honeysuckle's profile

It Gets Better With Time, 30 Mar 2009

It is hard to believe that this album is thirteen years old as I write but it is. I liked it when it came out but now I think it something of a forgotten gem particularly the first eight or so tracks. It is such a glorious laid back groove of a disc. They keep it simple. Most tracks are programmed with an overlay of real instruments: trumpets, guitar, keyboards and sax. They mix vocals by Ben Volpeliere, Dany Losito and Roberta O'neil with instrumentals which creates a flowing entity of an album. It peters out a tad towards the end , although the final reprise of the outstanding 'Spread Your Love' is worth the wait. The other top highlights are 'Operator' and Stevie W's 'Ribbon In The Sky'… Read more

Unsoulful Blues, 27 May 2008

I was intrigued to hear this album as I have loved Bobby Bland for a long time. He is one of the original greats up there with Ray Charles and Sam Cooke as a pioneer in soul music's early years. Good on Mick Hucknall for wanting to update some fine old tunes even if he said some daft things about how he and Mr Bland are coming from similar backgrounds in an interview in Mojo.(Both outsiders apparently)

Mick Hucknall somehow manages to 'de-soul' some fine old songs.Try as I might I just didn't get it. Hucknall seemed out of his depth throughout and I didn't like the timbre of his voice. The album lacked authenticity and whilst it was obviously a labour of love I found the… Read more

A memorable Album With A Maze Classic in 'Joy & Pain'., 20 April 2008

This is listed as a USA import but actually it's part of a European series of 80s Funk & Soul re-issues originating from the Capitol Records vaults. There are other issues of this album available but for price and presentation this is possibly the best with good graphics and good sleevenotes.
The music, of course, is iconic of the period. Frankie Beverley shows us once again that he is a singer of the utmost soulfulness fronting a band that can groove better than just about anyone else. The standout cut is, of course,'Joy & Pain, a much loved emblem of the dancefloor but all the other tracks have that Maze quality especially 'Southern Girl' and 'Changing Times' As the sleeve writer… Read more