Up Here [Vinyl]

Soulive | Format: Vinyl

Product Details

• Vinyl (July 7, 2009)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: TVT Records
• ASIN: B0029ZUQ9O
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #115,007 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Up Right

2. The Swamp

3. Too Much

4. Backwards Jack

5. PJ's

6. Tonight

7. Hat Trick

8. For Granted

9. Prototype

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nostalgic Progression, April 21, 2009

By 

A. Rodriguez "groovemeister" (Rock Hill, SC United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Up Here (MP3 Download)

The Quick & Dirty:

Soulive returns with a gritty, soulful, funky musical statement that's sure to please.

The Lowdown:

After the experimentation that was "No Place Like Soul", the legendary jazz/soul outfit Soulive strips down to the basics to produce a musical statement that's as familiar as an old 12" and at the same time fresh as the sunrise.

First of all, the mixes on "Up Here" are extraordinary, taking the lo-fi feel of earlier work ("Get Down") and adding the slightest gloss to it to keep things interesting. The panning of similar elements vary from track to track, so things feel less predictable and more like each track is its own little universe. The vocal mixes are excellent, too, with Nigel Hall's work feeling like it is work that was recorded contemporaneously with Sam Cooke and James Brown. As a result, "Up Here" crackles with urgent intensity and unbridled creative energy.

The composition and instrumentation is exactly what we would expect from such a technically sound outfit: sharp, expressive, subtle and intelligent. No one overplays, and even the solos (as outstanding as they are) are kept to a minimum bar count to let the rest of the music breathe and groove. The core ingredients of Soulive (Alan on drums; Neal on bass keys and organ, clavinet and upright piano; Kraz on guitars) do what they do best: interplay, support and compliment. The extraneous elements (the Shady Horns and the afoementioned Hall on vocals) add that little extra garnish to put the project over the top. Just a really pleasing listen all around.

A few outstanding tracks are the hip-hop soul of "The Swamp", the 60's groove of "Too Much", and the slinky flow of "PJs".

That is not to say, though, that "Up Here" is perfect. While "Too Much" is a great blend of old soul, emotive vocals and thoughtful lyrics, "Tonight" shows how easily the same approach can fall flat if not executed well. With its forced vocals (someone should pay James Browns' estate royalties for Hall's plagiarism), trite lyrics and confusing phrasing, "Tonight"'s only saving grace is the groove that takes the song out.

And "Prototype", a cover of Andre 3000's outstanding song from "The Love Below", is uncharacteristically mediocre. Soulive's rendition doesn't take anything off the table, but doesn't bring anything to the table, either. What made Andre 3000's version work was the simple approach: sparse hip hop drums, flowing bassline and the laissez faire, proudly imperfect approach to the vocal work (a la The Ohio Players' Sugarfoot). On Soulive's attempt, the drums drive, but are reverb-heavy, so you lose the crispness of the groove; Hall's vocals are a little weak and vibrato-heavy in the falsetto range; and towards the end the song gets a little muddy, but is rescued by Kraz' flowing solo into the fade. Yes, it's different, and I would rather not have a carbon-copy done when it comes to covering existing compositions, but I was expecting something more, something greater.

The Bottom Line:

Self-produced and recorded, "Up Here" takes a familiar formula (tight arrangements, energetic delivery, amazing solos) and seasons it just right with accentuating elements (funky horn licks, a smidge of vocals), producing a well-rounded and engaging piece of work.

Welcome back fellas. We missed you.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The DVD is the real jewel here..., September 8, 2009

By 

FenderBender "fretboss" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Up Here (Audio CD)

This is a great package. The CD is loaded with new Soulive grooves and a mix that takes me back a few years, before overproduction became the norm for a large part of the recording industry. This CD has got some definitive groove moments here. Nigel's voice on the vocal tracks is superb. The mix is good and the horns add a great dimension. But the real jewel here is the DVD. This DVD is a cooker. The film work and the sound quality are spot on. I own a lot of music DVD's and this ranks near the top of my list. The band is TIGHT and when the horns kick in, WATCH OUT!! Everybody does great work on this DVD. But the standout in my opinion is Neal Evans. He does double duty -- bass keyboard and Hammond B-3. His bass lines are off the chart and so funky, I can't stand still. True, I'd prefer he play a true B-3 pedal board but whatever, you can't have it all. This package is a must buy for any Soulive, jazz-funk, etc. music lovers.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sickedy Vintage FUNK!, October 20, 2009

By 

Henry King "Henry King" (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Up Here (Audio CD)

I'm diggin this album. Soulive has taken a slightly different direction with a sound that resembles vintage soul/funk recordings. It kind of sounds like they didn't completely master the mix and recorded it with a single mic in a room of gods of groove. Awesome tracks include "Up Right" "Too Much" and "Tonight".
Horns and singer on several tracks sound so tight. They're back on tour for the fall and I got their opening show at The Note in West Chester. Back to the trio format, blowing away the audience as usual. Pretty Good SHIZZ