The first lady of southern soul picks up where she left off with the 2006 record ‘His Hands’. While that was an uncomfortable listen sometimes, dealing as it did with domestic abuse, this record looks onwards and upwards. This means that Staton is effectively singing about situations where she can see the way out, sometimes dressed in subtly funky clothing but other times brooding over the bare bones of an accompaniment. The biggest impact is made by ‘Mercy Now’, a vintage protest song, while the last two tracks ‘I Don’t Want For Anything’ and ‘The Light In Your Eyes’ are the ones that feel more positive. Meanwhile ‘Dust On My Pillow’ must be the first soul song about Viagra, surely?!
4 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Ben Hogwood
