| |
 |
|
|
Hobby Forum Index » Music - Reviews » CD Review: Margie Joseph "Sweet Surrender" (Collecto...
Page 1 of 1
|
| Author |
Message |
| ... |
 Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 6:40 pm |
|
|
|
Guest
|
Margie Joseph "Sweet Surrender" (Collectors' Choice)
After two albums for Volt (anthologized on a 1999 Stax two-fer) and a
gospel and funk-edged self-titled release on Atlantic, '70s soul-
singer Margie Joseph released this second Atlantic album in 1974. In
contrast to the funkier sounds of her previous release, Sweet
Surrender often finds a smoother R&B groove, with elements of disco's
beat and strings nosing their way into a few arrangements. The soaring
version of Paul McCartney and Wings' "My Love" that anchors the
album's second side became Joseph's only top-10 R&B single (also
making its way into the pop top-100), and a funk-powered cover of Paul
Kelly's "Come Lay Some Lovin' On Me" also cracked the charts. Though
she'd record four more albums for Atlantic, Cotillion and Atco, this
was to be her biggest commercial success.
Joseph's song selections are heavy with cover versions, and as on her
previous outing, she often reshapes the songs' emotional centers.
Jerry Butler's lost and heartbroken "(Strange) I Still Love You" is
more hurt and resentful in Joseph's reading. And in a reversal,
Joseph's lush, wondering ballad of Ralph MacDonald's "If I'm Still
Around Tomorrow" hardly anticipates the songwriter's carefree, upbeat
disco version a few years later. Billy Joel's "She's Got a Way" has
its gender flipped, and its pop piano lines turned winningly to
gospel, and Joseph's take on Stevie Wonder's "To Know You is to Love
You," adds just a touch of gospel-soul to the cool blues bite of B.B.
King's earlier hit. Unfortunately, even a smooth-soul arrangement of
Bread's "Baby I'm A-Want You" can't rescue the tune from its treacly
origins; much better is the album's other Bread cover, "Sweet
Surrender."
At times, such as on her own "Ridin' High," the lighter tones in
Joseph's voice resemble Diana Ross and other pop-soul singers of the
era such as Edna Wright of Honey Cone. But those are the exceptions,
as Joseph retains her gospel-soul sound, even as the songs and
productions are smoothed out. Many of the album's songs segue without
gaps, which makes this a difficult disc (without some manual editing)
to split up as individual tracks for your iPod. Overall the
arrangements aren't as vital as on her previous outing, the drumming
having lost its snap and some of the choices sounding dated. Joseph's
fans will be happy to have this back in print domestically (greatly
undercutting the price of last year's Japanese reissues), but those
new to her catalog should start with 1973's "Margie Joseph." [(c)2008
redtunictroll at hotmail dot com] |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
| |
|
Page 1 of 1
All times are GMT - 5 Hours
The time now is Sat Sep 06, 2008 8:48 pm
|
|