One day I will actually get around to reading press releases. There usually isn’t much of a point in doing so these days but, on occasion, I do get a case of cat curiosity when listening to an album such as “If It’s Love” by Kelly Hafner.
The album itself is a rather low key affair although Ms. Hafner clearly does not lack presentational skills and she easily stamps her personality on the ten songs that make up this album. Said songs do, however, sometimes seem somewhat less important than the voice that sings them and, by that, I mean that Ms. Hafner resolutely keeps her style ship sailing on a rock steady soulful course throughout. That is, of course, an artistic choice and one that works best on “No Time” and “Keep on Hanging On” with both songs being fine examples of the sound of the uptown seventies yet such a consistent approach is, perhaps, less than fashionable these days even if it does, in truth, form quite a large part of this album’s sonic appeal.
It isn’t all retro though and it also has to be said that Ms. Hafner doesn’t remain in the past for the whole running time of this album with “Summergirl”, in particular, reaching in to the rather more modern urban genre for musical cues.
So, is “If It’s Love” going to breakthrough album for Kelly Hafner? I would like to think that would be the case as her voice has a pleasing quality that made - the ever cynical - me want to hear, and find out, more. The verdict? Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps.