Seductive Style Of Robert Palmer

Publié le par olivier

Seductive Style Of Robert Palmer

Robert Palmer - Rhythm & Blues (Pyramid)

Robert Palmer has tried his hand at various genres, from soul to rock, and has indeed had his biggest hits in the '80s with Power Station, a group which contained members of rock-pop megastars Duran Duran.

But his first love has always been rhythm and blues. This album is R&B for the next millenium, as he mixes traditional soul influences with touches of hiphop and electronica - a natural progression for he singer with eclectic tastes.

When he started his career in the '70s, Palmer (he is now 50) was famous for his selection of rock and R&B cover songs as for his impeccably tailored suits!

By the mid-'80s, however, he had achieved mainstream stardom through a series of records that pitched his cool, understated vocals against smooth, catchy pop songs or hard rockers.

He spent most of his childhood on the island of Malta. Back in Britain as a teenager, he first sang in the band Mandrakes, then went professional with the Alan Bown Set in 1968. The next year, he joined Dada, which changed its name to Vinegar Joe, and secured reasonable success.

When the band broke up, Palmer started his solo career, with a number of critically acclaimed albums which sold respectably well.

Then he joined Power Station, a group consisting of Duran's John Taylor and Andy Taylor and Tony Thompson, which did well and its rock/funk oriented direction influenced his next album, Riptide, which featured the huge hits Addicted To Love and I Didn't Mean To Turn You On.

His sense of style resulted in videos featuring stylish Vogue Magazine-style models mimicking the role of backup band, and it created quite some controversy. It established Palmer as an ironic sex symbol.

Alternate artwork for the Japanese edition of the album

Alternate artwork for the Japanese edition of the album

He has dabbled in Bossa Nova, 40s-style balladeering, and even sung with UB40, as well released an album of cabaret standards. But this time round, he has gone back to his roots.

The album opens with True Love which cooks to a finger-snapping mix of funk and hiphop and melodic vocals. It sounds like a surefire hit - although it's an original, you get the feeling you have heard it before.

I Choose You has a brooding, wistful feel to it, while Sex Appeal moves along to a slow funk-reggae beat. He also does a remake of the late, great Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On. The rest of the album offers updated variations on R&B templates to good effect.

Palmer hasn't got a dramatic dripping with emotion style like say James Ingram, but his smooth seductive tones are definitely sweet to the ear."

Gerald Martinez (The New Straits Times - May 1999)

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