The Soul Express Album of the Month

April 1999

KASHIF
Who Loves You?
(UK Expansion)
Bed You Down - Good Ol' Days - Rhythm of My Mind - Brooklyn Breezes - I Don't Give a Damn - Mingo Weya - Can We Just Get Along? - Lay You Down - It's Alright - Who Loves You? (It's Alright Part 2)
9 years is a very long time to wait for one of soul music's most talented and favourite artists to come back into the fold. 1989's eponymous set was a swingbeat nightmare and did the man no favours whatsoever - but this could not be further from the truth here in 1998! Who Loves You? is a splendid CD, but somehow dear old Kashif doesn't sound at all himself on some cuts - but do not look upon this as a negative comment for it is NOT. The superb soulful and mid-tempo entree, Bed You Down owes more to the vocal style of Mikki Bleu than Kashif. Good Old Days begins with the ghost of Love Changes from the first second, but vocally we are in serious Whispers territory. Dwayne Wiggins of Tony Toni Tone adds his extensive guitar skill on this monster as well as Howard Hewett's producer, Monty Seward, on vocal chores.
The killer cut for me is the Gary Taylor produced Rhythm of My Mind which has the vocals of the Whispers, again, stamped all over it. This cut is top of the class in many ways. Brooklyn Breezes is a choice instrumental too - and something that the man hasn't done for a very long time and features Michael White on drums. The funky number look no further than the hypnotic Mingo Weya in all its 10 minutes of length! For social comment there is the Tashan-ish Can We Get Along. The lighter '80s sounding Lay You Down is actually Bed You Down but sung in a more typically Kashif manner having shades of Hush / Paul Lawrence about it.
All in all a much welcome return and the funky It's Alright helps make this album essential.

Other Albums of the Month in 1999
Albums of the Month in 1998
Albums of the Month in 1997

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