Customer Reviews

D-Vas

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm a big D-Influence fan, and I wasn't disappointed by this CD. But I do miss the fact that Sarah Anne Webb is no longer a member of the group. She obviously added a lot to the creative process, because the only song on the album that sounds like older D-Influence stuff is the one that she did with the rest of the group.

That may show us the problem with this album. Kwame and Steve (apparently, the only two members now) are brilliant musicians, but they seem to allow too much creative freedom for each "D-Va" that has a song with them on the album. The results are that for the first time in four D-Influence albums, there's actually a bad song. "Wishing" (featuring Deed) features awful lyrics, clumsy vocal arrangements, and bad singing. "I Wanna Know You" features really amateurish vocals by the featured D-Va on that song (whose name I can't remember). And there are one or two other regrettable moments.

However, the rest of the CD is pretty good, and some of the songs are just absolutely brilliant. The best cut is "Taste of Bitter Love," which is a remake of an obscure Gladys Knight & the Pips song, but in D-I's hands, it sounds like a latter day Paradise Garage dance classic. This song alone makes the album worth having. The other remake, "32 Flavours," is another outstanding cut. Probably 4 or 5 other cuts are worthy of serious praise.

In general, this is an album worth having if you are a D-Influence fan. If you're unfamiliar with their stuff, I would suggest buying any of their other 3 albums, especially "London," before this one. These are neo-soul/alternative R&B classics, while much of this CD sounds more like British radio oriented R&B.

I will say this: I didn't like Floetry's album, either. If you like Floetry, then pick this one up. Marsha from Floetry co-wrote a couple of the songs on "D-Vas" that I can do without, but they are better to me than anything on Floetry's album.

If you happen to work with fine singers like Shola Ama, Romina Johnson etc, all featured on this album, and have good & smooth producers like D'Influence, the result can only be fine :)

This band has been on my A-list since the day I heard "Funny How Things Change" from their 'Good 4 We' LP. The vocalist had this breathy husky voice that was mildy reminiscent of Sade. With each release I always anticipated the next. They just kept getting better...until they broke up. I wish I at least had the opportunity see them live. Their sound was a break from the over teched sounds that are all too common today. Spreading positive vibes and providing us with an opportunity to slow down and feel the funk. They were easily the successors to Jamiroquai and the Brand New Heavies. Completely overlooked. But enough! I'm just bitter.
To the point...The D-Vas project is good(Key word- "project"). The production seems to be the focus. D-Influence have remixed so many other artist that they were sought out more for their remixing abilities than for their own artistic output. The production is on the spot and they do more than justice to a of cover Ani DiFranco's "32 Flavors" without completely losing the integrity of the song. The remake of "Taste of Bitter Love" is classic D-I. Dee C Lee appears on the r&b/bossa track "la di da" and they even do 2 step on "Wonderin'". This LP confirms the band's capabilities as a production unit. Unfotunately, with so many vocalists the band loses its personality and cohesiveness in a sense. It feels like compilation, albeit of choice quality singles, but that takes away from the cohesive soul of the band as a tightly knit unit. There are hints of what could be had Sarah Ann Webb and Ed Powell stayed in the group. Sarah's lead vocal on the LP opener "Show me Love" leaves me wanting for a whole album of new material from the band properly reinstated.... that said "Prayer 4 Unity", "London" and the stripped down sounds of "Good 4 We" are highly recommended.