Andre Williams - Life

"Everbody's favorite dirty old uncle is back with another slice, this one called Life, and it's far from his worst work. At 75, Andre Williams is fighting fit and musically matching it with any septuagenarian on the planet.

"Andre is a band slut. He's running around with half a dozen outfits. This is not a bad thing for we fans. The Detroit crew accompanying him on LIfe (Matthew Smith on guitar, David Shettler on drums and Jim Diamond on bass) is one of his best. An ensemble in the true sense and up to the challenge of following Andre wherever he leads.

"Smith has been playing behind Wiiliams, off and on, since Silky and knows where to tread. His guitar is evocative and psychedelic — just like he plays with his own band, Outrageous Cherry.

"Life is psychedelic soul, in the same mould as the brace of swansong day albums by the late Nathaniel Meyer on this same label (and involving some of this same band.) Andre Williams has been here before and is fast staking a claim on this turf as his own.

"Of course it makes sense that the grooves are the bedrock for Life. Andre croons, intones and sing-speaks over the top of some deep feels. It's true that some of these songs are more jams but it's the spark of spontaneity that keeps Andre Williams' best albums sounding fresh.

"Female backing vocals are the cherry on top of the voyeuristic 'Heels.' Smith's spiralling guitar is a joy. 'Shake a Tail Feather' is older than Walt Disney's cryogenically frozen cadaver and is on its umpteenth re-make here . It plods a little but reminds us where it and its singer came from.

"'Blame It On Obama' is a piece of ironic political commentary in an American Presidential election year that could catch a break and be played on enlightened radio playlists (oxymoron intended). 'Don't Kick My Dog' is a walking blues that doesn't do anything new but sounds cool nevertheless.

"'Money Ain't Got No Loyalty' hovers close to reggae while 'Ty the Fly' is an even more curious beast, a meandering psych-tinged rap that evokes dub and underlines that Andre Williams can't be pigeonholed." — The Barman

 

 

Side 1

Stuck In the Middle

But’n

Blame it on Obama

Heels

Side 2

It’s Only You That I Love

Don’t Kick My Dog

Money Ain’t Got No Loyalty

Ty the Fly

Shake a Tail Feather

Be the first to write a review for this item OR just rate it