Soul Express CD Review

I am not sure how many of you will be acquainted with Hemsley-Foster as a duo; their material can be found online at CD Baby and their own fantastic interactive website, www.paxsterio.com. As with most albums, some of it appeals to my taste, others do not, and this CD does not buck this trend. The lot of the independent artist is oftentimes more abundant with enthusiasm and the love of the artist than with funding and budgets, and sometimes this can constrain what would otherwise be cracking CDs and great songs. It’s a game of swings and roundabouts, and Hemsley Foster certainly have enough creative spark, ideas and verve to successfully leap any of these contemporaneous hurdles.

What impresses me with this CD is the use of fantastic female vocalists to bring alive the soulful and funky, sometimes jazzy tunes and it is this that made the biggest impression on me. The keys, the slap bass and the sheer merriment of real musicianship unhindered by a plethora of accountants outweigh any niggles about quality of studio sound.

There are but 8 tracks on here (just like the old days, eh, folks!) but when you consider track one alone is a hearty nine-and-a-half minutes long then you will understand why. I love the vocalist on here – I have no idea who this Lady is but she is powerful, soulful and sassy as you could want. This Lady reminds me of a nice cross between Helen Baylor and Brenda Hillman. Her wavery, raw and powerful vocals are excellent and how I wish talents like this were subject to a record deal with someone like Michael J Powell by law! Hemsley Foster utilises this Lady perfectly, and she moulds to the funky bassline of "You Love, You Leave" like a plastic coating: tight and smooth.

"Find A Way (To Save Love)" follows along similar lines, and this time the vocalist has more in tune with the likes of Meli’sa Morgan than the aforementioned vocalists. Very nice she is, too and this midtempo number complete with – albeit synthesised – trumpets is very warm on the heart and the ears. The track that attracted me to this CD is the KILLER ballad, "Needing Not Wanting". This is the type of classy track that would have been on a major label back in 1988 / 1989. This vocalist has a style and lilt towards the wonderful Chaka Khan, and the instrumentation is definitely the strongest on the set. I thoroughly recommend this album purely on the strength of this class tune alone.

"U Brought The Love" sets us in a jazzier uptempo mood, and the sax is really nice to hear too. Generally we do not hear enough of this, so props to these chaps for popping in the real instruments wherever they can. I would say that a strong second to "Needing Not Wanting" is the wonderful "Some Know Love". The more I hear this Lady I am certain that it is Brenda Hillman. If not, if vocalists have stunt doubles then this Lady is it!!! This CD is charming. It is plainly obvious that this duo have a serious head for their music, and if I were in power, other than banning ALL reality TV shows and Eastenders, artists such as this would be placed into the major label arena with the funding and the clout that is now only the reserve of ex-crooks masquerading as rappers. The music we love may have gone underground, but please do dig a little deeper as there’s gold in ‘them thar hills’!
- Barry Towler