Natasha Watts – Music Is My Life
UK-based indie/neo soul chanteuse Natasha Watts is back with her fourth album “Music Is My Life”. The singer and songwriter, who had huge success back in 2009 with Cool Million, opens her 11-track album with “I Am Me”, a shining and sophisticated soul number which already had remix treatment by Atjazz. She follows it up with a slightly house-ish “Home” and a more rolling and rocking “Not What You Think”, including a fat bass line and some great backing vocals. She works with singer Elizabeth Troy and guitarist Tony Remy on the beautiful, midtempo soul swayer “Part Of My Life”, her voice in control at all times, no exaggerated shouts or listen-what-I-can-do-with-my-voice attitude. I really dig the feel-good soul of “Heaven Sent” which closes the first side of the limited edition LP.
Side two opens with the percussive and breezily grooving “I Do, I Did, I’m Done”, one of the highlights of the album. “Right The Wrong” reminds me of the best Incognito tunes. Producer and engineer Toni Economides has worked with Da Lata, Nitin Sawhney, Monday Michiru, and Victor Davies in the past. He puts a bright and solid spin onto tracks like “Brighter Days” with a no-frills approach which perfectly suits the singer and the song. Natasha puts on her funky hat on “R U Ready” and excels on the exuberant “Feels Like Sunshine”, harking back to the glorious soul days of the early 80s. And she closes the set with the Hundred Birds Orchestra Japan on the sweet ballad “Goodbye”, where she sounds a bit like Diana Ross. Natasha opens for Alexander O’Neal in Essex this Saturday. Her album is also available as a Limited Edition Vinyl.
