It maybe have turned 40yrs old this year but this is still a little gem of an LP, that i feel has stood the test of time well. Marlena Shaw may perhaps be better known and indeed thought of as a jazz singer, but I’d say this LP shows her in a more Bluesy / Soul style with a splash of Jazz to get the juices flowing. However this LP isn’t full of fluffy, popcorn, girlie soul, sure it contains the popular, mightily catchy and summer filled, Ashford and Simpson written classic ‘California Soul’, but this LP also finds a soul speaking of social injustice, politics, and feminism.
The whole affair kicks off with the mighty and much sampled ‘Women Of The Ghetto’, with its powerful, deeply hypnotic bass line driving the song while Marlena berates US politicians for their failings, while displaying a certain strength and pride. Next up is complete change of style as she takes on the blues standard ‘Stormy Monday’ with great aplomb. Then it’s back into soul mode for ‘Where Can I Go’, then Mowtownesque ‘I’m Satisfied’. ‘I Wish I Knew’ sees Marlena hit a joyous, gospel tambourine tappin’ inspired stride, with jazzy guitar compliment, before we get all dirty, groovy, funk on ‘Liberation Conversation’. Then it’s the afore mentioned ‘Cali Soul’ followed by her original version of one of her signature numbers "Go Away Little Boy", a really hot, jazzy number about an older woman trying to resist a younger man, me thinks...
"Looking Through the Eyes of Love" is a Bacharach, MOR sounding, big time tune, that, with that rousing chorus, I think could go down well with a northern soul crowd, if it hasn’t already, while ‘Anyone Can Move A Mountain’, a sweet soul ballad, finally brings the whole thing to a close.
What also sets this LP up for me is some extremely powerful arrangements by producers Richard Evans and Charles Stepney that help to give the best back drop and setting to Marlena’s powerful yet sweet vocals, while also the enlisting of Bobby Miller of the Dells to help write 3 of the songs on the record payed off as they are probably the strongest ones. ‘The Spice Of Life’ is aptly named and would be a welcome accompaniment to anyone’s record / CD rack.
Tracks :
1 Woman Of The Ghetto
2 Stormy Monday
The whole affair kicks off with the mighty and much sampled ‘Women Of The Ghetto’, with its powerful, deeply hypnotic bass line driving the song while Marlena berates US politicians for their failings, while displaying a certain strength and pride. Next up is complete change of style as she takes on the blues standard ‘Stormy Monday’ with great aplomb. Then it’s back into soul mode for ‘Where Can I Go’, then Mowtownesque ‘I’m Satisfied’. ‘I Wish I Knew’ sees Marlena hit a joyous, gospel tambourine tappin’ inspired stride, with jazzy guitar compliment, before we get all dirty, groovy, funk on ‘Liberation Conversation’. Then it’s the afore mentioned ‘Cali Soul’ followed by her original version of one of her signature numbers "Go Away Little Boy", a really hot, jazzy number about an older woman trying to resist a younger man, me thinks...
"Looking Through the Eyes of Love" is a Bacharach, MOR sounding, big time tune, that, with that rousing chorus, I think could go down well with a northern soul crowd, if it hasn’t already, while ‘Anyone Can Move A Mountain’, a sweet soul ballad, finally brings the whole thing to a close.
What also sets this LP up for me is some extremely powerful arrangements by producers Richard Evans and Charles Stepney that help to give the best back drop and setting to Marlena’s powerful yet sweet vocals, while also the enlisting of Bobby Miller of the Dells to help write 3 of the songs on the record payed off as they are probably the strongest ones. ‘The Spice Of Life’ is aptly named and would be a welcome accompaniment to anyone’s record / CD rack.
Tracks :
1 Woman Of The Ghetto
2 Stormy Monday
3 Where Can I Go ?
4 I'm Satisfied
5 I Wish I Knew (How It Would Feel To Be Free)
6 Liberation Conversation
7 California Soul
8 Go Away, Little Boy
5 I Wish I Knew (How It Would Feel To Be Free)
6 Liberation Conversation
7 California Soul
8 Go Away, Little Boy
9 Looking Through The Eyes Of Love
10 Anyone Can Move A Mountain
10 Anyone Can Move A Mountain
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