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Elly Roberts reviews
Universal
- March 2008
- Rating: 4/10
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Soulful master struggles with a bad idea.
In my books, Michael McDonald cant do any wrong, as a singer.
His amazing soulful voice hit my ears with the Doobie Brothers hit What AFool Believes way back in 1979. Truth is, no other white man can sing soulmusic quite like McDonald.
In recent years weve had Motown and Motown Two, so for a thirdtime in a row hes delved into the soulful-side of things with poor results, overall.
So were left to think that McDonalds songwriting juices have finally run dryas its been some time since the ex-Doobie got writing seriously. As blue-eyedsoul is his forte, there seems to be a plethora of material to plunder, but howlong will frustrated fans have to wait for something new and more adventurousI wonder?
Will there be yet another covers album in the near future, is the big worry?Hopefully not.
Here he doesnt go for the deliberate replication, perhaps watchful producerSimon Climie wouldnt allow that, though in places its simply unavoidable. Sodespite some average renditions like the lacklustre Love T.K.O and limpWalk On By, he redresses the problem with the Stylistics sounding StillNot Over You, written by McDonald, Climie and Dennis Morgan with that immaculatevoice at its best.
The two Stevie Wonder songs Living In The City and For Once In My Lifeare no more than a stroll in the park. Van Morrisons Into The Mystic isa strange choice and doesnt fit the concept at all, as great as song it is.
When you compare Jeff Buckley, KD Lang and Rufus Wainwrights outstanding renditionsof Leonard Cohens anthem Hallelujah, McDonald sounds positively out ofhis depth, surprisingly lacking any kind of passion. Back on more familiar territory,Jackie Wilsons Higher and Higher is a blast, but never scales the heightsof the original though it would certainly be crowd pleaser live.
Its major low points are the drab self-penned Only God Can Help Me Now anddisastrous attempt at reggae classic Redemption Song by Bob Marley. Beefed-upopener I Knew You Were Waiting For Me (Aretha Franklin/George Michael)promises much, but by the end its all become very tedious.
File under: Scraping the barrel.
Weblink:michaelmcdonald.com
The full list of tracks included are :
1. I Knew You Were Waiting For Me
2. Living For The City
3. Love T.K.O.
4. Walk On By
5. Still Not Over You (Getting Over Me)
6. For Once In My Life
7. Into The Mystic
8. Hallelujah
9. Enemy Within
10. (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher And Higher
11. Only God Can Help Me Now
12. Baby Can I Change My Mind
13. Redemption Song
14. You Dont Know Me
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.