Search - Steve Cropper & Felix Cavaliere;Steve Cropper;Felix Cavaliere :: Nudge It Up A Notch

Blue-eyed and Memphis soul summit pays big dividends

hyperbolium | Earth, USA | 07/31/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"On paper it's a dream match made in soulsville: the iconic guitarist of Booker T and the MG's writing and recording with the legendary blue-eyed soul vocalist of The Young Rascals. On disc, forty years after their respective chart conquests, their chops are in superb shape, their songwriting talents intertwine smoothly and they sound remarkably fresh and energized. Cavaliere's vocals retain the summery emotion of his Young Rascals days, combining soulful phrasing with a horn-like edginess to his high notes, and Cropper's guitar - both as a lead and rhythm instrument - retains every bit of its defining Memphis identity. In addition to his voice, Cavaliere's organ gives a few tracks the old Rascals feeling, and the rhythm section of Shake Anderson and Chester Thompson is solid and surprisingly lyrical throughout.



The album's biggest payoff is the mid-tempo "If It Wasn't for Loving You," combining Cropper's instantly identifiable rhythm guitar licks (and a sweet solo) with a heartfelt vocal by Cavaliere, a hook-filled melody, and a clever a cappella coda. This would have been a huge AM hit in 1967, but might slip through the cracks of today's balkanized formats. Also winning are the contemporary soul-blues "To Make It Right" and "One of Those Days." The former finds Cavaliere failing to satisfy his mate's material and emotional desires, with Cropper's guitar neatly echoing the lyrical anxiety. The latter demonstrates the anguished aftermath of love gone wrong, with a bottom-heavy rhythm, call-and-response vocals and a guitar solo that's perfectly woven into the chugging beat.



The duo explore more contemporary sounds with the soul-rap "Make the Time Go Faster" and proto-funk of "Still Be Loving You," and Cropper's guitars turn swampy (and Thompson's drums get heavy) for the instrumental "Full Moon Tonight." Two more instrumentals, "Cuttin' It Close" and the ska-rhythmed "Jamaica Delight," are undermined by dated sounds from Cavaliere's keyboard, and though the same might have been true of the synthesized strings on the soft soul "Impossible," it's saved by Cavaliere and his background singers. The album's closing instrumental "Love Appetite" is likewise plagued by synthesizers on its edges, but Cropper's charging guitar and Cavaliere's Ramsey Lewis-styled piano provides salvation. This album delivers what it promises: two soul legends combining their talents into a contemporary album that deeply echoes the past. The real surprise is how vital both players sound. [©2008 hyperbolium dot com]"

Great New Music from Two Old Masters

Robert W. Reed | Houston, TX | 07/30/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sometimes, there is a new album that comes out that gives me the--somewhat naive--hope that simply "good music" will save the music business. And I am repeatedly pleased and amazed when the new good music comes from artists of my generation, defying expectations--I guess because of their age and the fact that they make rock music, not shlock music.



One of these is Nudge It Up a Notch, just released on July 29, 2008, by Steve Cropper, the 67-year old guitarist/composer/producer behind most of Otis Redding's records, Booker T. and the MGs, Sam and Dave, The Blues Brothers, and others, and Felix Cavaliere, the 64-year old vocalist/organist, formerly of the hit 60's group, The Rascals. I've listened to it all the way through three times already. If you like upbeat albums, good songs, a steady beat, great vocals and lyrics, and the interplay of a lead vocalist with background singers, you'll enjoy this one. It has heart and soul, a musical approach we need today in a world gone wrong."

Wonderful Musicianship, HORRIBLE recording

Peter Lufrano | Berkeley, CA USA | 08/16/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Well, I am truly torn on this album. Such wonderful Musicianship, instrumental players, vocal prowess. So unfortunately rare these days.

Makes me WANT to love this album more than any other recent release.

Unfortunately the recording quality is so poor it is difficult for me to enjoy the listening experience. Whoever was at the controls of the board during the sessions and mastering needs an immediate hearing test, or at the least a eye exam, because most of the tracks are so horribly saturated. especially bad is the 3rd track "Without You" where the vocals are grainy, the bass is saturated, the sound of the drums makes one cringe. The background vocals are all recorded too hot, and the organ and Fender Rhodes, oh my. Then to make it much worse, the tracks are then so obviously compresssed so the distortion is made much more obvious.

I checked the mp3's on iTunes and they also suffer from the same ugliness (yeah, mp3's are supposed to sound ugly!) just to check if I received a bad pressing. No such luck.

Perhaps this was done as a production choice in an effort to make the track levels as high as possible for the iPod generation, but the results very nearly ruin the otherwise fantastic album.

What a disappointment!"