Comments for The Brand New Heavies, Shelter

So N`Dea Davenport left her position in the spotlight with the Brand New Heavies to record a solo album. This may seem jarring information at first; the Heavies` first real success came on the self-titled album N`Dea sang four tracks on, and by the time the next project, "Brother Sister" was released, featuring N`Dea on all but three tracks, the group had become a soundtrack and radio favorite, not to mention the standard by which many other acid jazz groups were measured. But then again, Maysa left the jazz/funk nest of Incognito and released a spectacular solo effort, so it`s quite feasible that the spreading of wings can serve N`Dea well. In the meantime, what happens to the Heavies? The decision to enlist Siedah Garrett as lead vocalist was inspired; Garrett`s experience as a songwriter (Michael Jackson`s "Man in the Mirror," not to mention many 80`s gems by artists like Natalie Cole and the Pointer Sisters) and as a vocalist (Michael Jackson`s duet partner on "I Just Can`t Stop Loving You" and backup sessions with Madonna, Kenny Loggins, and Nancy Wilson, just to name a few) make her a perfect choice. And that irresistible pop sensibility in her writing surely can`t hurt, either. So are the Heavies better with Siedah or worse? The truth is, neither...just different. "Sometimes," "Crying Water," and "Day by Day" are all instant Heavies classics and contain the usual bubbling servings of funk and jazz but are mixed with Siedah`s distinct lyrical and melody style for good measure. (Any fan of Siedah`s other songs or her 1988 solo pop album, "Kiss of Life," will recognize her touch.) But that`s not to say she totally reworks the Heavies` sound; she nails the traditional BNH approach on "I Like It" and "You Are the Universe." Jan Kincaid, the drummer and keyboardist who has always seemed like the Heavies` musical leader, takes the mike on the title track, but the distorted vocal effect he uses, at first entertaining, becomes tiresome by the track`s finish. His singing on the ballad "After Forever," however, are crystal clear and the track is a winner. "Shelter" does contain a few lukewarm moments, however: the 70`s cover "You Can Do It" is merely average, "Highest High" blends too much with the rest of the material, and "Last to Know" is a trite tune that simply doesn`t measure up. And the album`s sole instrumental, "Once is Twice Enough," is listenable but doesn`t add anything surprising to the expectations of a Heavies instrumental. The album`s strongest track by far is the cool pop ballad "Stay Gone"...the clever kiss-off lyrics by Siedah ("don`t you come around drinkin/high and thinkin I`m gonna lay down/`cause you`re wrong/I`m through with lettin you walk in/do the talkin/and puttin your hands where you know they don`t belong" are entertaining enough, but listen to the way she tears into the second chorus and there`ll be no reason to doubt the decision to let this dynamic vocalist front the group. If there`s a problem with "Shelter," it`s the lack of musical layers: the last new Heavies release, "Brother Sister," included disco, reggae, and heavier funk in the mix, whereas "Shelter" is more of a one-note pop/soul statement. But never mind, it`s a statement strong enough to make this a formidable comparison to the group`s previous efforts. Let`s hope N`Dea`s solo album does well...the Heavies are getting along just fine without her.