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Elly Roberts reviews
Columbia
- May 2007
- Rating: 8/10
Yorkshire lass Clare Teal has risen to the top very quickly as a singer.
She now hosts her own show on BBC Radio 2. This, her second album is a mix oforiginal co-compositions, and covers by the likes of Motowns Holland-Dozier-Hollandand lesser known writers. Teal and Amanda Fields Baby Im Coming Home isnot jazz per se, more of a pop angled ditty, reminiscent of Steely Dan-cum-Carpenters,with enough appeal for a BBC Radio 2 playlists.
From this opening track its clear to see that her voice, once again, is infine fettle. Its a lightweight lament about missing her partner whilst beingon the road. The song goes, “So tired, still on the road / And thereshours to go and Im / So tired, missing you more / Than youll ever know.”
The pair team up again for the titled track, a swooning ’60s retro that hassome really stylish nylon guitar picks by Robbie Macintosh. Here, Teal showsher vocal dexterity, control and style thats made her such a success. Moreballadeering on Missing You, a tale of loves confusion and insecurity.Or, is this a tale of infidelity? “How come you always seem to find a reason /Not to stay at home? / How come you always seem to drift away? / Am I the lastto know?” I go for infidelity. Dont you?
Anyway, here treatment of the Four Tops Reach Out (Ill Be There) stripsthe still popular Motown classic down to its bare essentials. Ive never hearda slow ballad version before. It works because of Teals stunning singing. Lightflightwas massive hit for folkie combo Pentangle, popularised via TV series TakeThree Girls. Here she keeps its rootsy sensibilities with a 21 century twist.
Swing Out Sisters debut single Breakout (1986) virtually keeps itsoriginal format. Taking the Bossa Nova route, she does a great sound alike ofAstrid Gilberto for swaying What Love Knows.
Teal shows not only has she got a great voice, but is also capable of writingsongs that suit her style to perfection, and mainstream appeal.
Weblink:clareteal.co.uk
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Baby Im Coming Home
2. Dont Let The Sun Catch You Crying
3. Paradisi Carousel
4. Missing You
5. Reach Out ( Ill Be There)
6. Light Flight
7. Breakout
8. Stay With Me
9. What Love Knows
10. Magic Day
11. Alone With You
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.