Rating:
Genre:
R&B
Release Date: 03/20/2001
Run Time: 43:36
Many of the artists who were part of Britain's
soul scene of the late '80s/early '90s, including
Soul II Soul,
Lisa Stansfield, and
Caron Wheeler, took a high-tech,
neo-soul approach, combining '70s-influenced
R&B and
disco with elements of
hip-hop. The equally impressive
Brand New Heavies, however, used technology sparingly, stressed the use of real instruments, and were unapologetically retro and '70s-sounding through and through. Drawing on such influences as
the Average White Band and
Tower of Power,
the Heavies triumph by sticking with the classic
R&B approach they clearly love the most. The band has a jewel of a singer in
N'Dea Davenport, who is characteristically expressive on
"Dream Come True" and
"Stay This Way." Real horns -- not synthesizers made to sound like horns -- enrich those gems as well as the sweaty vocal
funk of
"People Get Ready" and
"Put the Funk Back in It" and the
jazz-influenced instrumental
"BNH." While this fine album enjoyed cult hit status, it was sadly ignored by American
urban contemporary radio.
~Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
;)
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