Algiers : "There is No Year"

 

I liked the first album these guys released . They are leaning more into the gospel thing. The darker post punk feel of their early work is gone. There are more electronic elements. Midway into the album there was nothing heavy , so I stopped expecting it. It is much more accessible and almost pop. The first song might even be pop as it is not too far removed to what the Weeknd does. The second song is a little more organic , but finds them going to the well twice and I am not as impressed this time around. The lyrics are super politcal, but much like Rage Against the Machine, they are saying a lot while saying nothing. This is not Bad Religion or The Dead Kennedys who do politics better. The vocals hooks being more poppy works. I mean lets face it pop music typically has well thought out singing. Not talking about Cardi B here. 

"Hour of the Furnace" might prove prophetic when it came to this year's riots. But they do not invoke that kind of anger. It is more introspective.Then at this point in the album I have accepted this is not post punk, put a pop album. "Chaka" could be Michael Jackson. That doesn't mean I do not like it. I do. It is darker and more experimental than most pop, putting this next Shabazz Palaces. The guitar is minimal and sits back in the mix when it there. I guess the drummer did not have to show up to the studio or is just playing an electric kit. There are things like saxophones that adds some flair and bit of organic flavoring. There is more of an old school gospel meets soul mix on "Wait For Sound" . The accompaniment is fairly minimal . Some low synths. His voice has improved . He doesn't belt til his voice cracks. So far this is the first song that feels like filler to me. 

"Repeating Night" has a little more groove to it, but is still pretty sparse. His vocal melody is less hooky . Guitar comes in though tonally it has more in common with Depeche Mode. We are back to a more Michael Jackson place on "Nothing Bloomed" . A darker more power ballad like version of Michael Jackson which when you think about it is the Weeknd. "Void" is the first song that remembers they were once into punk. I am not sure they are really feeling it the song doesn't together until the vocals smooth out. I will round this up to a 9, as there only two songs that do not feel as inspired and some of the stronger ones are pretty strong,. I think they did what they set out to accomplish. 

Louise Lemon : "A Broken Heart is an Open Heart"

Have had a pretty varied month so far, so it makes sense to check this album out. I am not sure how this is called doom pop, as it is not any darker than Zola Jesus. It does have a more soulful pop vocal performance as she packs a good deal of power when she belts it out. Musically it has a big Vegas lounge feel. It is not until "Blurry Vision" that things take on a more distinct sound. Then it's back in Adelle's zip code for "Swimming In Sadness" . At this point I begin to get bored. I like Taylor Swift and other pop music, so when I hear doom pop then that should be in my wheel house. It is not until "Susceptible Soul" that I hear any traces of anything that could be thought of as doom. There is a darker bluesy tone to this song and some great guitar playing.

"Cross" has a very soulful 70s sound, which is not dark, but it is a good song. Nothing doom here and at this point I have almost gotten that out of my head. "Honest Heart" is pretty steamy and the album seems to be improving the deeper I get into it. Is it the most original thing I have heard? No , but it works for her voice. I like when she doubles her self. I think some harmony parts could have been interesting. It's a silly song title , but "Almond Milk" gets better as it goes. At first I did not pay as much attention to it , because her voice begins to take a uniform approach to these songs. There is more gospel than blues as the Hammond organ purrs under the swell of the song . It almost goes into more a Pink Floyd sound.

The album ends with the title track. It is a stripped down piano ballad. There are echoes of guitar in the corners. The vocal melody is rather loose and she seems to just be vocalizing rather than really giving anything to latch onto. Sure she has a good voice, but it is about where you put your voice against the other instrumentation. I'll round this one down to a 7.5. It has some strong moments, but it leaves me kinda lukewarm.

Rest In Purple : The Top 10 Prince Songs

Up until Christmas of 1984 the only albums I owned were Kiss, Ozzy, Alice Cooper and Twisted Sister, the first album that I owned which was not metal...yes even before Bowie for me was Prince's "Purple Rain". While this doesn't hit me as hard as Bowie, since "Crystal Ball" was the last Prince album I was really spell bound by I still caught him a couple of times in concert and continued to be one of the best if not the best guitarist I have seen live. Rather than rattling on about what he did for music or who he was I'll let his music do the talking and give you my top ten Prince Songs. Given the Purple One's rigid control of his songs, in some cases the original versions of these songs could not always be captured, so we are going for covers in some cases.

10- Something in the Water Does Not Compute

Off "1999" in any arrangement this song works, though the new wave funk of the album version is always the best in my book.
  9-"Thieves in the Temple"

The vocals and the groove are what push this to the top of the heap. The beat is pretty heavy. This was when he started getting into more conventional pop ad became less guitar oriented. 8-Raspberry Beret

 Around the World in a Day was heralded as his Sgt.Peppers as the follow up to Purple Rain the bar could not be any higher. Lighter in tone than "Purple Rain" it sounds a little dated, it's impossible for me not to get this one stuck in my head when I hear it, as it stuck with me over the years.


  7-" I could Never Take the Place of Your Man"

 One of his more straight up rock n roll songs, he was one of the few soul/funk artists who could convincingly cross over into rock and really rock.

  6- "When U Were Mine"

Sure "Nothing Compares 2 U" could easily be on this list, but lets face even the songs Prince wrote for other people be it Joan Osborne, Kate Bush, TLC or Sinead O' Conner feel like Prince covers because they have his finger prints all over them and when he decided to play them after the fact they became Prince songs.

 

  5-"the Cross"

 Off of Sign O the Time, It might be surprising one of his Jesus songs, made my list, but I never considering him going from masturbating with a magazine to saving my soul being too preachy in this context nor did I ever take it that seriously,I was always like you are going to get all church on me after I just saw you in a blouse and a jock strap? Any way Chino from the Deftones had his side project Crosses ironically cover this.

 


  4- "Anna Stesia "


 The best song off of "Lovesexy", this live version finds him really killing it and showcases his under rated guitar playing that all of you mother humpers are now on Facebook saying you have always been a fan of since he died.
 


  3- "Darling Nikki"


 This was some down and dirty next level shit , I had no clue what masturbating was or what lil Nikki was starting to grind, but the intention behind his words reminded me of when Ginger would whisper naughty things in Gilligan's ear. Even teaming up with Cee-Loo Green this is not something that the Foo-Fighters could really capture, but this version is worth hearing. "

  > 2- If I Was Your Girlfriend Androgyny was his thing as much as it was Bowie's and that fact wasn't conveyed any more convincingly than on this song, which is another example of his immaculate song writing.





2- "If I Was Your Girlfriend" 

Androgyny was his thing as much as it was Bowie's and that fact wasn't conveyed any more convincingly than on this song, which is another example of his immaculate song writing.While the cover below carries strong elements of the original these girls can't capture Prince's raw sex magick that oozes from his voice.




  1- "When Doves Cry"

It might seem cliche that number one is off Purple Rain, but that album is in my top 10 albums of all time and while the bulk of his work is strong up until he started bat-dancing, "Purple Rain" can't be touched. This song is what first caught my attention and has everything I could want from him from the wildly passionate guitar playing to his falsetto.

Report to the Dance Floor : The Weeknd's "Beauty Behind the Madness"

I think we know that pop music is my favorite palate cleanser to start the day off with before I spend the rest of the day listening to blacksludgepostdeathcrust metal. So my interest in Abel Makkonen Tesfaye should not be a great surprise as he is darker than your average r&b singer  and has been known to sample both Siouxsie and the Cocteau Twins, his drug use might explain for this taste in music, but whatever the case since it's time to look at the years best pop/electronic albums of the year, we need to give his 2015 album a glance under the sonic microscope. The album opens with a very passionate wink to another addict...Michael Jackson. The fuzz of the guitar being run through the intro sets things apart from the Great Gloved One, but the cadence of the melody would not sound out of place on the "Bad" album, carrying a similar steamy power as "Dirty Diana" but with less rock aspirations. British singer Labirinth joins up to take the second verse of "Losers" which doesn't get really dancey until after his verse. Which brings up one element of this album that bears mentioning, thanks to Swedish pop producer Max Martin, the arrangements on this album veer from the typical pop formula. The other part of the equation in as to what draws me in for repeat listens is the smart gangsta slant to the lyrics that works for me where his idol R. Kelly failed. "Tell Your Friends" leads the pack in this regard, where is "never rocking white he's like a racist" the idea of a party is "dropping dope dimes on some coke lines, getting head all night cumming four times" but being a gentle man he does ask his play mate if she would like to smoke a pound and do an ounce before getting dick and telling her friends about it. But delivering this in a very sensitive Michael Jackson really knocks this out of the park. Another more NSFW ode to what he does "Often" follows this one it has some drugged out witch house tones haunting it. "the Hills" is the song that got me onboard happens to be the same song he is getting sued for sampling from a horror, so that makes perfect sense as to why I would like it. Some of the more sappy elements of r&b even when filtered through his hyper sexual lense still can bog down songs like "Acquainted" which even after a few listens to see if it would grow me doesn't have the power found in some of the albums other hooks. The big radio hit "Can't Feel My Face" has it's merits even though being a little too happy for me with its funked up disco swagger. "Shameless" is one song I haven't really spent much time with, the vocal is strong, but like a few of the other songs it can be a little repitious and the track backing it doesn't have the same experimental darkness creeping into the corner of its eye. Lyrically its one of the album's bi-polar moments, either he's a pimped out playa or hopeless romantic, while I'm getting married in a few weeks going to show conversions can happen, in the tug of war his pimp side is lyrically more interesting.Like Ellie Goulding , whose album I have but don't feel it nesscessary to review, he also earned a place on the 50 Shades of Gray soundtrack, if you are familiar with my lifestyle work in Cvlt Nation, you can understand why I would think the movie is a joke, and yes I read the book before passing judgement. The string driven waltz is well done, I don't think's the album's strongest moment even though I like the falsetto passage. The very MJ influence "In the Night" still works on today's pop radio and I would like to hear a stronger dance remix, even though the chorus to this song gets the job done. "As You Are" is more of a ballad even with the beat behind it. Lyrically we are back to the bi-polar tug of war, he has handed in his pimp card for this one, in someways it reminds me of Twin Shadow. Things get real on the blues tinged "Dark Times" that Ed Sheeran" who looks too much like Bilbo Baggins for me to take seriously if I was going to watch play this song live, but I did not know what he looked until I heard the lyrics, it hits home for me as it reminds me of many a morning after during by drug days, so I applaud the writing. "Prisoner" might have Lana Del Rey on it , but is not any more compelling than a Dido b-side. The ballad"Angel" closes out the album and is another song I haven't give a ton of time, I do like the big 80s feel to it. Even if it's not the song that has the Cocteau Twins sample it does have a hint of their sound. Maty Noyes adds vocals to the song as well. Its easy for me to round this one up to a

13.7

Report to the Dance Floor : Tomas Doncker's "The Mess We Made"

Many of our long time readers will recognize  Tomas' name as he spearheaded the Global Soul movement in New York and strived over the years to find the place where heart and art meet. So what happens when that heart gets heavy? Tomas writes songs about it. "The Mess We Made" was a reaction to the shooting on June 17th in Charleston, SC, where 9 people were killed. Doncker believes soul knows no color might be angry, but he places his vitriol in it's proper channel to look at the problem rather than the symptom. He picks up where Gil Scott Heron left off when he announced  the revolution will not be televised. In fact he calls bull shit on the revolution, as it is seeking corporate sponsorship. At one point he even rallies a George Clinton like chant of "take off your hoodie and pull your pants up". Blues is still the back bone to his sound, though experimental elements find these songs at the  cross roads of  where hip-hop emerged from funk in the grooves. In these socially charged times of tension, it should be the job of the urban poets to stand up and have something to say, yet hip-hop keeps getting dumber and glorifying the stereotypes. There is almost a break beat to "Church is Burning Down".  The impassioned vocals reach up into a falsetto for certain accents, as the chorus is chanted over the driving beat.

He ponders what Hendrix's musing on if six was nine and how social media only gives us a happy post card to a false escape. While the message is at the forefront this doesn't impede  his acclaimed guitar playing to make an appearance. Eventually the album comes to a turning point and returns to his more organic roots. On "Don't Let Go" he looks at some of the economic struggles of the lowered middle class who feels the divide broadening as they slide downward to join the legions of Americans only avoiding homelessness by living pay check to paycheck. He gives a very soulful take on U2's "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking Forward" with the solo section reminds me more of Frank Zappa, and many of the vocals on this album remind me of Ike Willis.

Things get funkier for "Blood and Concrete' , while soulful funk is a currency his music normally trades in their is a more serious and biting tone thanks to the sardonic lyrics. The album closes with the more hopefully upbeat "Time Will Tell". I think it is fitting that this album ends on a more positive note, as music is the connecting thread of the universe is what Doncker's vision has been about. While this album is full of real talk,  the music also speaks . It says "at the end of the day losing yourself in the groove and melody are what is the saving grace when the world seems to be closing in on you and hope is not in sight. It's the vibrational frequency, tune in and drop out of the bull shit being pushed on you by the media, presidential candidates, and terrorists both at home and abroad. This is funk for the thinking man, and soul for the urban shaman. Another triumph for Doncker.

Report to the Dance Floor: Twin Shadow's "Eclipse"

This album caught me by surprise I'll tell you right off the bat it's a strong contender for album of the year. From the first song he shows you how to make a chorus carry the most emotional impact possible.Who said pop music has to be a bad thing? More common with the 80s he sings in an urgent baritone, think Corey Hart but with a larger dose of soul injected in the phrashing. "When the Lights Turn Out" you can hear echoes of both Seal and Peter Gabriel. The 80s are back in a big  blatant way on "To the Top" which might find you checking the album jacket of your copy of "Dirty Dancing" or Top Gun" to see if this song is there. He doesn't coat the songs in same level of cheese , this feels really naturual, but I grew up in the 80s so some of this just takes me back there and maybe I am not as objective as I think I am being hear, but these songs are pristine from any angle you listen to them from. The harmonies are recorded as well as anything you could find on a Peter Gabriel album.

The duet "Alone"  touches on some common r&b element, it's darker from a more emotionally desperate place. The title track has a Police like tension to the guitar. His vocal is impeccable on this song.This song makes the hair stand up on my arms it's so good, and you know how tough I am on artists around here. "Turn Me Up" is making it on the mix I'm doing for my wedding on Halloween for the line "you got me needing you/ like it's some religion", if for nothing else. Maybe I'll try to Twin Shadow to play my wedding if I can sell my fiance on him.

The breathy narrative to "I'm Ready" offsets the slightly more upbeat background. By the time you get to the chorus it's pretty celebratory. A little happier of song than I normally listen to but the execution is dead on. If "Old Love / New Love" isn't playing at your cities' gay pride parade this year there is a problem. It has all the element of gay house you could want. It's also the first song where I can hear some Prince influence. If you don't find yourself dancing at any point in this album you a boring old white guy with no soul, go back to listening to AC/DC.

He even finds some Brit Pop New Wave in him on "Half Life" which is one of the tracks fighting for my affection enough to be called my favorite song on this album. Every song is good, "I'm Ready" is the only song that has to still grow on me. He is not afraid to experiment with odd sounds and effects on his voice" Watch Me go" being one of these places.  Of this album gets a 10, it's a crime if you don't check it out.


 

Up From the Underground : Pacanomad's "Restless"

The Canadian duo of guitarist Nick Cifaldi and singer Chantel Rivard, spent time developing their song writing chemistry before expanding into the full fledged band that is Pacanomad. Pacanomad released their debut "Restless ep" back in July. "Restless" opens with the Black Crowes like groove to "Heaven Can Wait".  Rivard has ample soul in her husky alto pipes to balance out the rock. At times the effect proves to be not unlike the middle of the road path Maroon 5 takes in this regard. The difference being is that these guys are way more organic. They don't have the over produced radio sound. Instead the band wisely goes for the warm sound that Brendan O Brian made popular not only with the Crowes, but artists like Pearl Jam in the 90's.

They waste little time  displaying  their chameleon like ability to blend with different styles while maintaining there own sound. They start to shift their shade into some more in line with 70's soul, yet manage to still carry rock drive. Chantel's vocals carry the perfect amount of punch to push the melodies right in the songs hook at the chorus. Delicately thoughtful guitar  sets the tone for the title track, moves them  from the bluesy  straight ahead rock they started off the album with. The vocals have more room to play and form melodies with a greater sense of depth and dynamics, almost like 60's soul, but with a much more modern rock tone than say what Amy Winehouse or the artists that sprung up after her death such as Adelle.

"Tell Me Not to Doubt" follows a similar formula , but with more groove injected into it, resulting in something closer to what Bonnie Raitt might do.  The rhythm section of drummer Zack Stewart and and bassist Dave Bell get there moment to shine here.  While there is no question  these guys are all capable players with loads of talent, it's Stewart who really proves the old saying that a band is only as good as there drummer. He keeps there sound from falling into you run of the mill blue band that is playing any BBQ in America and shifts the songs.

There is a pop inflected reggae undercurrent to the intro of "Till it's Mine". This element is enough to for Rivard to  twist her phrasing and show the Gwen Stefani influence that is keep in the closet up until this point. Their punchiest rock moment comes at the build up of this song which is a fitting way to close out the album. For a debut this is really strong effort, the bands strength lies in a balanced display of chops and memorable songwriting. They are still defining who they are, even as they explore a wide range of styles and sounds, which are fundamentally grounded in a classic sound of soul and blues that is run through a Marshall stack. This is how rock music was created in the first place so they have a pretty solid base to build upon from here. If you like very organic female fronted blues based roots rock then this is worth more than just a casual listen, though chances are it will drag you into the world of Pacnomad by the second song.

Cold Specks : "Neuroplasticity"

Interesting hearing a singer that Siouxsie would admire rather than one trying to emulate her. This Canadian singer , whose name is Al Spx  belts out odes to  New Orleans Southern Gothic  feel rather than the witchy cackle of a Diamanda Galas, but the album is dark enough so that when Micheal Gira of the Swans shows up it doesn't feel out of place. She is no stranger to working with Gira as she contributed vocals to the song "Bring the Song" on "To Be Kind.

It kicks off with what prove to be one of my favorites "A Broken Memory", sort of a funeral in the Garden District feel , but despite even the pounding interlude in the middle of the sax solo in "Old Knives" I think it might be wishful thinking to call her "doom soul". She is darker than Lana Del Ray musically, perhaps not lyrically and no where near the type of oppressive emotional climate of Chelsea Wolfe.

"Bodies at Bay" has more of an indie rock feel, the guitar tone is a cool post- rock ring to it. The vocals might be poppy perhaps if they were set against a different landscape. Despite the pounding interlude in the middle of the sax solo in "Old Knives" I think it might be wishful thinking to call her "doom soul". The indie pop flirtation does come closer to Gira's other friend St. Vincent on "A Quiet Chill", which even with its drumming that has a "Running Up That Hill" type build doesn't hook me as much as the first three songs.The ghostly backing vocals oohing behind her giving it the most atmosphere,

Despite it's indie rock radio crooner intro "Exit Plan" does darken up enough for Gira to come in and layer his vocals behind her, then it takes a more radio rock feel after that. It it a much better use of his voice than when he appears later in the album. "Let Loose the Dogs" pits her soulful voice against a minimalist electronic piece that is colder than her voice , until it goes in a more Gary Numan direction in the chorus.

The Lana Del Ray comparison's carry more weight on "Living Signs". She employs harmonies differently than Ray , but approaches things when taking a more straight forward path in a similar relaxed disposition. There are still some surreal flourishes , but this song and many others on here turned out to not be as experimental as the opening track led me to believe. So the fact she challenges your preconceived notions of her from song to song, is certainly a positive quality for any artist. It does darken slightly as shadows creep from the corners of  " A Formal Invitation". Her choice of melodies even strays from the more soulful elements that despite the ever shifting dreamscape of sounds behind her seems to be the trademark of her sound.

The sax intro to "A Season of Doubt" could be on a David Lynch soundtrack. Gira's voice takes a low croaking harmony under Spx's. The song is otherwise pretty minimal. She isn't quiet goth, though I suppose some might consider Concrete Blonde goth, and for me aside from the vampire song, they are just another alternative band from the 90's . I would not lump Cold Specks in with the other riders on the  Amy Winehouse bandwagon, as she is genuine with what she does and she does it well. I think the expectations that come with her Swans associations colored the first few listens. I will give this one a 9 , now that I know what she's about.

Report to the Dance Floor: Ron Littlejohn & The Funk Embassy "Shining On"

Let's take a little lesson in dance music. Your teacher is going to be Ron Littlejohn & the Funk Embassy. Their new album"Shining On" is going to serve as your text to explore a limb on the family tree of dance ... funk& soul. These later were turned into disco which birthed house music, but we are getting ahead of ourselves. Before the 80's dawn of hip-hop, there were these long forgotten relics called instruments that people played. There were men called musicians that used these ancient artifacts to craft music. These great shaman of sonics , went by names such as Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye,  Sly Stone, Prince and James Brown. Ron Littlejohn takes you back to that forgotten time.


The album starts off with the title track that holds the simmer of " On the Corner" era Miles Davis. The song is left to bubble on a groove that hold backs like a break down that is waiting to explode into motion. The release is reserved for three and a half minutes into the song, and pays off with some pretty hot guitar work. Most of the songs pull from various elements of soul, the only song that feels like very straight ahead funk is the horn heavy "Light Me Up" that moves like something closer to  James Brown than Funkadelic.

The songs hold the jam like quality that would translate well on stages such a Bonnaroo. From the free floating sermon of "Seems Like Yesterday" to more Barry White romancing of " Soul Devotion" the production is warm and captures the late 60's  early 70's golden years of Motown. When funk had not been mixed too heavily with fusion and lose the magic of a simple groove. The trumpet playing does recall Davis' flirtations with this kind of thing and the album is littered with the sounds of turntables being scratched on with are done for effect, to acknowledge the fact this album was indeed recorded this year. I wouldn't mind if they had kept you the suspension of disbelief and allowed me to pretend I uncovered a lost treasure from those years.

Influence from the more psychedelic era of funk doesn't waft in until "Cream #9" that also reminds me of New Power Generation Prince. Littlejohn testifies more than sings here.  It was surprising to find this had come out of Quebec rather than Chicago. It's also no surprise these high times of the late 60's are flash backed to on "A Day in San Francisco" which has flute work that could have come from a Pam Grier soundtrack.

The smoother elements of Gaye or the Coomodores struts in on " My Magination". The song bears witness to Littlejohn's ability to craft melodies that are catchy yet sound authentic to the time period they are paying homage to.  The album ends on an up beat note with " Emma Lee"   the only song  really pulling from any rock influences, here its "Exile on Main Street " era Stones , as its harmonica heavy and has a Jagger sneer to it.The album is highly recommended to fans of this early era of funky soul, for Littlejohn has out done himself recapturing it's feel.

Digging Into the Covers: Kevin Jenkins Tackles "Wichita Line Man"

This song first got stuck in my head when it appeared in one of the darkest most depressing movies I have ever seen a documentary on mental illness call Tarnation that I highly recommend.
Jimmy Webb wrote the song in 1968 and Glen Campbell recorded it the same year.  Rolling Stone rated the song 192 of the top 500 greatest songs of all time and  has been called "the first existential country song"...






...Well it was 1968 and Campbell strikes me as hippie cross over country, so I'm sure they were smoking good in the studio at the time to give the song the lazy flow it has.

This song was covered by border line lounge lizard cheese balls like Tom Jones, Johnny Mathis, Rober Goulet, Anyd Williams, Bobby Goldsboro and Englebert Humperdink  who couldn't grasp the picture of loneliness this song. So I re-discovered the song when reviewing the  debut solo album  Jenkins most recently added his own touch to this song for Soletron the review of the entire album can be found here...
 http://soletron.com/the-next-big-thing-kevin-jenkins/

the album as a whole strays to far into r&b for the readers here, but if you listened to the song above you know it's as aching as anything the Cure or Morrissey have touched and I would say it's in the top 100 most goth songs that aren't goth.

What to know about Jnekins is he is a top notch go to bass player who has played with every one from Maxwell to Cyndi Lauper. He grew  tired of playing sideman and released his own work. He is very diverse ranging from soul...the real deal 70's stuff , think Commodores and Stevie Wonder, to Jazz to Blues.

His version is a little more uplifting than the original, though a call to the suicide hotline might be more inspirational than the heart jerking in Glen's voice, that was understated for the twang of most country artists at the time. Jenkins took the country out of it and proves the song stands on its own. He pulls off the vocals admirably and while there  are no real gymnastics to the melody , the phrasing is key and where the other cover versions have over played their hands. Jenkins shows his sense of  melody and control of his voice by capturing the feel of the original yet coming from a different emotional perspective.

When I first listened to his album it didn't hit me that it was the same song though the iconic "and I need you more than want you" line did stand out, I woke up the next morning with it in my head and remembered it was from the soundtrack to Tarnation when I sat down at my piano to pick it out.

Kevin's voice smoothed out the almost pleading timbre of Campbell whose voice has more of a tenor quality to it and the big Phil Spector like strings are replace by more soulful layered harmonies. The reverbed guitar is also gone from this more recent version but I think Jenkins instrumentation works well and sells it for me.