William Bell "New Lease On Life" (Wilbe)
**** Leave it to one of the Godfathers of Southern
Soul to strike back
and show all these young guns how
it's done. Don't call it a comeback though as (the)
Bell's been tolling in the six
years since his last
disc, "Portrait Is Forever". He's helped make a name
of Jeff Floyd, producing two fine records
for the man.
Bell also sang with Floyd on the smash "Somebody's
Gonna Lose A Good Woman", which is still garnering
heavy
airplay. Blues Critic online readers voted Floyd
and Bell a Blues Critic Award for "Best Performance By
A Duo Or Group"
for the song. But now he's back out in
front on what turns out to be a perfect summer disc of
sweet Soul & R &
B. The title track, the first single,
is one of those instantly classic, head-nodding
Southern Soul gems that define
the genre. A coasting
shuffle bumper with a seamless melody. Smash. On the
terrific "Playez Only Love You (When They're
Playing)"
this one-time player decries the womanizing for the
love of a good woman who ends up playing him.
Boomerang.
It ain't worth it. "Go on home and go back
to your woman...ain't nothing in these streets" he
says. But later he's creeping
on the sultry jam "My
Body Don't Know" where he falls in love with his "best
friend's girl". Superb production on this
track by
Bell and Reginald "Wizard" Jones who also co-wrote
this number and six others. Dig the spacey guitar
weaving
throughout the track (Darryl Smith or Al
"Purple" Hayes). Bell is joined by Floyd on the sleek,
midtempo groover "Part
Time Love (Full Time Friend)".
Another of many potential singles here. The bouncy,
feel good "Honey From The Bee" is
pure ear candy.
Makes me think of eating ice cream basking in the sun
when I hear it (among other things thank you very
much).
"Treat Here Right (Like A Lady)" is another
irresistible shuffle-bumper with a right-hearted
message. Further good vibrations
crop up on the lovely
"Every Sunday Morning" where Bell yearns for the "old
fashioned values in life" with tight families
and
neighborhoods. Certainly a timely sentiment in an age
of moral decay. That Gospel n' socially conscious
feeling
is also represented by "Save Us", a track
rescued from an obscure mid-90s collection. Good Soul
music is born from such
empathetic observations as
much as it is sex. Tracks like this help make "New
Lease On Life" a full course meal- running
the gamut
on what fuels "Soul" from subject to sound as Bell
even connects to 60s roots with the retro vibe of "Up
Close
And Personal". Forget Prince, this is
"musicology". By Dylann DeAnna
www.bluescritic.com
