Amazon.co.uk Review
The
Reel & Soul Association does exactly what it says on the disc: an
ad hoc band of British folkies take a dozen American soul classics and give them a decidedly trad. workout. Led by Nigel Stonier (songwriter for
Lindisfarne and
Fairport Convention among others), with singers
Thea Gilmore and
Kellie While sharing vocal duties, the band also includes ex-Fairporter Maartin Allcock (mandolin, bass), the legendary
John Kirkpatrick (accordions),
Michael Goldrick (ueillian pipes, whistle) and Simon Swarbrick (fiddle). The selection of songs is a playlist of soul standards: Bill Withers' "Lean on Me" and "Ain’t No Sunshine", Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground" and the Isley Brothers' "Harvest for the World" to mention a handful. It's a refreshing idea, and one that works surprisingly well. Thea Gilmore has a husky, soulful voice anyway which complements ballads such as "Warm and Tender Love" and "When Something is Wrong with My Baby"; Kellie While's lighter tone is attractive in the more uptempo numbers like "Move On Up" and "Get Ready". Throughout the album the novel acoustic arrangements breathe new life into the material--who would have thought that the smooth groove of "Green Onions" would sound so good arranged for accordion, mandolin, banjo and whistle? --
Mark Walker
(2 customer reviews)
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