Best Verve Remixed to date...hands down
Adam B. Kurzawa | Baltimore, MD USA | 06/11/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"From the first drum crack and guitar lick of Truth & Soul's version of Dinah Washington's "Cry Me A River," I was sold. The folks at Verve have relocated their mojo with this installment in the storied Verve Remixed series. In a nod to current soul faves, Amy Winehouse, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings and all things Mark Ronson, this album slices soulfully through some of Verve's best catalog material. There are some nods to more clubby sounds via Diplo and Mocky, but the mood for volume four is soul and this could be the sleeper lifestyle record of the year. If you dug the first volume in this series, you'll definitely appreciate this as a return to form for the series. Recommended!"
Mellow mixes, average album.
C. G. | Atlanta, GA | 08/01/2008
(3 out of 5 stars)
"First off, I have to disagree with the reviewer who said that Diplo's "California Soul" remix "destroyed" Marlena Shaw's vocals. Yes, the original can't be improved upon, but out of all the remixes on this disc, Diplo's remix is probably the most faithful to the original song. It's almost like he was too timid to really mess with such a classic, so he just locked in the tempo, added some beats, low end, a few filter effects, and that's about it. The track sounds more like something Diplo would have done for his Ninja Tune album. Most of the rest of the remixes on this release range from poor to above-average. Surprisingly, the weakest remix on this album comes from one of the strongest artists: The Cinematic Orchestra. Their beatless remix of Fitzgerald's "Kick" amounts to little more than a solo guitar under Ella's treated vocal (there might be some added vocal contribution; it's difficult to tell), and some scratchy vinyl sound over the entire track. I expected a *lot* more from J. Swinscoe and company. For better or for worse, the entire album is a rather laid-back affair...there's not really a dancefloor-friendly track to be found here. It's an interesting change from the previous Verve Remixed releases, but for the most part it just feels like a missed opportunity. 3 stars, and that's being generous."
Great CD
J. Graham | 12/02/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Great CD! Perfect for playing as background music while hosting company. Although its always requested to be turned up because everyone likes it."