Some covers of classic songs don't add much. Think of Wilson Phillips' version of Fleetwood Mac's "Go Your Own Way," which sounds remarkably like the original. Think of Madonna's "American Pie," which trashed the original.
This album does what covers are supposed to do — it takes great music and reinterprets it, or as the press release says, reconstructs it. Each of the songs is done by a different artist and a different producer in a different style. Black Eyed Peas founder and frontman will.I.am brings his hip=hop style to Tell of Tales followed by the electro-funk version of Take Me to the Next Phase by the Dead Rabbits.
My favorite track is Summer Breeze re-produced by Onda. Esthero's voice is amazing and the music, including a horn section, and the other voices back her up instead of overwhelming her. I listened to some clips of Esthero's other songs and she shines more here. Throw in the music of Summer Breeze and you have a song that can take you to another place on a moment's notice.
The overall conclusion listening to this album, which I have done several times, is that the Isley Brothers created some phenomenal music which can form the backbone of any presentation. There are some fine presentations here. The CD gets 5 out of 5 stars.
Article comments
1 - Eric Olsen
thanks Justene, the Isleys rule and are still underappreciated. I wrote about them here