Album, Single and EP Reviews


 

 

  Black Velvet by Alannah Myles


Black Velvet cover art

Artist: Alannah Myles
Title: Black Velvet
Catalogue Number: Linus 270082
Review Format: CD
Release Year: 2007



It's been a while since the Bluesbunny last heard of Alannah Myles. There was her worldwide hit "Black Velvet" - way back in 1989 as I recall - but now she has an album called "Black Velvet" out and it features a new version of "Black Velvet".

Fortunately it contains more than that as the version of "Black Velvet" here does not really bring much more to the song but, these days, nostalgia is where the money is. There are also good few other examples of AOR to be found on this album like "Prime of My Life" and "Give Me Love" to give people what they probably want. A greater sense of musical adventure is to be found in the potential grind house classic "What is Love" while "I Love You" shows she has the pipes for a killer ballad. Much to our pleasure, she even rattles out some old style blues on the closing track "Trouble". Now that song shows what she can really do as she yelps and hollers her way around the snarling slide guitar accompaniment.

You can't really criticise Alannah Myles for playing safe through most of this album. We've all got to make a living after all. However, Alannah singing the blues might have been a better way to remind the world of the raucous, downhome talent that she has.


www.alannahmyles.com
Reviewer:
Review Date: September 11 2008