Search - Gabrielle :: Always

She sings her soul out.

modern jazz | 02/21/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Gabrielle was born Louise Bobb in Hackney, East London, 31 years ago. She had a lazy eyelid, and even after two operations she still wears dark glasses in public. These have the effect of making her look like a glam R&B star (which she is), but her reason for wearing them is so she can be herself, unhampered by crippling self-consciousness.

While her voice is a soaring instrument, it is technically limited. However, it is slinky and feline and, crucially, in the best pop-soul tradition, it has the ability to turn a cliche into a profound truth, to lift the listener into a mellow orbit.

She is Britain's queen of soul and has come a long way since 1993, when as a gawky singer-songwriter her debut single Dreams went from club classic to number one.

The platinum-selling first album earned her a best newcomer Brit award, and over the next few years there was a generous crop of top-10 hits.

She released Rise at the end of 1999. It elevated her into stratospheric success, producing three more top-10 hits and a collection of awards that include two Brits, a Grammy and a Mobo.

There's the autobiographical streak in her work, she has had extraordinary and traumatic experiences and emotional tribulations which inspired her.

This is the reason why at heart she seems like an ordinary girl with a bit of real 'Lady Sings the Blues' life thrown in. And it's this combination that saved her. In the end, it's her humanity, the fact that she's not goddess-perfect, which makes her so endearing as a star. It seems right that it is her voice we hear singing "Out of Reach", her single, which was the theme tune to the film Bridget Jones's Diary (Collector's Edition).

"That's my appeal", she agrees. "You know, I never pretend to be anything but real - I don't live the celebrity lifestyle". And she really means it.

"Always" is Gabrielle's fifth studio LP, and her first since 2004 , she is not prolific and is renowned for not releasing albums very often.

She has grown immeasurably in stylishness and confidence since her incredible rise to fame

As a result, "Always"'s success is down to the strength of the songs and there are some very good ones, although the lead single, "Why", based on Paul Weller's "Wild Wood", isn't one of them.

"I Remember", reminiscent of classic Marvin Gaye, is much stronger while the title track skips along at a fair old pace but never forgets to carry the tune with it.

Like every album she's made since her 1993 debut, "Find Your Way", it's completely "Gabrielle" : soulful and passionate, but with an ungraspable quality that doesn't really equate with British soul music.

For the album, Gabrielle returned to her roots and worked with Julian Gallager and The Boilerhouse Boys both of whom have been behind many of her early hits.

Once again, Gabrielle has written every track on the album.

From the seventies soul influenced title track to the Motown-meets-rock stomp of "Heartbreaker" and the classic ballad "Closure".

"Always is a distillation of the classic Gabrielle sound, combining the emotion of Motown with immaculate, pure pop melody.

Along with "Rise", this is Gabrielle's finest album to date.

Track Lising:

1 "Always"

2 "Heartbreaker"

3 "Why"

4 "I Remember"

5 "Every Little Teardrop"

6 "I'm Not In Love"

7 "Love Me Like You Do"

8 "Wiser"

9 "All I Want"

10 "It's Breaking My Heart"

11 "Cold Sober Moment"

12 "Show Me Love"

13 "Closure"



Rise

Dreams Can Come True: Greatest Hits, Vol. 1

Dreams Can Come True: Greatest Hits, Vol. 1

Real Girl

Rockferry"

An awesome album!

R. Nolting | Colorado | 10/03/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Gabrielle has been making muic for years, this is one of her best cd's to date. she is talent overlooked in the usa and it is sad, but I highly recomend this cd to anyone who who likes people with talent and gabrielle does not lack that, the entire cd is great from start to finish. AAAAA++++"

Great Stuff

Dennis Sirjuesingh | New York, NY United States | 01/15/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"She has been making music in the UK for years and never broke here. This album is true brilliance! Gabrielle has evolved and matured after each successive album. The opening track hits hard with a punch. Its bright and light and happy. This album will not dissappoint."