martes, 17 de febrero de 2009

Madeline Bell: Bell's a Poppin' (2004)

Though born in New Jersey, smooth soul diva Madeline Bell enjoyed her greatest success in the United Kingdom (where she began living in 1963), and her first album, 1967's Bell's a Poppin', is a thoroughly enjoyable example of British pop record-making at its most poised and professional. Bell had a world-class voice and sang supper-club soul in the manner of Dionne Warwick and Dusty Springfield (the latter of whom was a friend of Bell's and often used her as a backing vocalist). Those looking for Southern soul grit will be disappointed, but Bell's a Poppin' is a marvelous example of the British equivalent of Brill Building pop. The arrangements are clever and sophisticated, the musicians are spot-on throughout, producer John Franz adds just the right amount of polish without rubbing away the personality of the music, and Bell's vocals tell a story just beautifully, boasting smarts and understated passion while maintaining a firm sense of control and balance throughout. Franz also rounded up some great songs for Bell, with Pomus/Shuman, Bacharach/David, John Sebastian, and Ashford/Simpson among the tunesmiths represented on this disc. Fans of the slicker side of Northern soul and great mid-'60s pop-soul will delight in Bell's a Poppin'. This 2004 reissue adds a handful of non-LP singles that are every bit as enjoyable, especially ‘Don't Come Running to Me’ and an interesting cover of the Beatles' ‘You Won't See Me’.~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide
sd
Clip of Madeline singing Picture Me Gone (1967):

3 comentarios:

dcat dijo...

I just wanted to drop a note to thank you for the time and effort you've put into sharing your music collection. I just came across your blog last week and have marked it as a favorite of mine to check daily. I'm a big fan of classic soul music, as well as all other kinds (old blues, African, folk, rock, pop, hillbilly, old-timey, etc. etc....just about everything except rap, heavy metal and opera...my image of hell, where all 3 are blended together and played non-stop, very loud).
Anyway, I've started looking through your collection and have come across a few items I might suggest:
Dee Dee Warwick - She Didn't Know: The Atco Sessions (1996)
Mavis Staples - Mavis Staples / Only for the Lonely (1993)
The Shirelles - The Definitive Collection (2CD) (1996)
Brenda Holloway - The Very Best of Brenda Holloway (1999)
Carolyn Franklin - Sister Soul - The Best Of the RCA Years 1969-1976 (2005)

Thanks again!
dcat, in the cornpatch...

troods dijo...

Gracias!!!

Rocco dijo...

Me gusta mucho la cálida, suave y a veces fuerte voz de Madeline Bell, también sus temas, estilo soul/pop, tal como indica el comentario más cercanos al sonido Brill Building que al Southern soul. Tienes una excelente colección, tengo unos cuántos cds que figuran en tu lista.
Te envío mis saludos!