JULIA FORDHAM
That's Live (Vanguard)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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We've all heard it. "If you really want to understand their music, you've got to see them live!" Heard it? Heck, I'm a Deadhead. I've said it more times than I can count.

The reason it gets said so much is that (sometimes) it's true. Some artists need the presence of an audience to tap that extra measure of energy that elevates their performance. I would never have guessed that Julia Fordham would have fallen into that category. Having only heard her studio efforts, I have assumed that her sound was studio dependent to a large degree. This new live set simply reveals the truth of the old saw about what assumptions make of you and me.

Don't get me wrong, I've appreciated Fordham regardless of the format, but hearing these tracks performed live (you can see them, too, via a companion DVD that was released simultaneously with the audio disk) lifts me to a higher level of appreciation, as well. She's backed by an A-list collection of players, and India.Arie shows up for a guest vocal appearance on "Concrete Love," but no matter how stellar the accompaniment, nothing outshines Fordham's performance here, whether on her excellent original compositions or her simply stunning cover of Minnie Ripperton's "Lovin' You."

No matter how much you like Julia Fordham, I can't imagine how this disc could fail to lift your appreciation a notch or two.

Track List:

Falling Forward * Lock And Key * Girlfriend * Foolish Thing * Porcelain * Lovin' You * Roadside Angel * Concrete Love * Wake Up With You (The I Wanna Song) * Jump * Sugar * Love * Happy Ever After * Stay * More Than I Can Bear * Manhattan Skyline

© 2005 - Shaun Dale