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Elly Roberts reviews
Parlophone
- May 2007
- Rating: 10/10+
Adopting old-skool Soul,MBE Beverley (Anne) Knights Music City Soul is quitebreathtaking, as lead-in single No Mans Land proved.
At long, long last, Knight has delivered an outstanding collection of mostlyKnight collaborations (including former Robbie Williams partner Guy Chambers)and covers.
What makes this such a superb album is the strength of the songs as theyshine through at all levels and I was surprised it dropped from 18 to 36(as of w/c 28 May) after only three weeks on chart. Unlike previous albums,which I believe have sold her short, its worthy of much more attention andlongevity than its current chart position.
Pulling out all the stops in every department, particularly in the vocaldepartment, MCS is a contemporary-retro Soul classic, matching anythingnew-kid-on-the-block Joss Stone has done to date.
Nice and easy, she opens with hot-blooded ballad Every Time You See Me Smile,juiced-up by a hot brass section and classy backups. A cover of Banks/ParkersAint That A Lot Of Love (also done by Simply Red in 1999), ismasterfully delivered as a dance number full of gusto and conviction.
After You is a delightful mid-tempo jaunt, nice harmonies and melodiesthat precursors the hit No Mans Land, her best single ever. Queen OfStarting Over matches anything Aretha Franklin has ever done, with Knightssinging at its peak as the pain and empathy sweep the track away.
Dropping into gospel-soul template, Time Is On My Side is an easystroll for the West Midlander, and the same goes for Why Me etc, andTell Me Im Wrong. Rock Steady is out of the seventies,something the Staple Singers would have tackled, with wiry wah wah chordriffs and swinging brass blasts the catchy titled chorus will rip upany concert stage she appears on. Christina Aguilera would have a field-daywith this one, but for now its the preserve of Ms Knight.
Uptight, a bonus track is the only weakness here, but Back To You,a smoldering ballad restores the collections quality and class. With thesecond After You being a radio edit, clearly this the next single, andshould do well, but Tina Turner-like dance blast Black Butta -Knight/Chambers – a stomping romp, it has all the makings of a futuresingle surely – regular beat, catchy hooks, sumptuous brass textures andrasping vocals.
One day, this will be seen as her definitive album that propelled her tothe status she has long deserved. Joss Stone has stolen her thunder for now,but things are about to change. Mark my words.
Weblink:beverleyknight.com
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Every Time You See Me Smile
2. Aint That A Lot Of Love
3. After You
4. No Mans Land
5. The Queen Of Starting Over
6. Black Butta
7. Saviour
8. Time Is On My Side
9. Why Me, Why You, Why Now
10. Tell Me Im Wrong
11. Trade It Up
12. Rock Steady
BONUS TRACKS
13. Uptight
14. Back To You
15. After You (Radio Edit)
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.