new releases Lamont Dozier - Freda Payne - Russell Thompkins - Valerie Simpson etc

[MIKEW-UK]

Duets [[ with Cliff Richard) on Soulicious album.....some truly great soul artists...hear preview snippets at:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Soulicious-The-Soul-Album/dp/B005NO27A4/ref=dm_cd_album_lnk_alt



1. Saving A Life Cliff Richard & Freda Payne

2. Go On And Tell Him Cliff Richard & Dennis Edwards & The Temptations Review
3. Do You Ever Cliff Richard & Brenda Holloway

4. Teardrops Cliff Richard & Candi Staton

5. When I Was Your Baby Cliff Richard & Roberta Flack

6. Are U Feeling Me Cliff Richard & Deniece Williams

7. Oh How Happy Cliff Richard & Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr

8. Every Piece Of My Broken Heart Cliff Richard & Valerie Simpson

9. How We Get Down Cliff Richard & Russell Thompkins Jr & The New Stylistics

10. This Time With You Cliff Richard & Candi Staton

11. Don't Say You Love Me [[It'll Ruin My Day) Cliff Richard 3:14 £0.89

12. She Looked Good Cliff Richard, Dennis Edwards, The Temptations Review & Lamont Dozier

13. I'm Your Puppet Cliff Richard & Percy Sledge

14. Always And Forever Cliff Richard Featuring Billy Paul

15. Birds Of A Feather Cliff Richard & Peabo Bryson

[ralpht]

Looks good, Mike. Can you please post this again in the promo thread at the top?

[MIKEW-UK]

Absolutely Ralph.....I'm really pleased to see these artists getting some new wax out..... fab to see Valerie Simpson, Brenda Holloway for example getting exposure.... and Candi and Dennis and Lamont and Freda and Billy and Russell and Peabo and Billy and Marilyn and the great James and Deniece....and Percy!

[MIKEW-UK]

Soulicious' is a 15-song collection of mostly new and some classic soul songs.

The album features a number of duets between Cliff and some of the greatest voices ever in soul music, including Billy Paul, Brenda Holloway, Candi Staton, Dennis Edwards and The Temptations Review, Freda Payne, Percy Sledge, Roberta Flack and Valerie Simpson.

‘Soulicious’ was recorded at Willie Mitchell’s Royal Studios, Ardent Studios, Memphis and Above Asia Studios in New York, in April of this year

Mostly new and some classic soul songs, the majority of which are produced by legendary Motown songwriter Lamont Dozier [[with some also produced by soul legends Nikolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson) who has, along with his son Beau Dozier, written a number of the album's songs.

[ms_m]

Sounds intriguing Mike. Do you have any more info on this?
I'm not familiar with Cliff Richards but I did go to his website. Would love to know more details, especially about the new tracks.

Thanks

[MIKEW-UK]

Hi ms-m,

here's all you'll ever need!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMfL4pWtIiY

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cliff_Richard

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTy1KVGSM0Y Freda Payne

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2X8a4t2ggo Dennis Edwards & The Temptations Review & Lamont Dozier

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwB0MQtg9Dg Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23tr0jhvkqI Candi Staton

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oft-ZihdMLA Billy Paul

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BenoLvEdbm0 Peabo Bryson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTVta7BZhgw Percy Sledge

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLO2J5CQ0E0 Roberta Flack

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eQ95ms8mOc Preview of tracks


Cliff Richard is very well known in the UK and has a wide following across Europe. He modelled himself on Elvis Presley and started off making unashamedly lookalikes of rock and roll songs which were happening in the U.S.. Cliff fell in love with Elvis's records when still at school in the late 50s and decided he wanted to be just like Elvis. He is now 71, but is renowned in the UK for his very youthful appearance and high energy levels. He has had masses of hit records over the decades and is still hugely popular amongst the older audiences. He feels that he hasn't really been fully appreciated for his successes over the years. His favourite quote is by John Lennon : John Lennon once claimed that "before Cliff and the Shadows and "Move It", there had been nothing worth listening to in British music."

I have never bought a Cliff Richard record nor ever had any interest - I'm purely a soul guy, always have been. Two years ago I did get an invite to his show and backstage to meet him and the Shadows, his backing group...all very friendly and warm people.

This project came about through David Gest, who has promoted some soul shows over here. Gest may no longer be involved in this project, but full marks to Cliff for teaming up with the other soul artists and giving them exposure. I have no doubt this album will be a huge commercial success...it was recorded at Willie Mitchell's former studio and in New York and has Lamont Dozier's and Ashford and Simpson's fingerprints all over it.

I believe for the first time in my life I will purchase a Cliff Richard album......the soul artists deserve our full support IF the material is good......the previews are very promising.... here's a review posted on Amazon.....

I have to admit that I think this time Sir Cliff has surpassed himself. Soulicious, in my humble [[and I don't do humble for anyone, so that's saying something) opinion is one of his best albums ever, and I think you could make a case for it being his best album since Something's Goin' On in 2004, but I hesitate to say it, mainly because Cliff's albums are different each time. I think, for example, comparing Soulicious with Bold As Brass from last year would be unfair, because the two albums are just so different in style, it would be like comparing chalk and cheese.

In truth I think Soulicious is the sort of album Cliff could have been recording for years. I think Mickie Most once said that Cliff has, and I hope this won't offend anyone, a black edge to his voice. I think that's spot on, and I think he uses it to its full effect on this one. The public, I suppose, knows Cliff for rock and pop, but on Soulicious he gets to unleash his ability with this R&B and soul material, and the style fits him like a well made glove. In a way the natural forerunner for this album is Real As I Wanna Be [[1998), with its glorious R&B feel, but on this one Cliff takes it even further, and the results, for my money, are staggering.

The vocals on the whole album are sublime. Cliff is heartbreaking on Go On And Tell Him, a track I openly admit to crying at the first time I heard it, with its message that a broken relationship is fixable, all the woman has to do is tell the new boyfriend that she still loves the ex and go back where she should be. The funny thing for me is that it isn't even remotely near the knuckle, I can't think why it made me cry! However, really get the tissues out for Do You Ever, where Cliff pours out his soul and hands it to you virtually gift-wrapped. Imagine Miss You Nights multiplied by a factor of about 1000 and you'll get how weepy this one is. I should also say that Brenda Holloway is fantastic on Do You Ever. Her vocals are wonderful and add to the intensity of Cliff's to perfection. Get the tissues out and listen.

Soulicious sort of hits you between the eyes. Right from the off with Saving A Life something palpably different is going on here. There is a joyous energy to the whole album, where I think the balance has been struck perfectly between an authentic Motown/Soul sound, especially on tracks such as Saving A Life, This Time With You, She Looked Good, Are U Feeling Me and How We Get Down [[glorious harmonies on this one), with a contemporary soul style, such as in tracks like Birds Of A Feather, Every Piece Of My Broken Heart [[with stunning falsetto vocals from Cliff) and Don't Say You Love Me, which for me has all the dynamics of We Don't Talk Anymore. There is a level of anatagonistic venom in Don't Say You Love Me that might even surprise a few, you know, those who think Cliff is all ballads and Christmas songs.

I think it's hard to tell what the covers are and what the new tracks are, at least on listening. All of them blend so well together. I'm Your Puppet is so laid-back and cool it needs an overcoat and slippers, but Teardrops is so energetic it could run a marathon. Oh How Happy is full on gospel, rather like The Miracle from Real As I Wanna Be in style, then there is Always And Forever, where Cliff's warm rich vocals lead the way to Billy Paul ad-libbing his heart out, and doing so with such class.

I really don't think there is a bad track on the album. They all fit together beautifully. I also don't think people need to worry about Cliff not being centre-stage with the duets. This is very much Cliff's album, make no mistake about it, but the guest vocals work so well with him. There are too many highlights to mention really, but Candi Staton, Peabo Bryson and Brenda Holloway work so well with Cliff, adding colour and depth, but also allowing Cliff to lead and shine.

If there is any justice Cliff will have an absolute smash with this one. He deserves to.

[alanh]

I've always admired and respected Cliff despite not always liking his music. This album is far better than could be expected. Although, to me, some tracks don't quite come off, there are some really great songs. I especially love 'Do You Ever' with Brenda Holloway - she's in superb form and it's a good song. It's so good to hear Brenda again. 'This Time With You' with Candi Staton is in the style of one of the great Candi 'dancers' and Cliff sounds great on it too. I also like the Roberta Flack duet. The album's well worth a listen - well done to everyone involved in this project.

[juicefree20]

Now you know that I can't wait to hear Russell Thompkins Jr. & The New Stylistics doing their thing with Cliff. Dennis & The Temptations Review as well.

[alanh]

The album came in on the UK album chart at number ten today.