TYDmusic.com: My Review-101

Beverley Knight - Affirmation: LP (Parlophone)

It puzzles me that British soul diva Beverley Knight has not gotten the recognition she so richly deserved here in the states. She's constantly grown as both a vocalist and artist but it seems no one here is paying attention. Not so in her native UK though, as she has always been regarded as one of the UK's top soul singers

Her fourth album called 'Affirmation' is evident of this fact. Britain's premier soul and R&B performer doesn't bow down to tradition and has garnered a body of work that sees the songstress reach new heights with each project. The set starts off with 'Come as You Are which incidently is the lead single was co-written by Guy Chambers (Robbie Williams ex-partner) is a very pop -oriented track that most will think once they hear it that it's not a Bev Knight track (after all she is an R&B singer). This one sounds like something Pink would put out (but that is the point isn't it).

'Not to Late for Love' is a mid tempo groove that talks about self exploration. 'First Time' is a conversation about a lost relationship. Other notables include the Prince tinted 'Supasonic', the soothing ballad 'Under the Same Sun' and the title track. A few songs such as "Keep the Fire Burning" and the title track are more contemporary R&B-influenced but not overtly poppy as to cheapen the rest of the of the album

My standouts are the two-stepping rhythm of 'Salvador' and the deliciously delightful 'Fatal Factor' both are of exquisit production and utilizes Beverley's voice to perfection. Affirmation scores on many fronts and is another hit for the UK diva.

A terrific follow up to her previous work The Prodigal Sista and as mentioned earlier it shows that she grows with each project sheis involved with. You can get the album at Amazon or DustyGroove - A TY-D Pick (period)

Listen to Beverley Knights - 'Salvador'

Listen to Beverley Knights - 'Fatal Factor'

Sir TY

Sweetback (ft: Aya)- Love is the Word (Epic)

Much in the same fashion as their band leader Sade, Stuart Matthewman, Andrew Hale and Paul S Denman, the members of Sweetback has taken close to eight years to follow up their critically acclaimed self-titled debut and now that 'Stage 2' is here, the question one asked themselves is was it worth the wait?

Well to answer that question first you must look at the personal involved. There's different musicians and singers on board this set than the debut album. Gone are Bahamadia, Amel Larrieux and Maxwell who were not used here and are replaced with new voices in Aya, Ivana Santilli, Mark Anthony Thompson and Mecca Lady Bug (once with the Digable Planets) and although the main ingredients are there the outcome can be seen as different depending on how you look at it.

With that said the song I'm reviewing today is the catchy tribute to what I call the 'Blue Eyed Soul' 'Love is the Word'. The song offers a collaboration of the pop and soul standard re-worked with the magic of the beautiful voice of Singapore native Aya. The song starts off with a soft orchestral strings intro with Mecca Lady Bug offering the opening statment as the song starts to get into its baseline groove, it is then that Aya is introduced. Bobby Caldwell's 'What you won't do for Love' and Frankie Vali's Grease are the sample of words used as Aya's sensual voice lifts the nature of the tune with pizzazz and grace.

Aya herself is a story to be told. Born in Singapore but raised in London she has been popping up on tracks for Blue Six frontman Jay Denes (who also heads the Naked Music record label). She met Stuart Matthewman in NYC where she now resides and the two exchanged phone numbers. Soon afterwards they started to write tracks - (you can read more about Aya in My Pick 98).

The album features one of those songs 'Sing To Be Safe'. All in all Aya is featured on five tracks including 'All My Days With You' the house groover 'Round And Round' and the stimulating ballad 'Lover'.

The album is available now at a record shop or website near you (so to speak). You can also purchase it on their website www.sweetback.com. A TY-D Pick indeed and one not to be missed here.

Listen to Sweetback (ft: Aya) - 'Love is the Word'

Sir TY