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What's left for Michael McDonald after two albums of Motown covers? Plenty of soul standards that weren't recorded for Motown, plus several other songs that are "soulful" but not strictly soul, and that's just what he offers on Soul Speak, his 2008 sequel to his Motown sequel, 2004's Motown Two. Soul Speak shares the same basic sound and feel as the two Motown records -- it's all sleek, glassy grooves powered by pros -- and if it lacks the hint of looseness that made Two a superior record to its big brother, that's because Soul Speak isn't designed to be a party record like the Motown albums. As the covers of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" and Bob Marley's "Redemption Song" suggest, Soul Speak is a bit moodier and more contemplative than either of its Motown cousins, but that's a relative term: there are still plenty of sprightly, classy pop-soul grooves here, nice versions of "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" and Stevie Wonder's "Living for the City" and "For Once In My Life" that keep Soul Speak moving. But where these brightly elegant grooves dominated on the Motown albums, they're used for coloring here, shading the covers of Cohen, Marley, and Van Morrison ("Into the Mystic") and three solid new originals from McDonald ("Only God Can Help Me Now," "Enemy Within," "Still Not Over You (Getting Over Me)"). Despite the soul in the title, this album recalls the warm soft rock that was his specialty in the early '80s as much as it does his recent soul, particularly because it does rely a little bit more on soft ballads (such as the excellent closer of the standard "You Don't Know Me"), and that is not a bad thing at all. Indeed, it could be argued that of his albums of the new millennium, Soul Speak comes the closest to capturing the sound and feel of Michael McDonald at his peak, all without ever sounding like a conscious re-creation of that time.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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Nathan East, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tony Swain, Producer, Executive Producer - Nicky Shaw, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Thompson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Simon Climie, Producer - Dennis W. Morgan, ComposerLyricist - Doyle Bramhall II, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - MICHAEL MCDONALD, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Abe Laboriel Jr., Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Michelle John, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Sharon White, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Toby Baker, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Joel Evenden, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tim Carmen, Organ, AssociatedPerformer - Simon Crispin Climie, ComposerLyricist - Drea Rhenee, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Rachel Oteh, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Out For Souls Choir, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2008 Universal Music International Ltd.
Nathan East, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tony Swain, Producer, Executive Producer - Nicky Shaw, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Thompson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Simon Climie, Producer - MICHAEL MCDONALD, MainArtist - Stevie Wonder, ComposerLyricist - Abe Laboriel Jr., Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Michelle John, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Sharon White, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Toby Baker, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Joel Evenden, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tim Carmen, Organ, AssociatedPerformer - Drea Rhenee, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Out For Souls Choir, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Rian Peters, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2008 Universal Music International Ltd.
Nathan East, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tony Swain, Producer, Executive Producer - Nicky Shaw, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Thompson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Simon Climie, Producer - MICHAEL MCDONALD, MainArtist - Nick Ingman, String Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Calvin Nowell, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Debi Selby, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Abe Laboriel Jr., Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Toby Baker, Keyboards, Synthesizer, AssociatedPerformer - Joel Evenden, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tim Carmen, Organ, AssociatedPerformer - Cecil Dale Womack, ComposerLyricist - Linda Cooke Womack, ComposerLyricist - Gipp Noble Jr., ComposerLyricist - Drea Rhenee, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Denise Allen, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2007 Universal International Music B.V.
Nathan East, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tony Swain, Producer, Executive Producer - Nicky Shaw, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Thompson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Simon Climie, Producer - Burt Bacharach, ComposerLyricist - Hal David, ComposerLyricist - MICHAEL MCDONALD, MainArtist - Toby Baker, Synthesizer Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Joel Evenden, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tim Carmen, Organ, AssociatedPerformer - Audrey Martells, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2007 Universal International Music B.V.
Dennis Morgan, ComposerLyricist - Nathan East, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tony Swain, Producer, Executive Producer - Nicky Shaw, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Thompson, Guitar, Sitar, AssociatedPerformer - Simon Climie, Producer, ComposerLyricist - MICHAEL MCDONALD, Keyboards, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Abe Laboriel Jr., Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Michelle John, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Sharon White, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Toby Baker, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Joel Evenden, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tim Carmen, Organ, AssociatedPerformer - Audrey Martells, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Drea Rhenee, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Out For Souls Choir, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2008 Universal Music International Ltd.
Nathan East, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tony Swain, Producer, Executive Producer - Orlando Murden, ComposerLyricist - Nicky Shaw, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Thompson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Simon Climie, Producer - MICHAEL MCDONALD, Keyboards, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Nick Ingman, String Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Stevie Wonder, Harmonica, AssociatedPerformer - Calvin Nowell, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - The Kick Horns, Brass Band, AssociatedPerformer - Abe Laboriel Jr., Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Michelle John, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Sharon White, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Toby Baker, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Joel Evenden, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - RONALD NORMAN MILLER, ComposerLyricist - Tim Carmen, Organ, AssociatedPerformer - Drea Rhenee, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Rian Peters, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Denise Allen, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2008 Universal Music International Ltd.
Nathan East, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tony Swain, Producer, Executive Producer - Nicky Shaw, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Thompson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Simon Climie, Producer - Doyle Bramhall II, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - VAN MORRISON, ComposerLyricist - MICHAEL MCDONALD, Guitar, Keyboards, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Vinnie Colaiuta, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - The Kick Horns, Brass Band, AssociatedPerformer - Toby Baker, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Joel Evenden, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tim Carmen, Organ, AssociatedPerformer - Tim Laur, Accordion, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2008 Universal Music International Ltd.
Nathan East, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tony Swain, Producer, Executive Producer - Simon Climie, Producer - Doyle Bramhall II, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - MICHAEL MCDONALD, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Abe Laboriel Jr., Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Leonard Cohen, ComposerLyricist - Toby Baker, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Joel Evenden, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tim Carmen, Organ, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2008 Universal Music International Ltd.
Nathan East, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tony Swain, Producer, Executive Producer - Nicky Shaw, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Simon Climie, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Doyle Bramhall II, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - MICHAEL MCDONALD, Keyboards, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Vinnie Colaiuta, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Joel Evenden, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tim Carmen, Organ, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2008 Universal Music International Ltd.
Nathan East, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tony Swain, Producer, Executive Producer - Gary Jackson, ComposerLyricist - Nicky Shaw, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Thompson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Simon Climie, Producer - Doyle Bramhall II, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - MICHAEL MCDONALD, MainArtist - The Kick Horns, Brass Band, AssociatedPerformer - Abe Laboriel Jr., Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Michelle John, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Sharon White, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Toby Baker, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Joel Evenden, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tim Carmen, Organ, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Raynard Miner, ComposerLyricist - Carl William Smith, ComposerLyricist - Drea Rhenee, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Rachel Oteh, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Out For Souls Choir, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2007 Universal International Music B.V.
Nathan East, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tony Swain, Producer, Executive Producer - Nicky Shaw, Drums, Percussion, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Thompson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Simon Climie, Producer - MICHAEL MCDONALD, Keyboards, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Toby Baker, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Joel Evenden, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tim Carmen, Organ, AssociatedPerformer - Audrey Martells, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2008 Universal Music International Ltd.
Nathan East, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tony Swain, Producer, Executive Producer - Nicky Shaw, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Thompson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Simon Climie, Producer - Doyle Bramhall II, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - MICHAEL MCDONALD, Keyboards, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Abe Laboriel Jr., Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Michelle John, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Sharon White, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Toby Baker, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Joel Evenden, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tim Carmen, Organ, AssociatedPerformer - Barry Despenza, ComposerLyricist - Carl Wolfolk, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2008 Universal International Music B.V.
Nathan East, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tony Swain, Producer, Executive Producer - Nicky Shaw, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Thompson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Simon Climie, Producer - MICHAEL MCDONALD, MainArtist - Bob Marley, ComposerLyricist - Abe Laboriel Jr., Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Michelle John, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Sharon White, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Toby Baker, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Joel Evenden, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tim Carmen, Organ, AssociatedPerformer - Drea Rhenee, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Rachel Oteh, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2008 Universal Music International Ltd.
Nathan East, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tony Swain, Producer, Executive Producer - Nicky Shaw, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Thompson, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Simon Climie, Producer - MICHAEL MCDONALD, Keyboards, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Abe Laboriel Jr., Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Cindy Walker, ComposerLyricist - Toby Baker, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Joel Evenden, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Eddy Arnold, ComposerLyricist - Tim Carmen, Organ, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2008 Universal Music International Ltd.
Album review
What's left for Michael McDonald after two albums of Motown covers? Plenty of soul standards that weren't recorded for Motown, plus several other songs that are "soulful" but not strictly soul, and that's just what he offers on Soul Speak, his 2008 sequel to his Motown sequel, 2004's Motown Two. Soul Speak shares the same basic sound and feel as the two Motown records -- it's all sleek, glassy grooves powered by pros -- and if it lacks the hint of looseness that made Two a superior record to its big brother, that's because Soul Speak isn't designed to be a party record like the Motown albums. As the covers of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" and Bob Marley's "Redemption Song" suggest, Soul Speak is a bit moodier and more contemplative than either of its Motown cousins, but that's a relative term: there are still plenty of sprightly, classy pop-soul grooves here, nice versions of "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" and Stevie Wonder's "Living for the City" and "For Once In My Life" that keep Soul Speak moving. But where these brightly elegant grooves dominated on the Motown albums, they're used for coloring here, shading the covers of Cohen, Marley, and Van Morrison ("Into the Mystic") and three solid new originals from McDonald ("Only God Can Help Me Now," "Enemy Within," "Still Not Over You (Getting Over Me)"). Despite the soul in the title, this album recalls the warm soft rock that was his specialty in the early '80s as much as it does his recent soul, particularly because it does rely a little bit more on soft ballads (such as the excellent closer of the standard "You Don't Know Me"), and that is not a bad thing at all. Indeed, it could be argued that of his albums of the new millennium, Soul Speak comes the closest to capturing the sound and feel of Michael McDonald at his peak, all without ever sounding like a conscious re-creation of that time.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 14 track(s)
- Total length: 00:56:27
- Main artists: Michael McDonald
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Universal Music Group International
- Genre: Soul/Funk/R&B Soul
© 2008 Universal International Music B.V. ℗ 2008 Universal International Music B.V.
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