Album review overview: Uncle Frank, Madonna and more
Dozens of new albums arrive at Maxazine’s editorial staff every week. There are way too many to listen to them all, let alone review them. It ensures that too many albums are left behind. And that’s a shame. That is why we post an overview of albums that arrive at the editors in short reviews today.
Danny Widdicombe & Trichotomy – Iridescence
For some reason, the thoughts wander to Steely Dan with the first notes of the opening track “Ebb and Flow,” especially when Danny Widdicombe’s vocals join in. This comparison isn’t entirely crazy, although the Australian himself refers to influences from Leon Bridges and The Teskey Brothers: soul with touches of post-rock and jazz. But why should we tie ourselves in knots trying to put a label on this? Together with the trio Trichotomy, Widdicombe locked himself away for four days in the MONA Art Museum in Tasmania to subsequently deliver a delightful record under the title “Iridescence,” referring to the effect where colours seem to change when you alter your viewing angle. And that’s a beautiful metaphor for the ten songs on this album: you can listen to these songs in various ways, because with each listen, you discover another layer. In the title track, for instance, you initially hear mainly the infectious bass loop, but the piece develops through a cinematic soundscape into a funky trip with a leading role for the Rhodes sounds that Sean Foran conjures from his piano. Trichotomy’s contribution shouldn’t be underestimated: it’s precisely this trio that’s responsible for the many colours within the sketch that Widdicombe creates as a composer. Favourites: the up-tempo “It’ll be OK!” and “Black Magic.” The latter song has everything: strong vocals including harmonies, a tasty piano intermezzo, and, as the cherry on top, a beautiful guitar solo by Widdicombe. Absolutely one of the better albums released this year. (Jeroen Mulder) (9/10) (Earshift Music)
Roni Kaspi – Tell Me
The 23-year-old Israeli drum sensation Roni Kaspi proves with her latest release, “Tell Me” why she was crowned Drumeo’s Best Jazz Drummer of the Year. This promising second EP shows an artist who effortlessly blends genres in a modern synthesis of jazz, pop, and electronica. “Tell Me” tells the story of a toxic romantic situation, supported by Kaspi’s characteristic tight drumwork and sultry vocals. Her electronic art-pop sound sits somewhere between The Japanese House, Men I Trust, and Poliça, with warm bass and floating synthesisers forming a perfect backdrop for her smoky vocal timbre. Her music recalls the experimental pop of FKA twigs, but with more of a jazzy undertone. Kaspi describes it herself when asked as “a perfect representation of her musical identity – a mix of pop, jazz, and alternative.” The production is tight and modern, with contributions from Noé Berne on bass and Amit Cachman on cello. “Tell Me” promises great things and confirms Kaspi’s status as one of the most innovative musicians in contemporary jazz-pop fusion. (Jan Vranken) (8/10) (RoniPoni)
Uncle Frank – The Soundtrack to a Musical
After 25 years in digital oblivion, Uncle Frank’s “lost album” finally returns. This lovingly crafted collection of 13 tracks is a tribute to Disney’s golden era from 1940 to 1970 and was originally recorded in a dusty attic studio in Leicester. Frank Benbini and Naim Cortazzi from the Fun Lovin’ Criminals have created something special: quirky, cinematic ballads full of heart, soul, and playfulness. Benbini’s description, “Disneyland meets Al Green in Last of the Summer Wine”, perfectly captures the unique charm. The album benefits from guest contributions by harmonica virtuoso Jim Hughes and percussionist Dougie Wright. The songs range from dreamy ballads to funky, theatrical stories reminiscent of “Bare Necessities” from The Jungle Book, but through a soul-funk filter. The album mixes vintage charm with soul, funk, and theatrical storytelling. Although some tracks show their age and the production feels dated, the album radiates a nostalgic warmth that will especially appeal to Disney lovers. A curiosity that’s worth finding its way back to the light. A musical Swedish flea market where you’re happy to have wandered in. (Anton Dupont) (8/10) (Make it Nice Records)
Matthew Alec and The Soul Electric – A Bad Rep In The Rubber City
The first encounter with this new album by saxophonist Matthew Alec and the Soul Electric is “Gravity,” a masterpiece that John Mayer wrote for “Continuum,” by far the best album in his oeuvre. And where Mayer, with a few guitar strokes, manages to create exactly that melancholic atmosphere this song needs, Alec destroys it with far too many bells and whistles. Coffee band level for all your parties and celebrations: after the stir-fry, a quiet number for dancing on the floor. In other words, we held our breath for the rest of the album with announcements including Coltrane’s “Blue Train” and “Just The Two Of Us,” the classic with vocals by Bill Withers and that incomparable sax solo by Grover Washington Jr. In the notes for “Blue Train,” we read credits going to one DJ Dramatize for handling a turntable. Alec is certainly not the first and only one to add these kinds of elements to jazz standards, and it must be said: the addition of hip-hop elements – including rap and scratching – doesn’t do badly. Fortunately. Then “Just The Two of Us,” with vocals by one Jeremy Voltz, a burned-out mathematician who started singing. There’s nothing wrong with the sax solos here, but Voltz sings the song clumsily, and that breaks the magic of this song. Thus, “A Bad Rep In The Rubber City” becomes a very inconsistent album with interpretations of classics. Some of them are tolerable, and on some performances, there should be a constitutional ban on butchering a song so terribly. Get them, John. (Jeroen Mulder) (5/10) (Cleveland Time Records)
Madonna – Veronica Electronica
After twenty-seven years of waiting, Madonna has finally released her long-rumoured “Ray of Light” remix album. “Veronica Electronica,” originally planned as a companion album to her 1998 masterpiece, was postponed at the time due to the overwhelming success of “Ray of Light.” The album contains primarily six already-released remixes that have been shortened to half their original length, supplemented with one unreleased demo, “Gone Gone Gone,” and a new remix of “Frozen.” Producers like Sasha, BT, and Victor Calderone transform classics like “Nothing Really Matters” into hypnotic dancefloor fillers that recall the euphoria of the original “Ray of Light.” The problem is that “Veronica Electronica” is essentially a “highlights reel of long-available remixes,” misleadingly packaged under a title rich in Madonna mythology. For fans who hoped for unheard material, this feels like a missed opportunity. Where the album does succeed is in the joy it radiates. It’s nostalgia in its purest form, but recycled nostalgia. A pleasant but superfluous outing for completists. (Elodie Renard) (6/10) (Warner Records)
