24 year-old Noel Gourdin first fell under R&B's spell in his tenacious hometown of Brockton, one of the forces behind his stunning Sony Urban Music/Epic Records debut.

Blessed with roughhewn, down-home vocals that hark back to when rhythm and blues repped for both those components, influences ranging from hip-hop to gospel and songs that are nakedly emotional and truthful, Noel Gourdin states his case on his refreshingly heartfelt debut CD.

Featuring production from Kay Gee (Jaheim/Zhané), Raphael Saadiq (D'Angelo/Angie Stone), Mike City (Brandy/Sunshine Anderson), Dre & Vidal (Jill Scott), Butta (Usher), Eddie F (Heavy D), RLES and Trackaddix, Noel's debut release is soul at its best.

Speaking to the vibe he offers, Noel divulges, "It's about the emotions of the average man. My intention is putting my feelings on the track and leaving everything I've got in the recording booth. I want people to think; this is a man that you can feel. That you can slow dance with, have a drink with and cry with. It's real music that affects your life."

That's apparent on the richly moving "The River." Produced by Kay Gee, "The River" conjures up vivid images of family, faith, tradition and the journey towards becoming your own man. "We wanted to make a modern-day Negro spiritual," concludes Noel, of the song's inspiration. "Both my grandparents lived in Mississippi about 3 hours from Biloxi and I spent every summer with them, so I really soaked up that atmosphere and history. My grandfather had just died and I was really thinking about him, and in the Deep South the river represents something spiritual. The song means a lot because it's so close to home."

The youngest of three kids, Noel grew up singing in church and fully absorbed his father's classic soul and older brother's New Jack Swing records. From Otis Redding and the Chi-Lites to Teddy Riley and Jodeci, Noel loved it all, so much so that in middle school he had begun to write his own songs, drawing from what he'd heard coming up. "Listening to so much music from so many different eras really helped me put my style together."

By high school, Noel was performing in local talent shows, parties and events sponsored by the city.

Following graduation, Noel focused even more on music and further strengthened his commitment to his community by working at a local group home for battered kids.

By 2002, Noel and Stalin Entertainment owner Larry "Lucky" Fernandes had built their business relationship and sealed their artist management deal with a handshake. After a year of writing and producing new songs Lucky introduced the Noel project to producer/artist Tommy Olivera, who, with songwriter Balewa Muhammad, now make up Noel's production team. Within no time, Noel was working with Kay Gee at his New Jersey studio. He also met with label executives, which resulted in an introduction to Sony Urban Music's V.P. of A&R, Chad Elliott in June 2005. By the fall of that year, Noel was offered a record deal. "Getting signed was unbelievable. I'm very family oriented, so to be able to make them proud meant everything to me. Plus, I think my deal showed other Brockton musicians that it's not just a pipe dream."

That dedication comes through on Noel's emotionally-stirring debut CD, something his seasoned producers recognized early on and played up.

"Noel's a young soul who can sing in all kinds of different areas. He's from Mississippi but lives out in Boston, so he's bringing a certain flavor from both places. His style is really soulful. He's very competitive and cool, but also has that energy that you need out there in the urban world."