After being the most popular female vocalist at Blue Note,
with 1974's Who Is This Bitch, Anyway, Shaw often did material
that didn't suit her well. Her take on Roberta Flack's
"Feel Like Making Love" springs to mind as an instance of Shaw's
apparent boredom. Shaw was always an artist who needed to be
mentally engaged or the proceedings would be like pulling teeth.
This effort finds her challenged, taking on many styles and in
amazing voice. Sweet Beginnings, her first effort for Columbia,
finds her again teamed with producer Bert DeCoteaux. The album's
biggest hit was Shaw's tasteful jazz take on Gerry Goffin and
Carole King's "Go Away Little Boy. Although her strength is well
known, on that track, Shaw's sweetness keeps the assertiveness
from being tedious. On the song after giving ultimatums, she
finally says, "Do you think you can get a job by Thursday?"
Sweet Beginnings is one of those efforts that picked up momentum
as it went along. The title track is effortless. In the middle of
R&B and disco, it more than shows off her assured and sensual vocals.
Perhaps the best part of Sweet Beginnings is how Shaw's charisma
takes over and the lyrics were almost secondary. Both "Look at Me,
Look at You" and "Johnny" have Shaw taking on a lighter touch, as
each line she sings is emotive and affecting. The album's last track,
the brassy, big-band styled "I Think I'll Tell Him" written by
Thom Bell and Linda Creed has Shaw almost thrilled to tell her
husband that she had been cheating as she sings, "I couldn't help
myself sweet baby." Sweet Beginnings benefits from a sympathetic
production job from Bert DeCoteaux and is one of Shaw's most
enduring efforts.
Marlena Shaw - Sweet Beginnings
Marlena Shaw - A1 - Pictures And Memories.mp3
Marlena Shaw - A2 A3 - Yu-Ma Go Away Little Boy.mp3
Marlena Shaw - A4 - The Writing's On The Wall.mp3
Marlena Shaw - A5 - Walk Softly.mp3
Marlena Shaw - B1 - Sweet Beginnings.mp3
Marlena Shaw - B2 - Look At Me, Look At You.mp3
Marlena Shaw - B3 - No Deposit, No Retour.mp3
Marlena Shaw - B4 - Johnny.mp3
Marlena Shaw - B5 - I Think I Tell Him.mp3
@vbr
