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- February 2008
- Rating: 8/10
Released three weeks before his untimely death from a heart attack aged 51 in 1993,Lonely Just Like Me, was a kind of ironic title. All but forgottenexcept by officionados of Southern Soul, he was coaxed into make a recordingcomeback.
Rated as one of the first bona fide singing-songwriters of Country Soul,Alexander threw himself into this after 21 years away from a studio, it showedhed lost none of his talents, which had been recognised by The Beatles(Soldier Of Love), The Rolling Stones (You Better Move On) andBob Dylan whod covered his songs after, apparently, hearing his songs onRadio Luxembourg. Later in the ’70s, Dr.Hook would cover Sharing The NightTogether.
Songs 1-12 are originals, either self-penned or co-written. Despite the wonderfulsongs still sounding great, they dont quite catch Alexanders more rustingleanings. Opener, If Its Really Got To Be This Way sees him swooningaway in a laid back manner, whereas shuffling Go Home Girl takes on aDrifters like quality, with a lovely hook, also found on the title track.
Sally Sue Brown is more of a foot-tapping RnB jaunt from the Eric Bibb-likesongbook. Needing little other than his vocal, three keyboards piano, electricpiano, organ and bass, he delivers a masterful gospel tinged All The Time.On There Is A Road, he gives a soulful and stirring performance, supplementedby swirling strings and an almost Motown Funk Brothers beat.
From tracks 13 to 20, featuring his debut single You Better Move On (1962)Alexander gives a live performance split with interviews, recorded on May 7 1993at Washington DC Hilton for a broadcast of Fresh Air, and is the onlylive recording of Alexanders following the release of Lonely Just Like Me.
Tracks 21 to 24 were recorded December 1991, in Ben Vaughns Cleveland hotelroom during his first meeting with Alexander. Vaughn went on to produce thestudio album. Anna, track 25, a 1962 hit, was recorded September 5 1991for A Bunch Of Songwriters Sitting Around Singing at the Bottom Line in NewYork, which brought his attention to Danny Khan of Elektra Records, eventuallyleading to Lonely Just Like Me, two years later.
Check the Amazon link above for a full track listing.
File under : Soulful master.
Weblink:myspace.com/arthuralexander
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.