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Elly Roberts reviews
Columbia (SONY/BMG)
- April 2007
- Rating: 10/10+
Seeking something cool and sophisticated? Look no further than this.Once again, 72-year-old Canadian legend Leonard Cohen casts his magic spell now he does it for Hawaiian Anjani (Thomas).
It has to be said from the outset, Anjani gives a masterful performancethroughout this relaxing, soothing and intimate set of 10 songs.
Cohen says of his long-time collaborator, “She seems to be able to channelsome kind of spirit of place. She has this capacity – melody after melody to hit the mark. Not go beyond it and not fall short just perfect.”
Having studied at Berklee College Of Music, then doing the rounds in Jazzclub, she ended up singing backups on Cohens masterpiece Hallelujah,regularly working with him since his 1985 tour.
Pooling all her vast experience, she turns Blue Alert into an absolute audiojoy, over the 40 minutes 38 seconds.
Some might say its one dimensional in terms of pace and dynamics, but youneed to look beyond – to the poetry in motion.
This is the kind of album where singer and song perfectly meet in sweet harmony.
Blue Alert, Half The Perfect World, The Mist and Thanks For TheDance are my personal favourites.
Best enjoyed following the lyrics on the sleeve notes.
Oh, and a bottle of red, of course.
Weblinks:anjani-music.com /bluealertmusic.com /leonardcohenfiles.com
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Blue Alert
2. Innermost Door
3. The Golden Gate
4. Half The Perfect World
5. Nightingale
6. No One After You
7. Never Got To Love You
8. The Mist
9. Crazy To Love You
10. Thanks For The Dance
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.