Search - Brenda Holloway :: It's a Woman's World

Brenda Holloway still sounds great

Paul Pickering | Claremont, California USA | 07/13/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"As a long-time fan of Brenda, I'd like to offer an alternative and very positive review of this album and wish her the best of success. For those who don't know, Brenda Holloway is alive and well and still sounds and looks great in her frequent live performances. After a few listens, Brenda's new album holds its own against any of the current crop of slow-jam stylings offered by today's self-styled 'divas'. It begins surprisingly with an original arrangement of the Everly Brothers oldie 'Walk right back', with girl group and sax backing. Brenda's pleading voice is as strong as ever, with no loss of the high register, which often affects modern recordings made by some more famous 60's soul singers. Eight of the remainder of the tracks were written by veteran Fantasy producers Fred Pittman and Preston Glass. This, together with the persistent use of synthesizers and the mechanical drum sound which pervade modern soul music, brings a certain lack of distinctiveness to some of the numbers. The title track, however, is a slowie with a strong hook and prominent vocal back-up behind Brenda's great voice. The next three tracks are slow smooth ballads, all of which bear repeated listening, especially perhaps 'A perfect rendezvous' with its breathy talkie-bit, complete with giggle. 'Don't keep runnin'' is a catchy mid-pace item sung against the chants of the background singers. It's as worthy of success as any of a number of current hits. No up-tempo songs are in evidence here, as Brenda continues with the slow and dreamy 'I'll keep you dry', and the jerky 'No regrets', which is again set against a mellow guitar hook and nice work from the vocal back-up group (sounds like girls, but it's Angela Sessions plus Preston Glass, according to the sleeve notes). Brenda finally offers the pleasant mid-tempo 'Easier said than done', and then her trade-mark 'ooohs' punctuate the last track, the pretty 'When the time comes...', which I hope is only goodnight and not goodbye. I've owned this album for a little while now and, though my ears are more attuned to sixties soul, I like it more with each playing and recommend it both to new audiences and to Brenda's many staunch fans from years gone by."