- All is redeemed at the National Gallery of Victoria! Some of you may remember I was less than kind when reviewing their last CD compilation effort, NGV Sounds Volume III Australia Select. With the release of their latest disc, NGV Sounds Volume IV British Soul Design all is forgiven. They’ve even listened to my last rant and changed the slip cover design. Hooray!
So let’s get down to business…. This CD is a name dropper’s delight, and a sparkling jewel for your CD collection. From the opening track by Secret Stealth (aka Jim Baron of Crazy Penis and Bob Sadler of fug) this album sucks you in with warm sounds of soul, funk, delicious vocals and more. Things get mixed up as the album progresses but there is never a dull moment. All the songs work well together, and the artists are the cream of the crop. The disc features both rare remixes, reworkings of classic songs including Feeling Good and Destiny’s Child’s Work It Out, and some fresh new tracks from Will Saul, Verna Francis and fug.
In addition to the great tune selection, I think this album perfectly works in achieving its aim to showcase the future of British soul music. It’s got the old school homage there with those bright lights of Northern Soul, Rae and Christian, as well as the leaders of the field, Quantic Soul Orchestra, Alice Russell and the Motown-possessed Jamie Lidell. All the other artists in the mix just expand my horizons, and further enrich the experience. While fug have been around since Nuphonic Records in the late 90’s, they’re on this album in various guises as mentioned above (fug, Secret Stealth) and as Neon Heights, the solo work of fug’s keyboardist Tom Baily who contributes the poppy City of Love.
Lady T, lifted off the Crazy Penis album “A Night On Earth”, is a toe-tapping delight with a disco-infused funk vibe. Only Child is one half of Mancunian DJ outfit Unabombers, Justin Crawford, who works with Grand Central diva Veba on this slice of breakbeat electro funk. Love it! With the next few tracks the album crosses big band territory, Jamaican rhythms and then jazz horns with Verna Francis setting things on fire with her strong vocals. Will Saul, Dolphin Boy and fug take things deep before Lidell’s Multiply becomes the icing on the cake for a rousing finish to this listening experience.
This album comes thoroughly recommended. It’s been flogged in my house and I’m nowhere near tired of it. How could you be when this music evokes such a great feeling? The art in the booklet showcasing the British artworks at the National Gallery of Victoria is good too. Big ups for putting the powerful George Stubb’s painting “A Lion Attacking a Horse” as the centrefold!
Tracklisting
1. Secret Stealth – Dream of You
2. Omar feat. Angie Stone – Be Thankful (Blaze remix)
3. Alice Russell – High Up on the Hook
4. Neon Heights – City of Love
5. Quantic Soul Orchestra feat. Alice Russell – Feeling Good
6. Crazy Penis – Lady T (Original)
7. Only Child feat. Veba – Addicted
8. Speedometer – Work It Out
9. Rae & Christian feat. The Congos – Hold Us Down (Faze Action remix)
10. Verna Francis – Never Too Late
11. Will Saul feat. Lizzy Parks – Simple Things
12. Dolphin Boy – Don’t Stop
13. fug – Tickin’ Clock
14. Aim – A Twilight Zone
15. Jamie Lidell – Multiply (In a Minor Key – Gonzales remix).