Soul music that digs deep into the heritage of Rhythm & Blues and Southern Soul seems to have a renaissance these days with the success of Joss Stone.
But what about the "real" soul, that isn't sung by very young British singers? Well, it still exists. Mainly thanks to idependent companies like Malaco. A label that has become Shirley Brown's musical home for over ten years now. While Shirley may not reinvent the wheel or soul music since the success of her Woman To Woman album, she is always a guarantor for "real" soul music.
Woman Enough is Shirley's new release for Malaco and it offers just what we love to hear from Shirley. Heartfelt lyrics about relationships that don't work like they should, good songs and soul music that knows where it comes from with just the right kind of Blues feeling. And of course she teamed up with the usual crowd of Lester Snell, Charles Richard Carson, Frederick Knight, Tommy Couch and Wolf Stephenson like on previous Malaco releases (Holding My Own and The Soul Of A Woman).
The only bad thing here is that Shirley and her team use drum machines on some tracks instead of real drummers. A fact, that spoils the listening pleasure a little for my ears since it gives these songs a rather "cheap" sound. But after all there's still Shirley's great voice. For example on the break-up-to-make-up-song My Heart Can't Take Another Break (oh yes, I know this feeling so well...).
The lyricwise rather mean (I'd Have To Be) Stuck On Stupid is one of my favourite songs here. Produced by Wolf Stephenson and Tommy Couch with great live instrumentation with drums, guitars and organ this has a fine blues feeling to it thanks to Larry Brown on guitar and Frederick Knight, Valerie Kashimura and Freddie Young on background vocals.
Wolf and Tommy also produced the ballad It's Best We Say Goodbye, that features a great vocal performance by Shirley.
Another highlight is Think Again, which has a more "up-to-date" sound. Written and produced by Charles Richard Cason, who also was behind I Caught You With Pants Down from Shirley's The Soul Of A Woman album, this is a great piece of music that combines the classic with the contemporary and has all the right ingredients to become a hit record.
What I've always liked about traditional soul songs are the titles that sometimes tell the whole story of the song in one line or just sound a little bit odd like (I've Got To) Sleep With One Eye Open. Written and produced by Frederick Knight this is a fine downtempo song telling the story of a relationship with an always horny man.
Add to this more good songs like I'm So Fed Up, Too Much Candy, the moving dedication to her late mother Miss Lizzie's Daughter or the title track, Woman Enough!(Why Can't You Be Man Enough), that again sees Shirley being with a guy who turns out to be another flop and who by no means is equal to her.
All in all a must-have for Shirley Brown fans and fans of traditional soul/R&B music and a welcome opportunity to check out the real thing, for those who've just discovered soul music.