2GA1 – Together As One
(US One Mo’ Records, 2005)
Intro – Together As One – Time To Move On – Sweet Thing – More Loving – Return Your Loving To Me
– Teasing Me – Re-Acquainted – Black Velvet – Baby Come Close – I’ll Come Running –
We’re Not The Ones
This is a classy album. I thoroughly recommend this for 4 stunning tracks that I would describe
as essential soul music for 2005. The set is very nice as a whole but these four songs stand
out more than any other and are of such a high quality that I really want to see this duo develop
and return back with another set in the future. 2GA1 stands for Together As One, and
consists of Darryl and Patricia Hatcher. The chemistry between these two amazing singers
is one that sparkles. Darryl possesses that fantastic ‘real soul’ vocal that reminds me of
Calvin Richardson, with a mere whisper of Southern grit to boot.
The first of these toothsome delights is the happy, guitar laden title song, “Together As One”
which is a real feel-good song that was commonplace in the latter part of the 80s. In fact this
slightly resembles the wonderful "Promise" composition by Kloud 9 and Incognito from 2002.
It really is that good. The duo craftily reprise the instantly recognisable guitar riff from
Ramsey Lewis’ 1974 classic “Sun Goddess” on the meaty stepper “Sweet Thing” which is not dissimilar
in construction to the sort of party stepper Zhané recorded, but without samples.
The next song should really grab you as it is a slamming ballad crammed full of real instruments
paced to a melody that is familiar to Rahsaan Patterson’s superb “Spend The Night”. If this
track is not a quality radio hit then I’ll eat my hat.
Vocally the duo is fantastic on this, and yet the best track is yet to come! That track
is called “Return Your Loving To Me”. It’s a drop-dead essential slice of quality soul,
airy, warm and studded with achingly soulful vocals, keyboards and beautiful acoustic
guitar courtesy of Jared Perck. This is the sort of song that I would love to be buried
with, as I surely don’t want to leave it behind!
Other songs are very good, but don’t reach the parts these four corkers reach. I think songs
such as “Teasing Me” and “We’re Not The Ones” are very good and are strong and compare very
highly against a lot of weaker material in the indie scene at the moment. “Baby Come Close”
is a strong interpretation of Smokey’s 70s classic and would fit nicely on Chazz Dixon’s “Hitsville”
CD which I reviewed near Christmas. If you really want quality independent soul then you won’t
go far wrong in buying this album. CD Baby are coming up with the goods at the moment and
you will easily find this there along with song samples. Please do not overlook.
- Barry Towler
