lambchops's Full Review: The Very Best of Roberta Flack by Roberta Flack
As a child, I had a close friend named Roberta. She was a lovely girl who, regrettably, moved away during junior high. Merely mentioning her first name brings a smile to my face. Maybe that is why North Carolina native Roberta Flack holds some appeal for this rock girl. Then again, it probably has more to do with her soft, soulful, intimate brand of R&B that found a wide audience during the 1970s.
Flack is more than just a singer—she is a musician able to play a variety of instruments including (most specifically) piano and flute. However it was her easy, unrushed vocal style that made her famous in the early seventies. What I most respect about the songstress is that she doesn’t force her voice. It is gentle and mild yet sparks with energy. Flack may not have the best vocal talent to have ever existed, but she wields it with great confidence. I would much prefer to listen to somebody like her over an individual who tries to hit all the big notes and as a result overpowers the melody and character of a song.
Brand new Rhino release The Very Best of Roberta Flack collects some of her best songs including a number of famous duets. The sepia-tone portrait on the front reflects the beauty and grace of the album and artist. Flack’s pose and look are calm and classic. It is with this creative verve that the collection opens. Killing Me Softly With His Song has aged brilliantly. In part, the appeal comes because of the 1996 Fugees remake, but this original version exhibits an emotional attachment that proves impossible to ignore. I love the stark simplicity of the song. It highlights Flack perfectly. What also impresses me about this compilation is that I recognize each of the seventeen songs. That, my friends, is quite a feat considering my musical knowledge rarely goes far beyond rock (alternative rock, indie rock, hard rock, classic rock, etc.). It seems that somehow Roberta Flack has ingrained herself in my musical psyche. Along with the aforementioned classic Killing Me Softly With His Song, there are a number of other songs on The Very Best of also prove striking and timeless. Sure I may be occasionally reminded of the dentist’s office, but that does not mean I don’t get joy out of many (if not most) of these songs. This is extremely viable chill out music.
The common thread between most of the songs I enjoy is an obvious jazz influence. The best, at least in my humble and not particularly R&B educated mind, include the gentle piano-and-guitar arrangement of The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face. You would be hard pressed to find something more evocative than this gem. It is timeless and perfect. I also am drawn to And So It Goes, ’Til The Morning Comes, Making Love and even more importantly Only Heaven Can Wait (For Love). I honestly think Flack is strongest as a solo artist despite the fact that six of the seventeen songs on this album are duets (including four with her late collaborator Donny Hathaway).
Nearly all of Flack’s hits are represented here—the only omissions I can really find are You’ve Got a Friend, I’m the One and possibly Jesse and her version of You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling. Of the included duets (for which Flack is particularly noted) the one I like best is also her most recent, Set the Night to Music which hit charts in 1991. Featuring Maxi Priest, it is a cool and melodious journey through early 1990s adult contemporary. Flack’s voice works nicely in the arrangement and I can forgive the drum machines, synthesizers, and the like as a trend of the moment. As it stands I think it is a stellar single and has aged well.
It has been years since the singer has been really recognized for her talents. In the early part of her career, she earned four Grammy Awards for her songs. I’m not in the least bit shocked that Killing Me Softly earned both Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal in 1973. A year prior, Flack and Donny Hathaway were given Best Pop Performance by a Due or Group for Where Is the Love. She was also awarded Record of the Year for one of the top songs of her career--The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face. Clearly this is a woman of great talent even if her easy, confident style doesn’t translate as obviously through the hoards of “power singers.” I respect her for her many talents.
The Very Best of Roberta Flack is a good, albeit not complete, compilation. If you’re looking for an overview of her career with some of her most notable songs then you should definitely pick this new disc up. And yes, even this rock girl can get some guilty pleasure out of the tracks.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Track Listing:
01. Killing Me Softly With His Song
02. Where Is the Love (duet with Donny Hathaway)
03. Feel Like Makin’ Love
04. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
05. And So It Goes
06. Tonight, I Celebrate My Love (duet with Peabo Bryson)
07. The Closer I Get To You (duet with Donny Hathaway)
08. ‘Til The Morning Comes
09. Back Together Again (duet with Donny Hathaway)
10. Making Love
11. Only Heaven Can Wait (For Love)
12. Set The Night To Music (duet with Maxi Priest)
13. You Are My Heaven (duet with Donny Hathaway)
14. Oasis
15. Don’t Make Me Wait Too Long
16. And So It Goes (reprise)
17. Trade Winds
An elegant and legendary vocal superstar, Roberta Flack wraps an unmistakable delivery around a timeless R&B sound laced with beautiful hints of jazz,...More at Buy.com
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