The palette of Soul has many hues- me ? Well I like very dark colours myself-like Black for example. I also like the shades nobody else does sometimes for the right reasons (culture, personal references and stuff)-sometimes I like them for the wrong reasons too. Often though what causes me to not like something is perverse- like I'm kicking back at something. I'm sorry I do this- something in my wiring that is wrong perhaps-? it causes me to lose respect and to doubt myself, at times.
Incognito are a band who in UK terms are the very definition of Modern Soul . They have this huge fan base they play many gigs some even at events. They are clever enough to be a collective to draw in many guest stars and to have good vocalists.
Their new CD I imagine has been almost worshipped by the more vocal of UK soul fans-I imagine it has a 100 reply thread on EMS- with not a single voice saying anything negative or questioning about it. Well fair enough but for me the colour on this palette is pastel- say pink-or a washed out blue. Take the first track on Transatlantic RPM- an utterly pointless cover of LOW DOWN. It adds nothing and almost craftily takes nothing away from the original-leaving it completely neutral. It's lazy timid and frankly dull. About the time of the original release of Scaggs "Low down" on a Sunday Night there used to be a Radio Show called "Sing Something Simple" featuring The Cliff Adams Singers. It was the soft underbelly of old persons music scheduled as an antidote to the POP music of the day. This version of Low Down is the haunted ghost of The Cliff Adams singers and that's a big shame.
The use of Ursula Rucker is at least an attempt to bring a heavier hue to this watercolour. Alas the song isn't about to much- it lacks BITE!
Expresso Madureira track 11 on this CD has a title which tells you all you need to know. Retro dull salsa that side steps the real tempo-mochaccino jazz funk served in a milk bar. Raul de Souza cicra 1970t's-which fair enough was great in its day but this is like The BBC Light Orchestra....
The use of Mario Bondi as vocalist gives this CD all the street cred of Michael Buble his second track "Can't get Enough"- is just not good enough....The Leon Ware track however is pretty good-his vocal is as welcome as a drink in the desert-though I wish he'd of multi tracked has vocals more-but as the arrangement is over busy I suppose they'd of been lost.
The feeling I get from this CD is that it's OK-well crafted but songs not quite good enough to really grab me. It's also too tame and doesn't take on any real issues both in terms of words and music....
Then again make your own mind up... you'll love it...
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