Music Banter - View Single Post

Bulldog · 08-02-2010, 01:30 PM

From NumberNineDream...

Marlena Shaw - The Spice Of Life

I know I've heard a song of her's somewhere before, but I still can't figure out where for the life of me. Or, rather, I realised that upon having this album sent my way in exchange for the one I dished out myself. I snapped this one up partly because that god-awful sleeve art made me curious somehow, but mostly because while I own plenty of the stuff on v/a compilations, as far as actualy full-length studio albums go, I'm pretty low on any of the classic soul and r'n'b.

Or, rather, the classic soul/r'n'b tag is one I expected would fit this album comfortably. To my surprise, it's a whole range of African-American styles of music which is represented by Shaw's powerful, soulful voice. On the first side alone, there are representatives of the delta blues (Call It Stormy Monday), classic r'n'b with a northern soul-like lively rhythm to it (I Wish I Knew) and funk (Woman Of the Ghetto), setting the tone for a very politically-charged record with my personal highlights of it. I'm Satisfied shows off a gospel vibe, while Liberation Conversation gets going with some Ella Fitzgerald-esque vocal jazz techniques.

A very good, stylistically varied album so far then, but from California Soul onwards I feel the album started to get itself into trouble, with the second side kinda losing its edge for all the overblown horns and strings, which for me goes against the gritty, refreshingly down-to-earth vibe of the first side. Overall though, I thought it was decent album, but that the second side just lets it down. It was definitely worth hearing for the first though, so thanks to NND for sending this my way all the same.

Also, we're gonna need more than five people to get the next one going. Anyone else up for a bit of it?

08-02-2010, 01:30 PM	#1483 (permalink)
Bulldog why bother? Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: UK Posts: 4,840	From NumberNineDream... Marlena Shaw - The Spice Of Life I know I've heard a song of her's somewhere before, but I still can't figure out where for the life of me. Or, rather, I realised that upon having this album sent my way in exchange for the one I dished out myself. I snapped this one up partly because that god-awful sleeve art made me curious somehow, but mostly because while I own plenty of the stuff on v/a compilations, as far as actualy full-length studio albums go, I'm pretty low on any of the classic soul and r'n'b. Or, rather, the classic soul/r'n'b tag is one I expected would fit this album comfortably. To my surprise, it's a whole range of African-American styles of music which is represented by Shaw's powerful, soulful voice. On the first side alone, there are representatives of the delta blues (Call It Stormy Monday), classic r'n'b with a northern soul-like lively rhythm to it (I Wish I Knew) and funk (Woman Of the Ghetto), setting the tone for a very politically-charged record with my personal highlights of it. I'm Satisfied shows off a gospel vibe, while Liberation Conversation gets going with some Ella Fitzgerald-esque vocal jazz techniques. A very good, stylistically varied album so far then, but from California Soul onwards I feel the album started to get itself into trouble, with the second side kinda losing its edge for all the overblown horns and strings, which for me goes against the gritty, refreshingly down-to-earth vibe of the first side. Overall though, I thought it was decent album, but that the second side just lets it down. It was definitely worth hearing for the first though, so thanks to NND for sending this my way all the same. Also, we're gonna need more than five people to get the next one going. Anyone else up for a bit of it?