Search - Jess Roden :: Play It Dirty Play It Class

A Class Act

tony berry | United Kingdom | 08/24/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"If you're at all interested in listening to one of the "nearly men" of British rock music, and one of the best vocalists to have emerged in the last 30 years, then give this record a spin. Roden, a contemporary of Robert Plant, Steve Winwood and Robert Palmer, always seemed destined to break into the big time. But it never happened. Roden is always at his best on big soul numbers and here he excels on Can't Get Next To You, an old hit for the Temptations among others. Roden can also turn his talents to subtler numbers, and his performance on the self-written Stay In Bed is a vocal tour de force."

Play it Dirty, Play it Class, Play it Often

P. Thompson | Durham, England | 09/29/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ask people to mention a couple of great British rock singers and suggestions might include Paul Rodgers or Robert Plant, but how many would come up with the name Jess Roden. Probably not very many, but the question is why? This guy is one of the greats, but relatively unknown. Perhaps its because the band's music is difficult to pigeon hole as this album contains aspects of rock, blues and jazz with a funky edge to some songs.

There are eight great numbers on the album from the laid back (as the title suggests) Stay in Bed to the stomping Ballad of Big Sally and the classic Can't Get Next to You. It is one of the best albums of the 70s lost in the mists of time. Buy it now while you still can!

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