Music City Soul - Beverley Knight Album Review
Beverley Knight
Album Review
Adopting old-skool Soul, MBE Beverley (Anne) Knight’s Music City Soul is quite breathtaking, as lead-in single No Man’s Land proved.
At long, long last, Knight has delivered an outstanding collection of mostly Knight collaborations (including former Robbie Williams partner Guy Chamber) and covers. What makes this such a superb album is the strength of the songs as they shine through at all levels , and I’m surprised its dropped from 18 to 36 ( w/c 28 May ) after only three weeks on chart. Unlike previous albums, which I believe have sold her short, it’s worthy of much more attention and longevity than its current chart position. Pulling out all the stops in every department, particularly in the vocal department, MCS is a contemporary- retro Soul classic, matching anything new-kid-on-the-block Joss Stone has done to date.
Nice and easy, she opens with hot-blooded ballad Every Time You See Me Smile, juiced-up by a hot brass section and classy backups. A cover of Banks/ Parker’s Ain’t That A Lot Of Love , ( also done by Simply Red in 1999 ), is masterfully delivered as a dance number full of gusto and conviction. After You is a delightful mid-tempo jaunt, nice harmonies and melodies that precursors the hit No Man’s Land, her best single ever. Queen Of Starting Over matches anything Aretha Franklin has ever done, with Knight’s singing at its peak as the pain and empathy sweep the track away. Dropping into gospel-soul template, Time Is On My Side is an easy stroll for the West Midlander, and the same goes for Why Me etc, and Tell Me I’m Wrong. Rock Steady is out of the seventies, something the Staple Singers would have tackled, with wiry wah wah chord riffs and swinging brass blasts – the catchy titled chorus will rip up any concert stage she appears on. Christina Aguilera would have a field-day with this one, but for now it’s the preserve of Ms Knight.
Uptight, a bonus track is the only weakness here, but Back To You , a smoldering ballad restores the collection’s quality and class. With the second After You being a radio edit, clearly this the next single, and should do well, but Tina Turner-like dance blast Black Butta– Knight / Chambers – a stomping romp, it has all the makings of a future single surely - regular beat, catchy hooks, sumptuous brass textures and rasping vocals.
One day, this will be seen as her definitive album that propelled her to the status she has long deserved. Joss Stone has stolen her thunder for now, but things are about to change. Mark my words.
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