Customer Reviews

Sooner Or Later

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

 

 

I highly recommend this CD!! Hamish Stuart was one of the founding members of the Average White Band and his signature vocals and writing were always what made me a die-hard fan. One listen to either "A Love of My Own" or "Cloudy" from the AWB songbook should confirm Hamish was a force to be reckoned with. This CD has a lot to offer and to blow it off as just for fans of AWB does it an injustice. This is a great classic R&B recording with some very strong material and an outstanding band. My favorites Include, La-La Land, Sooner or Later, and The Same Old Moon. The recording has a very "live in studio" vibe and tunes are allowed to groove and for solos to develop making it even more appealing to me. The lyrics are also insightful and haunting, not the bump and grind fodder of today. Wish Hamish would come out of retirement!!

Stuart Hamish is the former lead vocalist for AWB. Saw them many times Live, back in the day, and adored Hamish' voice. He is still capable, and mesmerizing. Ole school GREAT find!

Sometimes the best CDs are the ones you don't know what to expect. This one blew me away! Smooooooooth! with lots of soul. Good Lyrics too. There are some groovin' numbers ("It Is What It Is", "Care For You", "La La Land", "Midnight Rush") Terrific Jazz numbers ("Makin' It Up, I Don't Want to be a Rock") My suggestion is to buy this CD and a good bottle of wine, sit in the sun and get ready to smile! ....and if you're in the mood to slow dance, the combo: "New Kind of Fool", "Same Old Moon" is perfect. If you're a fan of R&B, Soul or Jazz, you should give this one a listen. You'll love it!

Hamish Stuart was one of the dominant members of theJazz-Funk-Soul Average White Band, a group made of Irishmen and Scots, who had a contagious, soulful and danceable music in the seventies ("Pick up the pieces" went to number 1 in the U.S.A.). The truth is AWB hasn't done much lately apart from touring from time to time and having its members releasing alternative projects (see for instance Hamish's Easy Pieces project, 1988). We now have Hamish's new delivery with an album I bought as soon as I knew it was available. The cd offers good and average things.

On the negative side, some tracks are a bit too repetitive ("It is what it is", "New kind of fool"), a bit too lengthy (most songs are well over 5 minutes, and "La la land" gives the impression it is over ten minutes). Also, it seems at times there is a lack of consistency because of the different directions the album takes : blues, acidjazz on the opening track, soul, folk ("Same old moon" sounds more like a James Taylor song).

On the good side, the three strong and energic intro-bridge-outro tracks ("Sooner""Or""Later"), a beautiful ballad ("Reach you"), the nice horn section on "I still care for you", or "Midnight rush", the perfect example of what I would have liked to hear more on this album. Strangely enough, the longest track ("Making it up") doesn't seem that long, probably because it has enough different sequences and an agressive sax, which in this case makes it a good song. The closing song (written by George Clinton) gives a nice gospel touch to the album.

So, if you are a collector or big fan of the AWB, although it is not as good as their best albums, you will want to have this CD. If not, you can always stick to tracks 1,2,4,7,8,12 and 13 and enjoy it.

"sooner or later" hamish stuart latest CD is a brilliant work of art. his harmonizing and vocals really brings out the best in his songs. if anyone was ever a AWB (average white band) fan, they should absolutely check this CD out. i rate it four stars. gralin nelson

The name came back from his time with AWB. And the first headphone listen was toetappin' good! Very good grooves-particularly on "Makin' It Up" and "Midnight Rush". The band is very good and the easy funk stirred up by two guitars and a tight rhythm section is great. Straight ahead soul!

The very last thing you would expect of a Hamish Stuart album is to be weak vocally, but that's what you get here. But it's the fault of the production itself, and not the quality of his voice. Listen to the old AWB songs, produced by Arif Mardin.(?) The vocals and instruments had a "live" sound to them, as a result of being produced with a touch of reverb, to simulate a "hall" effect, making everything sound fuller and richer. That's what this CD needs. The sound is just way too raw for this style of music. Also.....there's not even one song that really grabs you like the old AWB stuff. AWB used to be my favorite band and hamish was my favorite singer, but I realize now that a lot of that came from the production and quality of the songs. One of the greatest lines in the history of R&B music was from the AWB song "You Got it"......."I don't give a damn who knows it! You are the one.....the one I truly need....so baby listen to me!" That's what I'm talkin about! That's the voice of joyful,new love....shouting from the rooftops!

When I first this CD there were two songs that immediately impressed me, "Care For You", and "Reach You". After playing these two songs several times, I eventually let the others play. Before I knew it, I found more favorites like, "It Is What It Is" (love that opening bass line), Sooner, and "Midnight Rush". Now that this monster has been in constant rotation for the past week... YES! It's a definite WINNER!