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A handful of collaborations released during 2010 and 2011 hinted at Jessie Ware's range and potential. The singer outclassed her fellow vocalists on SBTRKT's SBTRKT and Joker's The Vision; she displayed exquisite restraint on the former's "Right Thing to Do," while she had her way with the latter's lancing title track. Along with the two low-key 2011 singles, "Valentine" and "Strangest Feeling," there were indications that Ware was capable of making something like Devotion -- an album of uncommon depth, a sophisticated but stimulating hybrid of pop, soul, and adult contemporary. Ware works extensively with Dave Okumu, Julio Bashmore, and Kid Harpoon, but it's Okumu -- a member of the Invisible, as well as an affiliate of Bugz in the Attic and Matthew Herbert -- who is most responsible for helping Ware prance across the tightrope that comes with making subtle, sophisticated music. Ware's voice is an instant draw. Her whispers are as powerful as her wails. Whenever the lyrics read like they're aiming for the profound but appear hollow, she rescues them with elegance and power impressive enough to astound any of the elders to whom she has been compared -- Alison Moyet, Annie Lennox, Sade Adu, and Lisa Stansfield included. Take the weakest link, "No to Love"; the repeated exasperation "Who says no to love?" seems utterly ridiculous, but the delivery fits into the all-consuming heartache that is alternately concealed and exposed throughout the set's duration. If this isn't the album of the year, it's at least the art-pop album of the year, or the neo-sophisti-pop album of the year, or -- beside Frank Ocean's Channel Orange -- the alternative R&B album of the year. As far as "proper music" from the U.K. is considered, it belongs in a class with Roxy Music's Avalon, Sade's Diamond Life, the Blue Nile's Hats, and Caron Wheeler's UK Blak.
© Andy Kellman /TiVo
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LeXXX, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Stuart Hawkes, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Emery, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dave Okumu, Producer, Engineer, Guitar, Synthesizer, Finger Clicking, Programming, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, Bass (Vocal) - David Okumu, ComposerLyricist - Jessie Ware, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jack McKenna, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
(C) 2012 Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited ℗ 2012 Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Leo Taylor, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - LeXXX, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Stuart Hawkes, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Emery, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dave Okumu, Producer, Engineer, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Jessie Ware, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Thomas Edward Percy Hull, ComposerLyricist - Kid Harpoon, Producer, Guitar, Keyboards, Percussion, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Jack McKenna, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
(C) 2012 Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited ℗ 2012 Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Leo Taylor, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Stuart Hawkes, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tom Elmhirst, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - David Okumu, Producer - Jessie Ware, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Matthew Walker, Producer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - BREYNER LAURINDO DA SILVA BAPTISTA, ComposerLyricist - MATTHEW STEPHEN WALKER, ComposerLyricist
(C) 2012 Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited ℗ 2012 Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
LeXXX, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Stuart Hawkes, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Emery, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dave Okumu, Producer, Engineer, Guitar, Synthesizer, Drum, Programming, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - David Okumu, ComposerLyricist - Jessie Ware, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Brendon Harding, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jack McKenna, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
(C) 2012 Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited ℗ 2012 Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
LeXXX, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Stuart Hawkes, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Emery, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dave Okumu, Producer, Drums, Guitar, Keyboards, Recording Engineer, Background Vocalist, Rap Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist, Bass (Vocal) - Jessie Ware, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Brendon Harding, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jack McKenna, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
(C) 2012 Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited ℗ 2012 Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Leo Taylor, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - LeXXX, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Stuart Hawkes, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dougal Lott, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Robin Mullarkey, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Alex Dromgoole, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - David Emery, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dave Okumu, Producer, String Arranger, Guitar, Keyboards, Recording Engineer, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist, Bass (Vocal) - Jessie Ware, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Thomas Edward Percy Hull, ComposerLyricist - Kid Harpoon, Producer, Guitar, Keyboards, Percussion, Recording Engineer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Brendon Harding, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Daniel Vinci, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
(C) 2012 Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited ℗ 2012 Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
LeXXX, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Stuart Hawkes, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robin Mullarkey, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - David Emery, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dave Okumu, Producer, String Arranger, Drums, Guitar, Recording Engineer, Synthesizer, Programming, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist, Bass (Vocal) - Jessie Ware, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Brendon Harding, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jack McKenna, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
(C) 2012 Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited ℗ 2012 Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Leo Taylor, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - LeXXX, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Stuart Hawkes, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Emery, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dave Okumu, Producer, Recording Engineer, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, Bass (Vocal) - Julio Bashmore, Producer, Recording Engineer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Jessie Ware, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Laura Dockrill, ComposerLyricist - Brendon Harding, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jack McKenna, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - MATTHEW STEPHEN WALKER, ComposerLyricist
(C) 2012 Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited ℗ 2012 Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Stuart Hawkes, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Alex Dromgoole, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - David Emery, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jessie Ware, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Matthew Walker, Producer - Jack McKenna, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - MATTHEW STEPHEN WALKER, ComposerLyricist
(C) 2012 Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited ℗ 2012 Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
LeXXX, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Stuart Hawkes, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - David Emery, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dave Okumu, Producer, Engineer, Guitar, Programming, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Tom Hull, Producer - Jessie Ware, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Thomas Edward Percy Hull, ComposerLyricist - Kid Harpoon, Engineer, Guitar, Keyboards, Percussion, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Brendon Harding, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jack McKenna, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
(C) 2012 Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited ℗ 2012 Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
LeXXX, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Stuart Hawkes, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Robin Mullarkey, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - David Emery, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dave Okumu, Producer, String Arranger, Engineer, Guitar, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Jessie Ware, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Laura Dockrill, ComposerLyricist - Will Archer, Engineer, Guitar, Piano, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Brendon Harding, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jack McKenna, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
(C) 2012 Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited ℗ 2012 Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Album review
A handful of collaborations released during 2010 and 2011 hinted at Jessie Ware's range and potential. The singer outclassed her fellow vocalists on SBTRKT's SBTRKT and Joker's The Vision; she displayed exquisite restraint on the former's "Right Thing to Do," while she had her way with the latter's lancing title track. Along with the two low-key 2011 singles, "Valentine" and "Strangest Feeling," there were indications that Ware was capable of making something like Devotion -- an album of uncommon depth, a sophisticated but stimulating hybrid of pop, soul, and adult contemporary. Ware works extensively with Dave Okumu, Julio Bashmore, and Kid Harpoon, but it's Okumu -- a member of the Invisible, as well as an affiliate of Bugz in the Attic and Matthew Herbert -- who is most responsible for helping Ware prance across the tightrope that comes with making subtle, sophisticated music. Ware's voice is an instant draw. Her whispers are as powerful as her wails. Whenever the lyrics read like they're aiming for the profound but appear hollow, she rescues them with elegance and power impressive enough to astound any of the elders to whom she has been compared -- Alison Moyet, Annie Lennox, Sade Adu, and Lisa Stansfield included. Take the weakest link, "No to Love"; the repeated exasperation "Who says no to love?" seems utterly ridiculous, but the delivery fits into the all-consuming heartache that is alternately concealed and exposed throughout the set's duration. If this isn't the album of the year, it's at least the art-pop album of the year, or the neo-sophisti-pop album of the year, or -- beside Frank Ocean's Channel Orange -- the alternative R&B album of the year. As far as "proper music" from the U.K. is considered, it belongs in a class with Roxy Music's Avalon, Sade's Diamond Life, the Blue Nile's Hats, and Caron Wheeler's UK Blak.
© Andy Kellman /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 11 track(s)
- Total length: 00:42:04
- Main artists: Jessie Ware
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Universal-Island Records Ltd.
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
© 2012 Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited ℗ 2012 Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
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