Lisa Stansfield - Seven

  by Fiona Hutchings

published: 27 / 2 / 2014

---

Twenty-five years after Stansfield’s kiss curl and soulful sound secured the former ‘Search for a Star’ winner firmly in the public consciousness her voice remains as recognisable and powerful as ever. Released ahead of a film featuring Stansfield which will focus on British Soul, her seventh album cements her position at the fore front of the genre. When asked why we've had to wait for so long to hear new material she replies, "I felt I didn't fit in anywhere. I didn't want to alter what I do to fit in to a current trend, but things run in cycles and now it feels as though the time is right to get my foot in the door again." The album was recorded between Manchester and L.A. and features contributions from both John Robinson and Jerry Hay. The former is known as the most recorded drummer in history, and the later is a Grammy Award winning orchestrator. Both men were heavily involved in the creation of Michael Jackson’s ‘Off the Wall’, ‘Thriller’ and ‘Bad’, and have worked with Stansfield for more than twenty years. 'Can't Dance' opens the album with infectious funk and a trademark run through Stansfield’s impressive vocal range. It sets the tone for an album that "is about the trap a woman has got herself into - an unrequited, doomed or mismatched love - and how to get out of it... if she can." With its finger snaps and choir backing sounds straight out of a ‘Guys and Dolls’-style musical. 'So Be It' doesn't set my world on fire, but the anthemic 'Stupid Heart' and 'Carry On' make up for it. Somehow the former meshes soulful brass and guitar-tinged guitars together beautifully. 'Picket Fence' bristles with the barely suppressed rage of a woman wronged who takes the ultimate revenge on the man who did her wrong. 'The Rain' opens with a lush orchestral flourish before being stripped back allowing Stansfield’s lyrics to tell the story. The music builds to a joyful climax before 'Conversations' plunges us back into a more mournful soul. 'Love Can' is sultry closing track to the standard edition. The deluxe edition includes a further four tracks, three of which are live versions of past singles 'You Can't Deny It (24/7)', 'Set Your Loving Free', 'Time to Make You Mine' and 'Someday'. Soul is timeless and elegant, so is this album. But if you are looking for anything new or tracks to challenge your expectations, you won't find it here

Track Listing:-

1 Can't Dance
2 Why
3 So Be It
4 Stupid Heart
5 The Crown
6 Picket Fence
7 The Rain
8 Conversation
9 Carry On
10 Love Can
11 You Can't Deny It (24/7)
12 Set Your Loving Free (Live in Manc
13 Time To Make You Mine (Live in M
14 Someday (Live in Manchester)

Band Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/lisastansfieldofficial
http://lisa-stansfield.com/
https://twitter.com/lisajstansfield

Post A Comment

---

Comment

Name

your name

Location

ie London, UK

Submit

Check box to submit

Adam Coxon
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson

Dixie Ernill
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart

Malcolm Carter
Marie Hazelwood
Mark Rowland
Nick Dent-Robinson
Nicky Crewe
Nige Nudds
Philamonjaro
Richard Lewis
Shirley Procter
Spencer Robertshaw
Steev Burgess
Steve Kinrade

Steve Miles
Tommy Gunnarsson
Zena Grieg