Customer Reviews

Play With the Changes (Dig)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This 4hero release definitely has more soul and jazz than any previous ones but they haven't abandoned their jungle, drum & bass and break beat roots entirely. The result is an album that goes in many different directions, covers a lot of ground but still manages to sound cohesive and consistent. I believe this is the best 4hero release yet.

Vocally there's a lot on offer too - straight ahead singing, spoken word, rap - and again, it all fits together very nicely. I hear influences from the 80s, hints of Roy Ayers and I was even reminded of M.F.S.B.

Highlights include: The thumping, orchestral opener, "Morning Child", featuring Carina Andersson; "Look Inside", featuring FACE; the slow, sweeping, soulful "Give In", featuring vocals by Darien Brockington and rap & additional vocals by Phonte of Little Brother (Again?! That's the third time in less than two weeks!! I definitely have to get my Little Brother CDs soon!); the jazzy samba-esque title track (written old-time Donald Byrd/Alphonse Mouzon collaborator, Larry Mizell), featuring "original" vocals by Talita Long & Larry Mizell with "additional" vocals by Dego & Kaidi Tatham (this is the song that reminds me of Roy Ayers); "The Awakening", with spoken word written and performed by Ursula Rucker; the gorgeous instrumental "Sophia" (this is the song that reminds me of M.F.S.B.); the jazzy instrumental "Why Don't You Talk?", featuring a scorching saxophone solo by Jason Yarde; the bouncy "Bed Of Roses", featuring former Shalamar girl Jody Watley; and the much too short closer, "Dedication To The Horse", with its wailing guitar work by Dave Okumu.

The controversial Stevie Wonder cover, "Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You?)" is okay (I like the second half of the song a lot more than the first) but nothing special. Vocally and instrumentally, the song seems to travel the exact same path as the original, note for note. I've always believed that if you're brave enough to want to do a Stevie song on your album, you'd better be ready to do something new and exciting with it otherwise your efforts will end up sounding like a pale imitation. I say it again: it's a good attempt, it shows what a good singer Terry Devos is and if you don't have the original version, you might love it. Personally, I just don't feel it adds anything to the album and it could've stood tall and proud quite easily without it.

Overall, I think this album will appeal to broadminded jazz and soul lovers alike and if you like people like Incognito or Zero 7 (or Agent K, Silhouette Brown or Bruno E, I'm reliably informed), then you'll really get into this. Totally satisfying and highly recommended.

I got hooked on 4Hero when I heard Two Pages, Play with the Changes musically take you a ride form Neo to Class Soul, a must have for those for have mature taste in music.

I have been 4 hero fan for the last few years once I heard the track they did with Jill Scott (Another Day). They have been known for their breakbeat and downtempo style and you can still hear it here. But they add a seamles influx of Neo-soul to the mix. Every track is pleasantly unique but the whole album blends as a whole. It is hard to put these guys in a musical category so this album will not get heard by more people, but Neo-soul and downtempo may be the best fit. Here are my favorite tracks:

1. Morning Child_The thunderous backing orchestra for Carina Anderson is anything but downtempo, but this is head and shoulders the best track on the album and sets the amazing tone for the rest of the album.

5. Give In_A Neo Soul (or just plain Soul) beauty. Vocals by Darien Brockington and Phonte fronts some sweet insturmentation that will bob you head and touch your heart a little.

6. Play With The Changes_Starts off a little kooky with the strange pitch of the group vocals and the odd music but settles into one of of the funkiest grooves I have ever heard. If you don't play it at least more than once, u don't like music.

11. Superwoman_ An almost identical rendition of the Stevie Wonder classic sung by Terry Devos. But 4hero adds (if possible) a liite bit more soul and life to this already timeless song.

The rest are pretty good also. All and all, a great album that opened up my musical ear and my mental ear. I had doubts that was any more music out there that would get me excited, but this album ,Zero7's The Garden, John Legend's Once Again and (hopefully)

the upcoming Cinematic orchestra, have done the trick.

I am not sure why anyone would give this album 1 star. This album is great! I'm not usually into albums where there are featured artists on just about every song but when 4hero does it its always good! I seem to wake up each morning hearing the song featuring Darien Brockington, 'Give In' in my head. Its beautiful. 'Bed of Roses' is great, I love 'dedication to the horse' & 'play with the changes'. The only song I could have done without is the Stevie Wonder remake, 'Superwoman'. Stevie did it right the first time. Nevertheless, the entire album is great. 4hero has a style all of their own. Its hard to duplicate and not hard at all to identify their music when it comes on. But they seem to evolve but never seem to evolve into something unrecognizable....I love it! If you know what 4hero is about then I don't think you will be disappointed by this album at all.

If anyone could call their album _Play With the Changes_, it would certainly be 4 Hero, who have embraced so many genres in their storied career: drum 'n' bass, broken beat, and now, neo-soul. Extending the downtempo soul that played a prominent role on _Creating Patterns_, they go full-on soul here, from the folk-hippie-drenched "Morning Child" (reminiscent of "Les Fleur") to the funk of the title track. But those who love jazzy broken beats won't be disappointed either: "Look Inside" provides that with a fullness of sound, while "Sink or Swim" goes for a much more spare arrangement. "Bed of Roses" gets into a nice groove, while "Gonna Give It Up" almost whispers at a house rhythm. Despite all the evident talent here, however, I don't feel as much personality here as on their earlier albums; there aren't any moments that really hit you with a pow (although "Stoke Up the Fire" has a certain raucous energy to it). Still, the instrumental "Sophia" has a nice sophistication, while "Superwoman" sounds like soul straight from the 70s (even if it's appendage "Where Were You When I Needed You?" detracts from the overall feel). It's obvious that 4 Hero are still charging ahead full-steam, but they're not afraid to change direction either.

UK's got soul, its just unknown. Especially here in South Africa. 4Hero is like cracking a lobster before having it.It's like peeling an orange off before havin't.

It's hard to put this album in one genre, because it covers several. From Drum & Base to Neo Soul. Great albums with great tracks such as Sophia, Play with the changes and Something In The Way make this one CD not to sleep on.

What can I say? This is a great cd! I listen to it daily! You want? You should buy it, too! I'd suggest "So Still" by Mozez along with this cd if you're purchasing!

Another in a group of completely ignored releases. 4hero are masters of modern soul and dance music and on their first album in years they bring back the immaculate string arrangements, crisp upright bass and cutting drums. Oh, and a few British vocalists who can actually sing. Sorry America.

Just another work of art from 4hero. It will stand side by side with my all-time favorite "two pages". When I play either of these albums for my guests (artsy types and otherwise) ...my sexiness is increased 10 fold.