Album Review by EDF
Eighteen years on from their debut album, Swing Out Sister’s latest album is business as usual. With their usual smooth jazzy-pop style, Swing Out Sister continues to make enjoyable music. Not that it is would ever be fashionable amongst the kids but this is geared for those with a wider taste in music.
It is easy to compare some of the music as a Marvin Gaye clone and this would not be fair to the group at all. The way the lounge kings of the past such as Burt Bacharach and the cinematic moods of John Barry creep into these tracks, Corinne Drewery’s vocals raises the songs to a safe and familiar territory. WHEN THE LAUGHTER IS OVER is Drewery at her Dionne Warwick best and that is not to say that the band has not got a few other tricks up their sleeve. The instrumental CERTAIN SHADES OF LIMELIGHT visits the bossa nova arena while CAIPIRINHA takes us off to Brazil.
For lovers of soulful lounge music, there are worse things you can do than to relax listening to this album. Even though Swing Out Sister might never grace the singles charts again, at least they have kept their dignity by continuing to produce music that is full of layers, which listeners will peel back with each listen.
