Soul Express CD Review

I was very worried about this CD. I had heard a lot about it over the past year, and the more I heard the more alarmed I became. I was wary about buying this, but thankfully found one reasonably cheaply, so my attitude was “ in for a penny, in for a pound”. My fears are partially founded I fear, and some tracks on here really do offend my sensibilities as an Earth, Wind & Fire fan as well as a quality music fan. Fortunately most tracks are fantastic, and if like me you are a long-time of these guys you will NOT be disappointed.

I am not going to beat about the bush. I have to say that I think that artists with the gravitas, presence, talent and history such as Earth, Wind & Fire do NOT need to work with the likes of Kelly Rowland, Big Boi, Will.I.Am, Sleepy Brown and all the rest. Earth, Wind and Fire are music giants, and the spin here from the company is that the group are being respectful to their past, they are honouring the present and nodding their heads to the future. Utter claptrap.

I have spoken to youngsters who do not know who Earth, Wind and Fire are – let alone what an LP, 12” is, LOL! – and would NOT consider buying the album because of some rapper or so-called manufactured diva making an appearance. OK, that leaves the real fans, then. I don’t know about you but I do NOT want the likes of Big Boi, and Sleepy Brown spluttering and ranting on top of what would otherwise be sumptuous EW&F grooves.

I don’t particularly like Floetry either, so that’s another negative for me. This album will probably be HUGE. I am always pleased for quality artists who gain success, but this already overshadowed 2003’s “The Promise” which was their best work in 20 years. Pity. It’s a shame that quality artists have to lower their standards to appeal to today’s generation.

However, I do support this album and implore you to put aside your wariness as I did. Simply skip past the offending artists and you’ll be OK. The opening cut is a party piece of tremendous appeal, the Kalimba and punchy horns jostle over a fantastic tribal beat, interlaced with classic EWF harmonies. Will.I.Am from the Black Eyed Peas makes an appearance and is OK, but as to the point of him being there bar his pointless rap, I really don't know. Makes no sense to me. Still, a fun outing, regardless of the current kids' favourite popping up.

Far more impressive, though, is the SUPERB Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis produced “Pure Gold”. This gentle EW&F groove is straight out of their “I Am” era and Philip Bailey shines on this. The horns and instrumentation are spot-on, they really are. You will remember, of course, Jam and Lewis doing great things with The O’Jays this time last year. Thanks, guys. They contribute to the joyous funky stepper, “Love’s Dance”. It is very much 2005 but is thoroughly and unmistakeably CLASSIC EW&F.

I had reservations about Raphael Saadiq making an appearance. I have really rated his work in the past, especially his productions but I wondered what this union would spawn. “This Is How I Feel” is a fantastic track. Maurice White and Raphael take the lead on this, but Raphael is not the best singer in the world – he can sometimes sound like a 12 year old – and up against the likes of Maurice White he holds himself but shows his limitations. This is a quality and thoroughly enjoyable EW&F groove, and you will enjoy this I guarantee. Organised add their sampling skills to real horns and it is the guys and not them that make “The One” a good dancer.

Fans of more traditional EW&F songs will love the Latin flow of an track called “Liberation”; mainly instrumental this has some brilliant harmonies and piano. A bit late for summer, but keep it on ice for next year, eh.

Brian McKnight has only recently come back into my good books following 2 lacklustre teenybob R&B albums for Motown, but he is as adult as he should be on the SUPERB “To You”. This has a lot of appeal, the open piano tinkles away merrily and the warm strings soar in reminding me of a lot of the classy material that Columbia was releasing back in 1984. I cannot get enough of this song, and although it should be listed as Brian McKnight featuring EW&F it does not bother me at all. Brian is a talented artist and his performance puts to shame those who the system erroneously calls R&B artists today.

Track 13 and 14 are “extra tracks”, and add weight to the case for making this album a priority purchase. Raphael Saadiq produces this modern stomper. Although he relies on programmed beats and sampling the EW&F horns this is still very much an EW&F track and is not out of place in the EW&F canon. The final cut has Kenny G making an appearance (actually the track is taken from the recent Kenny G album; editor's note). It's easy and not without some foundation to mock this man, but no-one can deny that the man can play the sax, and he did record some great material during the 1980s. His sax playing on Smokey Robinson’s “Why Do Happy Memories Hurt So Bad” back in 1987 was just the icing on the cake. He sounds great here, too and so the thumbs up for this.

Please do not let this album slip away. I bought this for about £7.00 on Amazon and it is definitely worth every penny.
- Barry Towler