Hailed as the U.K. Queen of Soul ever since her 1995 debut, Birmingham diva Beverley Knight pays homage to those she considers equally worthy of taking the home-grown urban throne on her seventh studio album, Soul UK. Released through her own Hurricane Records label, the follow-up to 100% features 13 cover versions of British soul classics from the past 30 years, both well-known (George Michael's U.S. number one "One More Try") and slightly obscure (the Lewis Taylor album track "Damn"). With such astonishing vocal prowess, ...
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Hailed as the U.K. Queen of Soul ever since her 1995 debut, Birmingham diva Beverley Knight pays homage to those she considers equally worthy of taking the home-grown urban throne on her seventh studio album, Soul UK. Released through her own Hurricane Records label, the follow-up to 100% features 13 cover versions of British soul classics from the past 30 years, both well-known (George Michael's U.S. number one "One More Try") and slightly obscure (the Lewis Taylor album track "Damn"). With such astonishing vocal prowess, there was never any doubt that Knight herself would do justice to the source material, as she seductively coos over the dreamy languid basslines of Omar's "There's Nothing Like This," belts out the environmental message of Jamiroquai's "When You Gonna Learn" with appropriate gusto, and tenderly serenades on the romantic balladry of Heatwave's "Always and Forever." However, other than the rousing Southern soul makeover afforded to Roachford's funk-rock hit "Cuddly Toy" and the inventive nu-soul treatment of Princess' SAW-penned "Say I'm Your Number One," the production from Martin Terefe (James Morrison) and Future Cut (Lily Allen) fails to deliver in the same way. Reworkings of early-'90s classics by Young Disciples ("Apparently Nothin'") and Loose Ends ("Don't Be a Fool") are rendered rather flat by the toning down of their shuffling hip-hop beats, while the rather back-to-basics approach favored on renditions of Junior's "Mama Used to Say" and Freeez's "Southern Freeez" is no less dated than the early-'80s originals. While the lack of predictable selections (Soul II Soul's "Fairplay" makes the cut ahead of the more obvious "Back to Life") is admirable, the omission of any material from the likes of Sade and Brand New Heavies, and anything pre-1980 and post-1996, means this is far from the defining overview of what the British soul scene has to offer. But as a personal selection, Soul UK is an affectionate if sometimes perfunctory set of covers suggesting that, should one of her contemporaries pursue the same idea, her name would undoubtedly be near the top of the list. ~ Jon O'Brien, Rovi
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Add this copy of Soul Uk to cart. $9.77, good condition, Sold by Stephen White Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Bradford, WEST YORKSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2011 by Hurricane.
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