Search - Keith Barrow :: Keith Barrow

A Great Talent Gone Too Soon ...

Mister Melody | Washington, DC | 03/17/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Thank God for the gift of recorded music. The late Keith Barrow, a wonderful and somewhat overlooked seventies soul singer, was one of the finest vocalists of his era. With a falsetto as smooth as silk and a $10 million smile, Barrow is one of those great singers who bubbles under the surface of the exhalted, a major talent who never evolved into anything more than a minor star. This is a shame, since his small body of work is quite engaging. This, his Columbia Records debut, was recorded in Philadelphia and produced by Bobby Eli. Surrounded by Philly's finest session players and vocalists, Barrow turns out an album that could easily stand next to any Philadelphia International Records product of the day. Though his voice is not fully developed here, the record shows more of his vocal range than later efforts, allowing him to move through the material with youthful abandon. The minor hit "Mr. Magic Man" is spritely Philly disco, and the bouncy "I Put the Twinkle in Your Eye" is also quite a pleaser. But the essence of the singer's voice is in the ballads, particularly the beautiful "Teach Me (It's Something About Love)" (later recorded by Blue Magic) and "Precious," both of which give the first inkling of just how moving his upper register could be. While his second Columbia set, the first-rate "Physical Attraction" was his finest hour, this self-titled major label debut is a welcome addition to any serious soul collection. It breaks my heart that we were robbed of Barrow's voice when he was just 29. Fortunately, the voice was captured for all of us to enjoy, even if it was for just a few short years. I can't say it enough - thank God for the gift of recorded music."