By Cait Brennan, March 12, 2015.
Jimmy Somerville
Homage
Membran Records | 
From Bronski Beat to the Communards to his illustrious solo career, Jimmy Somerville has laid it all on the line. With a soaring voice and a fearless heart, Somerville did what virtually nobody in the ‘80s dared: he was out, proud and sang true tales of gay life, like the
groundbreaking “Smalltown Boy,” to international acclaim. He also gave much love to the gay culture that inspired him, with grand, joyous covers of hits like Sylvester’s “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)” and Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love.” With Homage, Somerville is back with an album that pays full tribute to the disco sound he grew up with.
“Some Wonder” announces itself with an old-school fanfare straight out of Barry White’s Love Unlimited Orchestra, with strings, horns, and a solid ‘70s groove. These are organic, real sounds, not lame synth copies, and they demonstrate the analog care that went into the production. “Strong Enough” revives the funky beat of Vicki Sue Robinson’s “Turn The Beat Around,” while the atmospheric “Freak” goes for a late-night dancefloor vibe, all weary glamour and longing.
The rich, lush disco sound is flawless, and if you’re a classic disco fan, you’ll love it from start to finish. Somerville parks his legendary falsetto and breaks into a breathy baritone on “Bright Thing,” and crushes the soul ballad with the uplifting closer, “Learned To Talk,” which ends with a gigantic choral chant that’s guaranteed to generate goosebumps. Homage is Somerville’s passion project and it’s got a lot of heart.
Kate Tempest
Everybody Down
Big Dada |
At 27 years old, Kate Tempest is at the vanguard of both rap and pure poetry. It’s gloriously difficult to define Tempest; she transcends the spoken-word artist/slam poet pigeonhole with a real gift for musicality and fierce storytelling skill. Everybody Down is a powerful debut that expands the frontiers of hip-hop.
Her flow captures the rhythms of the Southeast London streets she grew up on. “Marhsall Law” pulls back the veil of a showbiz party with withering portraits of pop stars, dealers and film types, winding a desperate narrative throughout. Compact, tense and cinematic, Tempest packs a novel’s worth of detail into five minutes, bringing each character to vivid life. Indeed, the entire album is conceived as a hip-hop “novel” in twelve chapters, each track representing a chapter.
Winner of the Ted Hughes Award for her work Brand New Ancients, she’s also an acclaimed playwright, and she draws on all those skills as a rapper, spinning lyrical rhymes that are unflinchingly honest. There’s also a strong groove, like on “The Beigeness,” that propels Everybody Down beyond its powerful poetry. Tempest makes it seem effortless, but how much she accomplishes is astonishing. The edgy, thumping “Happy End” ends the set, and the complex storyline, in powerful fashion.
With a new album just around the corner – the single “Bad Place For A Good Time” is already available on iTunes – now is the time to get acquainted with Kate Tempest, one of 2015’s brightest creative voices.