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Elly Roberts reviews
Snapper Music
- Released: October 2006
- Rating: 8/10
Dutch producer Tom Holkenborg, aka Junkie XL, provided Solomon Burkewith his only UK single chart entry, a lowly positioned (no.63 for one week)with Catch Up To My Step in 2003.
Back in the ’60s the enormous 66 year old was a pioneer of soul music, thoughironically it was a country and western single, Just Out Of Reach (OfMy Two Open Arms) that brought his first American hit in 1961. Now Burkereckons, “Theres a revival in my soul thats called Nashville.”
Produced at Buddy Millers home studio in Tennessee with country buddies,Dolly Parton, Patty Griffin, Emmylou Harris and Patty Loveless, Burke thefather of 21 children and 70 grandchildren has returned to his latent loveaffair country music.
Though his voice is definitely unsuitable in places on this album of coversby Bruce Springsteen, Dolly Parton, Don Williams et al, it has an undeniablecharm where the musicians have created the Nashville spirit. Burke is at hisbest with the gospel-tinged belters full of gusto and pathos on Seems LikeYoure Gonna Take Me Back, Springsteens Aint Got You.
His duets Tomorrow Is Forever and Were Gonna Hold On aregiven added countrification by some rootsy touches by Parton and EmmylouHarris country lilts.
Atta Way To Go, with lush blues-harp, pedal steel guitar and banjomake up for Burkes lack-lustre delivery, though hes back on form onswinging Youre The Kind Of Trouble.
Weblinks:thekingsolomonburke.com /snappermusic.com
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Thats How I Got To Memphis
2. Seems Like Youre Gonna Take Me Back
3. Tomorrow Is Forever (with Dolly Parton)
4. Aint Got You
5. Valley Of Tears (with Gillian Welch)
6. Honey Wheres The Money Gone
7. Atta Way To Go
8. Millionaire
9. Up To The Mountain (with Patty Griffin)
10. Does My Ring Burn Your Finger
11. Vicious Circle
12. Were Gonna Hold On (with Emmylou Harris)
13. Youre The Kind Of Trouble (with Patty Loveless)
14. Til I Get It Right
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.