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Beverley Knight

Who I Am

Label:

swijetilleka by Sajini Wijetilleka February 11th, 2002

The self-assured ambassador for Wolverhampton’s almost non-existant music scene returns with a slickly produced follow up to her debut album, ‘Prodigal Sista’. Chosen by me due to it’s _tempting although egotistical Beverly picture post card collection _, the pessimists consolation being that if the album was pure tripe then I would be enabled to stand the foldout zig zag as an ornamental piece of modern art.

Luckily, this is the cherry on the icing on the cake, for the album is one of the most promising I’ve heard this year. In fact, it is very good, full of emotion and character, yet unable to hit the upper echelons of music royalty’s hall of fame.

The opening track is brilliant, the no holds barred, swingbeat cum bhangra-esque ‘Get Up!’, which had me dancing in circles due to the infectious rhythms and seductive vocals. I don’t want it to end. Track two, the likeable, mature, single ‘Shoulda Woulda Coulda’, begins in a manner similar to that of the excellent Turin Brakes, on their inspirational ‘Underdog’ single until the chorus kicks in, with pleasant guitar strumming with Knight’s soulful voice bringing an almost mediocre set of lyrics to life.

It’s when RnB sensibilities take their swing that this album is immensely appealing, which unfortunately for Knight is rare. The sultry dance and soaring vocals of ‘Beautiful Contradiction’, and the smooth ways of RnB slowie by numbers, ‘Hurricane Jane’, combine with Erykah Badu’s influence, with jazz-funk come through effectively on the gospel-tinged ‘Same’. The slinking returns on swinged track 8, ‘Whatever’s Clever’, with Misteeq-style vocals. And add to this the soulful, yet drippy balladry of 'Gold’, we have the melting point of styles and experiments complete.

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