Candi Staton - His Hands (Honest Johns)
3/5
By: Thomas Hannan
Regardless of who wrote them, a young lady couldn't have pulled off these songs. Sometimes, regardless of how note perfect a voice is, if the experience to back up the sentiment of the words being sung is not present, the whole endeavour is doomed to failure. In Candi Staton's case, the songs in question are in the most capable, qualified of hands.
Gawd bless that Damon Albarn again - if it weren't for his Ladbroke Grove based Honest Johns records re-releasing some of Staton's most remarkable work in the form of their Fame recordings sessions from last year becoming a massive success, 'His Hands' might not have ever been laid to tape. Given that it has, let's celebrate it for what it is - an unashamedly retro, some might say cliché-ridden but most importantly delightfully soulful piece of music from one of the greatest voices alive.
'Life songs', she refers to them as. Eleven tales of love across the spectrum from happiness to despair in an attempt to finally cement Staton's name alongside the likes of Aretha Franklin or Gladys Knight without having to duet with George bloody Michael. And you certainly get the impression she feels every note, as if every tale of love gone wrong could be grounded in a very fresh experience. And it's that wealth of experience alone (OK, we're calling her old) that stops this feeling like a novelty project. Give the likes of 'When Hearts Grow Cold' to some X Factor floozy and it'd crush them. When Candi sings it you nod, stroking your chin, as if you're listening to some real advice.
Hold up - the title track's only written by Will Oldham isn't it?! Since when was he a master of all things soul? And since when did he have Staton's number? It's by far the darkest thing in a record that remains decidedly upbeat in sound even when it's talking about darker times (see the brash ode to divorce that is the all parping 'Running Out Of Love'), and probably the most gripping point. Where the record can fail is when the compositions seem a little too neither here nor there to adequately house a voice as strong as Candi Staton's, but when the knack of coupling a masterfully written song with the long forgotten genius of a properly soulful delivery is achieved, few who still roam this earth can do it better.
Artists in this article: Candi Staton
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