases seven original songs penned by Michele alongside a standout cover of a Jr. Walker classic. The result is a collection that moves effortlessly from fun and danceable grooves to more introspective and emotional moments.

The title track, “What It’s All About,” kicks the door wide open with a bold, girl-power swagger straight out of Etta James’ Chess Records heyday, complete with a hooky “yeah yeah” chorus that’s already earned it the nickname “the Yeah Yeah song.” The band slides effortlessly into the soulful ache of “Runaround,” channeling the classic urgency of Martha and the Vandellas as D’Amour calls out a lover who just won’t commit. They keep the groove moving with a tight, dancefloor-ready spin on the Jr. Walker staple “Pucker Up Buttercup,” proving their chops with a cover that sits right at home among the originals. The mood deepens on “Pushing Away Love,” a slow-burning blues ballad that lays bare the self-sabotage that drives real love out the door, while “Tough Breaks and Bad Decisions” delivers a sharp, unflinching look at how life can corner you when circumstance and choice collide.

Things turn shadowy with “The Visitor,” an atmospheric, slow-creeping piece that builds tension around an encounter with something not quite of this world. The band then shifts gears into “Broken People,” a tender tribute to those who carry their scars with grace, offering empathy without losing grit. Closing the set, “Let Go of These Blues” rides a classic soul-blues groove, urging release and renewal, and leaving listeners with the sense that even after the hardest nights, there’s still a way forward.

Michele D’Amour and the Love Dealers deliver a rich, emotionally honest collection that blends vintage soul influences with modern storytelling, balancing heartbreak, resilience, and just enough attitude to remind you exactly what it’s all about.

What makes this recording especially remarkable is how it was made. The band recorded live off the studio floor in one afternoon, capturing rhythm tracks, solos, and final vocals together in real time. It’s a testament to the group’s chemistry and musicianship that they can deliver performances with this level of energy and precision, giving listeners an experience that feels as close to a live show as possible.