Beverley Knight is not at all new on the music scene. In fact she’s been around for yonks. But it’s only with this year’s ‘Who I Am’ that she’s finally getting the popular attention and airplay she deserves. You’ve probably heard the single ‘Shoulda Woulda Coulda’ on the radio recently.
Beverley Knight is perhaps best described as a soul/r ‘n’ b singer, but that doesn’t really do justice to her versatility. Anyone who saw her on Jools Holland’s Hootenanny last new year’s eve and heard her singing George Harrison’s ‘My Sweet Lord’ will know that she turn her hand (voice?) to almost anything.
‘Who I Am’ is Beverley’s third album and it’s easily her best yet, showing her maturity, versatility, wonderful voice and downright funkiness at its best.
The album comprises 11 tracks, plus an ‘enhanced section’ where some of the tracks are repeated with different production/mixing.
The 11 tracks are:
Get Up Shoulda Woulda Coulda Shape of You Fallen Soldier Beautiful Contradiction (duet with Musiq Soulchild) Hurricane Jane Same (as I ever was) Whatever’s Clever Ambition (it all comes 2 u) Bestseller Mystery Gold
I won’t run through all the tracks, but will list a few of my faves:
Get Up!
Released as a single. A sassy, funky, energetic song with Beverley on fine form lungs-wise. It’s full of attitude and the message is powerful and positive. Stand up for yourself, get on with your life and don’t let anyone hold you back.
Shape of You
A song of heartache, slowing the pace after the first two tracks. It’s no boring power ballad though, but a sweet soulful number lamenting lost love while the singer gets on with her life seemingly regardless. The theme brought to my mind Smokey Robinson’s ‘Tears of a Clown’, though the music is very different.
Beautiful Contradiction
A very smooth sexy love song on which Beverley duets with Musiq Soulchild (whoever s/he is!). A great slinky number about two people who just don’t see the world the same but love each other totally.
Hurricane Jane
Another slow one, and one of the sexiest songs I’ve ever heard. Beverley’s voice simply oozes sex appeal on this number, and the slowly pulsating rhythm and throbbing bass add to the effect. I’ll leave it to you to decide what this song’s about, but I think it’s about something you do alone.
Whatever’s Clever
Dead funky, dead loud, dead danceable. A real woman with attitude song about what a man has to do if he wants her. It brings to mind the attitude behind both Madonna’s ‘Express Yourself’ and Destiny’s Child’s theme from Charlie’s Angels. Again though, the words and tune are Beverley’s own.
Beverley Knight has written or co-written every track on this album, and her growing confidence and coming-of-age shines through.
This is a life-affirming album showing great talent and versatility both lyrically and in the inflections in Beverley’s voice.
At last – a real British QUEEN OF SOUL! Remember her name.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Beverley Knight's third album, Who I Am, shows how far the "girl from Wolverhampton" has ... more
come from her admittedly brilliant debut, B Funk. Knight, whose bright, up-tempo R&B songs have crossed age and genre barriers, is clearly making the most of being...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
![Who I Am [ECD] - Beverley Knight](http://imagesa.ciao.com/iuk/images/products/normal/248/product-5292248.jpg)
![Overall user rating: Who I Am [ECD] - Beverley Knight](http://images.ciao.com/ide/images/stars/2003/stars45.gif)
Apr 5th, 2002
very helpful by (97%):
helpful by (3%):
![Who I Am [ECD] - Beverley Knight - review by ms19](http://images.ciao.com/ide/images/stars/2003/stars40.gif)
