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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Totally satisfying, June 23, 2007
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.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Cool Vibes , May 17, 2007
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.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing , June 23, 2007
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.
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