I've had this debut CD from Boston's James Aldridge for a few weeks now and so far (it's August) I think it's the CD of year 2001.Kicks off with a beautiful searing ballad, "Don't Let Me Go" before the almost midtempo shuffling "If I Didn't Know You".
"I Want You Love" should see some action on the dancefloor of modern rooms before it's back to another atmospheric classy ballad "You're The Only One" which brings George Benson to mind. "Time Will Tell" is a powerful ballad, again quality listening music that is pacey enough to possibly get some club action.
James really slows it down for "The Change In Me", very much à la Luther, just simple and effective. "Suyapa" might be a standout track on other modern soul albums : here it just sets the minimum level, drifting, pleasant, nothing wrong with it. "Special Night" is a bit funkier whilst the title track improves with every listen. Sheer class. However, it's just a prelude to the song of the year.
When I first I heard "Leora", it's class knocked me out in way that no other track has done in quite some time. It's so melodic and joyful that it could be the genius of Donny Hathaway. It ought to be number one across the World! A gentle flute intro then it's into the most memorable soul track of the year. The final track "Give Me A Chance" is bound to be an anti-climax after Leora but yet it is a quality piece of music. It's rare to find a soul album these days that has no raps and no dud tracks. This is the one. Normally they are also let down by lack of real instruments and particularly the use of drum programming. This wins through despite programming.
If you appreciate quality soul vocalists such as Luther, Peabo Bryson, Jeffrey Osborne and Howard Hewett, make an effort to get this. You won't disappointed. If it's difficult to find where you live try CDBaby. It's not expensive.
When you find out how good it is, you can email his management. You could also email your local/national radio to get them to play "Leora".
An essential CD for your collection of canned tracks previously unreleased (with the exception of Truly Yours by The Temptations). Standout tracks are David Ruffin's version of I Want You Back, Marvin Gaye's jazzy relaxed reading of My Girl, Kim Weston's soulful rendition of Stop! In The Name Of Love and Jimmy Ruffin on Too Busy Thinking About My Baby. Only disappointment is Stevie Wonder's version of I Hear A Symphony which sounds like a 16 year old who wasn't interested in recording the material when he had ideas of his own.
One of my top ten albums of all time with the magical vocal of Ted Mills and the Sigma Sound Studio session guys in Philly at the peak of their powers.
Opens up with Sideshow, which gained UK chart status via an inferior reggae cover of this plaintive sweet soul ballad.
Look Me Up is class for the dancefloor and should have made the UK charts.
What's Come Over Me is again sweet soul at it's best whilst side one closes with the seminal version of Just Don't Want To Be Lonely which is seven and a quarter minutes of sheer brilliance. It was first released as a single for Ronnie Dyson and later a hit for the Main Ingredient but I have a feeling that this is the original version of the song. Can someone from Sigma Sound confirm this?
Side two gives more classy mixture of sweet Philly soul (Stop To Start, the spine tingling Spell and Tear It Down) and quality disco music of Welcome To The Club and Answer To My Prayer.
If you like the Stylistics in their early days before the material went downhill (and later returned to quality!), then this is an album to hunt out. Philly at its best.
Again this probably ranks in my top ten albums of all time and demonstrates Mr Green at the pinnacle of his success.
Kicks off with title track, a massive hit in America but failed to make the UK pop charts followed by the lilting "I'm Glad You're Mine".
"Love and Happiness" is the track that added a couple of million sales to the album because Hi label in the US refused to release it as a single, so people went out and bought the album to get it - sheer brilliance. "What A Wonderful Thing Love Is" is typical Al Green, just so relaxing, perfect for a summer's day. Side one closes with one of the all time spine-tinglers - "Simply Beautiful" and it is. It's a track that is probably best listened to through headphones - so that nothing interrupts its purity.
The first two tracks on side two are covers of well known songs. Roy Orbison's "Oh Pretty Woman" is dealt with excellently building to a crescendo. The oft recorded Kris Kristofferson song "For The Good Times" provides Al's hallmark extended ballad and is as good as his others. The single "Look What You've Done For Me" is followed by another typical mid tempo song, "One Of These Good Old Days".
The album not only contains masterpieces but also is a album where no track could be remotely described as a filler.
Released in 1973, this was considered to be almost plagiarism of the style of Al Green but yet it stands up in its own right. All tracks were written by Paul who had been around for a few years and were recorded in Nashville as opposed to Memphis. There's no real standout track - its all just good solid soul, maybe Come Lay Some Lovin On Me and Wrapped Up In Your Love are the most commercial. I'm trying to remember who covered Come Lay Some Lovin' - was it Margie Joseph?
It's a worthy album to dig out and play every now and then. How easy it is to obtain now, I've no idea.
Since writing this review, I note that this had the accolade of the number one soul album of all time in a Mojo article.
As far as I'm concerned, this is Al Green updated to 1998. The vocal feel is maybe a little earthier, more like Al Green of Tired Of Being Alone and Back Up Train. I'll not go through all the thirteen tracks but of highlight are the single "Love Letters" which got a fair amount of national radio airplay - what a boost it would have been to have some real soul in the pop charts, "Feelin' You" which was very big on the modern scene from mid 97. On first hearing, I thought it was Al Green - still wasn't convinced when the artist was named as Ali - sounded a bit close!
"Tomorrow " is a perfect representation of the mood and style of the album, perfect for a Sunday afternoon. On the title track, Ali gets a little bit more funky, with some wah wah guitar giving a bit of a Sly & The Family Stone flavour. If you like good soul music in the Al Green/Willie Collins mould, you won't go wrong with this release. Buy it before it gets deleted.