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Anthea - Words & Beats |
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This is
Anthea Clarke’s first solo album for the dance-orientated Hed Kandi
label and their website describes part of her musical education as
“hanging out around the Strawberry Studios in Manchester in 1989,
listening to funky unusual beats and coupling them to the medley of
music she had listened to in the past”. There’s
nothing from the past here – this is right-up-to-the-minute stuff. The
opener Away to Always launches the album at breakneck speed.
I love that flying drum ‘n’ bass rhythm – the touch is just
deft enough. The vocals are
sweet but it’s the beat, the beat! Some of
the tracks meander too much for me but there are moments when my
attention is grabbed. On Only
One, Anthea shows real jazz vocal style.
The smooth guitar and jerky drum backbeat don’t sit that easily
together but this track grows on you… Billie
Holliday devotees may recognise Don’t Explain – the only song
not written by Chris Bangs and Anthea. More breathy vocals and more sexy jazz guitar from Nigel
Price, sounding like Ronny Jordan might sound on this type of material.
On a CD with such edgy grooves, this is a real surprise.
The massive reverb on the guitar is a bit wearing but no-one
could say this is safe, formulaic stuff! The
synthesizer on Fingers sounds like Dexter Wansel on strong
medication. That and the
forceful mid-tempo beat almost overwhelm Anthea’s delicate vocal –
which is there only as adornment, as on several tracks.
The album could just as easily have been called “Beats &
Words”. The
last four tracks are remixes of other tracks on the album.
Away to Always was better “unmixed” – much better in
fact! The beat on I Wish
(Nu Funk Mix) will get to you though.
That muted bass, sounding like an acoustic bass, makes you want
to turn this right up! Nice
keyboard textures which verge on the haunting will make this track stick
in your mind more than any other. I
wish that this had been the last track and closed on a real high.
Side of Blue (Carlito’s D’n’B Mix) has the same
acoustic bass sound (how do they do that??) and really rocks but I
Wish (Nu Funk Mix) is the standout track for me. There
are echoes of “New Forms” by Roni Size and Reprazent on this CD.
This is more subtle and not as daring.
It’s not hard-edged enough to keep the dedicated dance crowd
happy all the way through, but for R&B and smooth jazz fans who are
broad-minded enough, this album has some rewarding moments. Hed
Kandi HEDK004 – Produced by Chris Bangs and Anthea Reviewed by Chris Mann |
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