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DVDfever.co.uk – Billy Ocean: Because I Love You CD reviewElly Roberts reviews
Aqua Music
- Released: February 2009
- Rating: 6/10
- Vote and comment on this album:View Comments
If youre going to make a comeback, then at least it should be spectacular. Take That have done it brilliantly.
Unfortunately, Because I Love You doesnt recapture the magic Of Billy Oceans mid-80s purple patch. Some of the songs are bland and quite forgettable, but when he goes – for- it, its impressive.
One thing in his favour, thankfully, his fantastic voice is still going strong.
So, when the going gets tough, the tough get going (sorry couldnt help it) but Mr Leslie Sebastian Charles aka Billy Ocean has forgotten his popularity was primarily based on anthemic disco hits, and we just about get near that framework, but, not often enough.
Yes, the album is pleasant enough on the ears, but itll be hard pressed to re-engage with his general fanbase, though opener Everything To Me has more than enough radio-friendliness about it, make the national playlists, principally due to the catchy chorus hook.
Then he gets bogged down in some mediocrity tracks 2, 3,7, 9, pass by virtually unnoticed , then a perky, classy and deeply soulful I Remember restores some credi-BILLY-ty (ouch!), with some easy going and steady foot-tapping gorgeousness, reminiscent of George Bensons mid-80s shiny jazzy-crossover stylings.
He hits the bulls-eye on the cool reggae inflected My Lady and once again, those husky tubes go into overdrive backed by swinging brass, whereas The Question Is, attempts to recreate the old magic, but fails miserably. Bouncing back in style, Cant Take It is the strongest song here, clearly destined as a single for the handbag dancing brigade. It works to perfection.
Strangely enough, he even tries a pure dance tracks- Father Returns and later track 12, a reworking of Cant Take It , and a shockingly bad ender Boogie. The voice simply doesnt match the pace or style.
BO does touch magic though. Another reggae gem, Rastafari, has shades of the brilliant Johnny Nash, proving when he hits his groove, that mojo of his works wonders.
The Verdict 50/50
Radio: Hear tracks soon on THE PLUGwrexhamfm.com Weblink:billyocean.co.uk
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Everything To Me
2. Baby Dont Go
3. Happy Refrain
4. I Remember
5. My Lady
6. The Question Is
7. Because I Love You
8. Cant Take It
9. Tenderness
10. Father Returns
11. Rastafari
12. Cant Take It (Remix) (Bonus track)
13. Boogie (Bonus track)View the discussion thread.blog comments powered by Disqus= 0) {query += ‘url’ + i + ‘=’ + encodeURIComponent(links[i].href) + ‘&’;}}document.write(”);})();//]]]]>]]>
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.