Check out this wonderful review from soulandjazzandfunk.com about the new album “Believe” from Take 6, if you havent picked up a copy yet “Believe” is available everywhere you buy, listen to and stream music:
When it comes to a-cappella singing, Take 6 are the genre’s most decorated group… ten Grammys on the mantelpiece, 10 Dove awards on the bookcase and countless other accolades who knows where! This, the group’s latest collection, will maintain the momentum… though the 14 tracker boasts just three purely a-cappella cuts…. the jazzy ‘Rest’, a wonderful ‘U Make Me Happy ( a fusion of jazz vocals and doo-wop) and a voices only version of one of the set’s key cuts, ‘When Angels Cry’. They are as you’d expect from Take 6 – text book examples of harmony vocals with a purity of sound that few other groups could match.
The tune, though, that’s currently winning all the plaudits is the full music production that is ‘You Know You’re In Love’. It’s a beautiful piece of work … little wonder that radio playlisters are rotating it on their late night shows… it’s a perfect quiet storm moment. We don’t need to tell you that the harmony vocals are spot on but the tune is a delight in itself and the cherry on the production cake is a weaving harmonica vignette from someone called Stevie Wonder! If you liked, say, ‘Stay’ by the Temptations, then you’ll adore this.
The album boasts several more excellent ballads – the aforementioned and dramatic ‘When Angels Cry’, the pleading ‘Statistic’ and the ultra smooth ‘On Your Side’. Good stuff but just lacking the magic of ‘You Know You’re In Love.’ The one cut that runs that one close for album standout accolade is the easy going ‘Here In LA’. This is modern soul at its best with just a nod to classic doo-wop. If that one shows where Take 6’s roots are then ‘Keep The Faith’ shows they can “do contemporary”… rap even!
Elsewhere, the choppy ‘Beautiful Day’ is worthy of investigation but you need this album for the one truly wonderful cut…. ‘You Know You’re In Love’.
(BB) 4/5
