Search - Kiss the Sky :: Millennium Skyway

Paul Hardcastle Kisses The Sky

Alan Caylow | USA | 03/30/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Kiss The Sky is actually smooth-jazz composer & multi-instrumentalist Paul Hardcastle in disguise (well, sort of---the album cover does say "Presented By Paul Hardcastle"). I can only assume that Hardcastle released this album, "Millennium Skyway," under the group name Kiss The Sky because he made the album without his regular musical partner, singer Helen Rogers, who appears on all of his other releases of recent years, both in the "Hardcastle" and "Jazzmasters" series of albums. But whatever the reason for the name Kiss The Sky, "Millennium Skyway" is a must-own CD for fans of Paul everywhere. The singer on this album is named Imami, and while she's not Helen Rogers, she does have a very strong, very soulful voice that fits Hardcastle's snappy smooth grooves just fine. There are catchy, finger-snappin' tunes aplenty on "Millennium Skyway," including "Don't Walk Away," a fine, earlier recording of "Got To Be Love" (later re-recorded---and improved---with Rogers on vocals, but this version is quite good, too), "It's Because Of You," and "Do You Mean What You Say." And, of course, you can't have a Paul Hardcastle album without a couple of super-smooth, head-bobbing instrumentals, and Paul serves up an excellent pair on this album: the groovy title track, and a cool slice of smooth-jazz, Asian-style, in "Welcome To Japan." And, to round things off, there's even a classy Hardcastle production of the old Christmas favorite, "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," nicely sung by Alison David. "Millennium Skyway" is an excellent buried treasure from Paul Hardcastle, aka Kiss The Sky. Pick it up!"