I received the newest Matt Bianco recording Matt's Mood this past Friday. This release is significant in that the group is actually considering this its second release, since it features the reunion of the original trio of Mark Reilly (vocals), Danny White (keyboards) and Basia (vocals). This version of Matt Bianco release only one album back in 1984, called Whose Side Are You On? (which featured the UK hit singles "Get Out Your Lazy Bed" and the Bossa-drenched "Half A Minute"). Following this album, Danny White and Basia departed to begin recording under her own hame, and Reilly recruited a new instrumentalist to record seven further albums. Now it's 2004 and the original Matt Bianco lineup has reunited and waxed a new recording. In addition, Basia hasn't released a solo recording in over a decade.
My impression so far: this is very much a Matt Bianco recording. If you like Basia, she doesn't sing lead on everything (she's mainly in the lead role for four songs), but her vocals are present throughout: she'll take a chorus (often multitracking her parts), split a few verses with Mark Reilly, add a vocal backdrop to a song, or just add some "scatting" lines here and there. (So, in other words, she's not a guest vocalist on just two or three songs--she's very much a part of the whole project.) Even inside the Matt Bianco framework, a few of the songs are still rooted in the same type of sounds she had on her own recordings. And in fact, you'll find some of the same musicians from Basia's own recordings (Peter White on guitar, for instance). The disc opener "Ordinary Day" could have been lifted right from one of her own recordings. Takes me back to about 15 years ago when I first spun Time and Tide on the way home from Sam's Jams.
Not all songs sound like a Basia album: the dark, bluesy "Wrong Side Of The Street" (one of my favorites so far) and "Kaleidoscope" are something I would only expect to find on a Matt Bianco recording. It has what I'd call that certain endearing quirkiness that you won't find on Basia's own recordings. Danny White still does a good job as a "chief architect" in putting all of the sounds together, as Basia and Reilly do all the vocal chores. Checking the credits, Basia, Mark Reilly and Danny White share songwriting and production duties on all tracks, so this is very much a group project. Basia's still in fine voice, too, maybe just a little softer and lower than what you'd hear on the first Matt Bianco album. The late Ronnie Ross (bari sax) is featured here as well; they located three unused solos of his and incorporated them into three new songs on this disc.
How's the sound? No solid impressions yet, as I've mainly heard it in the car, and on a portable system. Mine is the hybrid SACD version, and I've only heard "Ordinary Day" on my good system. On that short sample, I'll give it
. The sound of the redbook layer seems quite good also, and only a very few peaks are clipped off (limited). This one sounds like it has room to breathe, in other words. Nice tonal balance, full bodied...far better than the older Matt Bianco CD I own, which just sounds wonky to my ears. This one's very enjoyable.
So, do I like it? How about an emphatic "yes". Would I recommend it to other Basia fans? Definitely. She's featured enough on this album to keep a fan from feeling shortchanged. Not being a follower of Matt Bianco (outside his other recording with Basia), I don't know how it compares to other Matt Bianco recordings. But it does compare favorably to Whose Side Are You On?, perhaps being a little more focused and a little less erratic. Even the group feels this should have been the second Matt Bianco album.
Check out their website for the EPK (electronic press kit) which has a video of Basia, White and Reilly briefly discussing the new album. The radio edit of the first single, "Ordinary Day", is up on the site as well.
http://www.mattbianco.com
Import CD: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00022UTJ8/amcorne-20
Import SACD/CD hybrid: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00023BIGA/amcorne-20
My impression so far: this is very much a Matt Bianco recording. If you like Basia, she doesn't sing lead on everything (she's mainly in the lead role for four songs), but her vocals are present throughout: she'll take a chorus (often multitracking her parts), split a few verses with Mark Reilly, add a vocal backdrop to a song, or just add some "scatting" lines here and there. (So, in other words, she's not a guest vocalist on just two or three songs--she's very much a part of the whole project.) Even inside the Matt Bianco framework, a few of the songs are still rooted in the same type of sounds she had on her own recordings. And in fact, you'll find some of the same musicians from Basia's own recordings (Peter White on guitar, for instance). The disc opener "Ordinary Day" could have been lifted right from one of her own recordings. Takes me back to about 15 years ago when I first spun Time and Tide on the way home from Sam's Jams.
Not all songs sound like a Basia album: the dark, bluesy "Wrong Side Of The Street" (one of my favorites so far) and "Kaleidoscope" are something I would only expect to find on a Matt Bianco recording. It has what I'd call that certain endearing quirkiness that you won't find on Basia's own recordings. Danny White still does a good job as a "chief architect" in putting all of the sounds together, as Basia and Reilly do all the vocal chores. Checking the credits, Basia, Mark Reilly and Danny White share songwriting and production duties on all tracks, so this is very much a group project. Basia's still in fine voice, too, maybe just a little softer and lower than what you'd hear on the first Matt Bianco album. The late Ronnie Ross (bari sax) is featured here as well; they located three unused solos of his and incorporated them into three new songs on this disc.
How's the sound? No solid impressions yet, as I've mainly heard it in the car, and on a portable system. Mine is the hybrid SACD version, and I've only heard "Ordinary Day" on my good system. On that short sample, I'll give it
. The sound of the redbook layer seems quite good also, and only a very few peaks are clipped off (limited). This one sounds like it has room to breathe, in other words. Nice tonal balance, full bodied...far better than the older Matt Bianco CD I own, which just sounds wonky to my ears. This one's very enjoyable.So, do I like it? How about an emphatic "yes".
Would I recommend it to other Basia fans? Definitely. She's featured enough on this album to keep a fan from feeling shortchanged. Not being a follower of Matt Bianco (outside his other recording with Basia), I don't know how it compares to other Matt Bianco recordings. But it does compare favorably to Whose Side Are You On?, perhaps being a little more focused and a little less erratic. Even the group feels this should have been the second Matt Bianco album. Check out their website for the EPK (electronic press kit) which has a video of Basia, White and Reilly briefly discussing the new album. The radio edit of the first single, "Ordinary Day", is up on the site as well.
http://www.mattbianco.com
Import CD: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00022UTJ8/amcorne-20
Import SACD/CD hybrid: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00023BIGA/amcorne-20
They don't have a new album out this year, but I've been backtracking and collecting their catalogue. Their music fits in just perfectly with the new Matt Bianco. 
