Play 90 second soundbite of 'Something Got Me Started' @ 'CD quality'
Choosing some of the big soul classics and standards alongside a few originals, Waller and his band cruise through every track with ease. Actually, too much ease. Waller's vocals just seem flat - and I don't mean out of key, I mean no 'balls', no heart and definitely no soul. His band lay down some great sounding work behind the big man but even they seem to have been produced to death. And yes, I am truly disappointed!! 'Innocence' has been made to sound ordinary, almost mundane. Having said that, there will be followers out there that'll love this and they'll play it to death. I certainly won't! 'Innocence' sounds too contrived and too safe. Waller has a great voice, we all know that - he just doesn't seem to use it here.
'Innocence' feels like a 'housewives choice' release. It certainly doesn't sound like a work that'll go down in history as being a great release. Hey, Rik Waller may have sufficient followers out there to sell hundreds of thousands of copies of 'Innocence'. But, I bet those people aren't still playing the album in five or ten years or even five or ten weeks!
Sorry Rik, but this doesn't do anything for me. I wish you well with it but you can do better!
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