Soul Express Album Review  Buy this album from our CD Shop
RICK SMITH: Dutch Vinyl Masterpiece, 2005 (We Should Be) Lovers – I’ve Got To Be With You – Just Like In The Movies – I’ve Got Top Love You Again – I Never Give Up On Love – Love Came Today – We Belong In Love – Last Night Made My Day I had heard of Rick Smith as an artist, but had never heard the man sing. Thanks to those fantastic folks at Vinyl Masterpiece in Holland, this has been remedied and I am now able to own this album on CD. The man is a fantastic vocalist in the mould of Cliff Dawson cum Michael Henderson, with a few falsetto moments thrown in for good measure. If early 80s soul and boogie are as up your street as it is mine, then order it ASAP. These guys have remastered the album from the original record as no master tape exists – and the result is very, very good. It is only one or two songs that I notice any limitation, but as with their Starpoint releases, all the best tracks sound GREAT. I am no fan of shoddy remastering, believe me – and I have heard some dreadful examples in the recent past – and this release does not receive any opposition from me. Frankly, I was won over from the very start, and I would argue that the vast part of it is definitely essential listening. "(We Should Be) Lovers" commences with some fine musicianship and female vocals underpinned by a scratchy, funky guitar, slap bass and keys, Rick himself reverberates soulfully and snugly inbetween the grooves. It is when he really glides over the melody and is joined by brass and strings that the track really comes alive. A fantastic start, then, and proceeded by a sweet ballad featuring a duet with Sandi Humphreys. Slow to start, but slowly building into a memorable tune, "I’ve Got To Be With You" is indeed a highlight of this album. Sandi is a lovely vocalist and her phrasing against the strings and female backing singers really works a treat. "Just Like In The Movies" is another quality ballad and portrays Rick’s vocals very strongly indeed. The tempo is upped for the string laden "I’ve Got To Love You Again" – an unassuming track that is very good, but I do notice that this track is from vinyl – but don’t let this put you off. A tasty dancer can be found with the joyful stepper, "I Never Give Up On Love" – this is a song that I have rotated many times since the CD hit my doormat. A lovely track, this, and a song that reminds me how sterile and manufactured a lot of today’s material is, however good it may be. It’s hi-hat rhythm and flavour is not totally dissimilar to Keni Burke’s "Hang Tight". That should get the old toes tapping! One of my favourites is "Love Came Today"; we are treated to a falsetto here and the tune is a gentle loper of a groove that is better suited to the warmer weather and not the freezing gale that threatens to bring my part of the country snow this week. The sax on this track really is nice and fits well into this Dazz Band styled tune perfectly. This is tailed by an excellent midtempo called "We Belong In Love" and is another quality song that has been given a lot of play here at home this week. The song to close the CD is superb ballad "Last Night Made My Day" – again I can tell that this is from a record, but the quality of the song overrides this niggling concern. I am very impressed with this album and think that aficionados of the classic late 70s / early 80s period will want to snap this up. Essential 80s soul. -Barry Towler Other Fresh CD Reviews Albums of the Month in 2005 Albums of the Month in 2004 Albums of the Month in 2003 Albums of the Month in 2002 Albums of the Month in 2001 Albums of the Month in 2000 Albums of the Month in 1999 Albums of the Month in 1998 Albums of the Month in 1997 |
