Reviews roundup – Michelle Renee vs. Spencer Day vs. Pink Floyd & Syd Barrett

Reviews roundup – Michelle Renee vs. Spencer Day vs. Pink Floyd & Syd Barrett

MICHELLE RENEE
Michelle Renee
Yelloweed

Well, this made for a pleasant change.  I’m not normally one for dance pop, but when something is pitched in between Taylor Dayne, and the Latin pop of Gloria Estafan, then I’m going to pay a wee bit more attention than usual.

And that’s what Michelle Renee Smith has offered up.  The good news is that she’s a really good singer, which is only right considering that she has toured on backing vocals with the likes of Peabo Bryson and the SOS Band. Which certainly explains the area that she’s working in.  Of course, it is all rather old fashioned, which is fine for someone like me, who has the Reaper grinning, nodding and bending his finger.  However, it probably needs to be pitched at Radio 2, rather than somewhere young and thrusting.

There are some excellent, melodic tunes with ‘Heaven’, ‘Mamacita’ and ‘Missing You’ top of the playlist.  Most of the songs jog along in mid-tempo, but she can turn her hand to a ballad with ease.  Definitely one for those who sigh with fondness for the eighties.

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SPENCER DAY
Daybreak
Spencer Day Music

Album number five from jazzeteer, Spencer Day, sees him paying homage to the sixties, with an album split evenly better originals and covers.  And it’s good.

After some time playing in the majors, he’s back doing his own thing and, at least, he’s picked some interesting songs to cover.  Certainly not your typical jazz crooners go to material.  No, you’re getting the likes of ‘These Boots Are Made For Walking’, ‘Bad Moon Rising’ and the Peter & Gordon classic, ‘A World Without Love’.

For sure, not everything works – say hallo to ‘Oh Boy’, but it’s when you take the time to listen to his own material, that things really shine. Mr Day says they were written in a style to pay homage to the covers, and he’s done a grand job, as a couple of his own songs could have come straight out of the Brill building.  Which is why it was a very good idea to kick off with ‘Missing You’ and ‘Naturally’, two delightful new songs, rather than going for the soft, weel kent tune option.

The arrangements are excellent, with some well judged horns, and Mr Day has voice that more than matches his peers.  A splendid offering.

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The Pink Floyd & Syd Barrett Story
DVD
Eagle Rock

An extended reissue for this documentary, which originally came out way back in 2001.  So you’re getting the original talking head story on Disc 1, which has contributions from a lot of the major players looking back to his brief time in Pink Floyd, his solo career and the tragic story that followed.

Floyd fans will have seen it all before, but this double disc issue includes the full interviews with Roger Waters, Dave Gilmour, Nick Mason & Rick Wright, snippets of which were used in the main feature.  And that will be manna for fans of the Floyd.  To be fair, there isn’t much here that will come as a surprise to people with more than a passing interest, but it’s good to have it harnessed all in one place.

There is also an interview with Robyn Hitchcock and, for some reason, it also has Blur fella, Graham Coxon performing ‘I Love You’, perhaps to remind people just how rubbish Blur were .

Not essential, but diehard fans will enjoy he package.

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