Who I Am

Description

Third album by the Wolverhampton-born R&B, soul-pop diva. Although 'Who I Am' is by no means a country album - before writing it - Knight travelled to Nashville to find inspiration from other songwriters. The singles, 'Get Up' and 'Shoulda Woulda Coulda', are included.

Editorial Review

Anyone in the know will have been waiting for this album with an overdose of anticipation. But with two albums behind her already, a voice that is a real gem and the most obvious heir apparent to the British Soul Queen title, why is Wolverhampton’s finest still not as famous as the city’s football team? She outperforms them on almost every level - though admittedly her penalty shoot-out ability is unproven. Gabrielle took far too long to achieve well deserved superstar status for a style that is equally user-friendly, and so if there is any justice in the musical roundabout, Beverley Knight really must hit the big time with this CD.

Get Up gave her the biggest single success to date, and the current single Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda works well, even if it is a bit wishy-washy. Fallen Soldier is definitely a highlight, its simple acoustic style showing off what she can do. The virtual acappella title track (hidden at the end) is equally gorgeous. Same (As I Ever Was) is a lot more ballsy with a nagging little hook out of the TLC mold, likewise Whatever's Clever not to far away from Destiny's Child. More gospelly tones are explored in the Bestseller Mystery, whilst Gold is a polished and shiny ballad, even if it doesn't exactly glisten.

Bev has made friends and fans from Bowie and Stipe to McCartney and Jamiroquai – who she has just toured with. All have seen a prodigious talent, which would explain why she has won at the MOBO awards too and touted as the new face of British soul. Shola Ama had similar potential and a comparably gorgeous voice, but has since woefully disappeared from the scene. It would be grossly unfair if Beverley suffered the same fate. Hopefully Who I Am will be the springboard for her gift, and certainly there are enough pretty, pouting, semi-undressed pictures throughout the sleeve to end up on many a teenager's wall. That should help.

This is a good album, but could have been a great one with some more dynamic writing input, and funky production tweaking. She has written or co-written all the tracks, which although is something to be proud of, I would still like to hear her get her teeth into something a bit meatier, and turn into a whopper of a star. She also deserves more than a few pot plants and painted backdrop as cover artwork, but that’s splitting hairs.

She has had some help from American R&B specialists in the production, but she has still not quite found the right material for her style. Maybe her future lies with other help from the opposite side of the pond, with the huge production machinery, expertise – and market – that the US possesses. They may be able to shift her career into orbit (which is what she deserves), even though they won't have a clue who Wolverhampton Wanderers are. Which is probably a good thing.

Neil Chase
Music Editor

Additional Info

• Label: Parlophone
• No of Discs: 1
• Recording: STEREO
• Format: Single Case

Tracklisting