Grey DeLisle & Les Greene Grey & Greene
This showcase begins with retro arrangements that aren’t oldies as much as songs dressed up in vintage duds. They’re decorated in melodies of a time gone by. They’re refreshing. The band behind Grey DeLisle & Les Greene is tight & smokin’ on “Homewrecker.” A more soulful piece is the warm ballad “I’m Gonna Let You Call Me Baby,” reminiscent of early Motown before the mainstream hits started to roll in.
Les Greene has a genuinely calculated soulful voice – part Marvin Gaye, part Joe Tex & a dash of Chuck Jackson. It all works well with the soulful backup singers that accentuate the tunes nicely. For those who are a little older, these will be nostalgic, though they are newer pieces, not oldies. It’s the way the duo invariably uses their skills to reinvent a solid, soulful commercial sound.
The most attractive melody comes with Grey’s lead vocal on “Mister” — playful like the best Motown nuggets. The guitar’s laid out in a country manner while the backup vocals are gospel-tinged. All creative & precise. There are 10 easily accessible tunes to Grey & Greene (Drops June 5/Hummin’bird Records/32:50) produced & arranged by rockabilly veteran James Intveld & recorded in CA.
There’s a hi-fi tint to their recorded sound that’s also intriguing. It gave the early ‘60s 45’s a nice bottom. Some tunes touch on old-school R&B, while Greene’s vocals on “The Back of Your Hand” seem to display a David Ruffin relevancy threaded throughout. The band & sax give it a pure ‘60s mash-up. Mainstreamed again is a Grey ballad, “The Pieces,” that in some respects reminds me of the late Tammi Terrell when she sang with Marvin Gaye. Grey’s voice is high at times, but not childish like Millie Small. She does convey & fluctuate into a little country with her soulful tone. Attractive. Different. Creative.
The duo is wise with their repertoire. It possesses soul, country hues, R&B with a dash of Brill Building songwriting skill. Of course, the rockabilly beat rears its head in “Shake That Thing,” & Les’ voice is appropriately ripe for the genre. The backup is reminiscent of Johnny Fox & the Foxes’ obscure 45 “Mountain Dew (A New R&B Version)”; it had lots of hooch in its arrangement.
The music & performances are excellent & the vintage CD art on the cover was a nice touch.
Critique? Who approved the typeface for credits on the CD’s inner front cover? Almost impossible to read. And cursive typefaces, when printed in a small font, aren’t good. They bleed. I didn’t list musicians. I knew I’d misspell them, & I didn’t have a magnifying glass.
Highlights – “Homewrecker,” “I’m Gonna Let You Call Me Baby,” “Mister,” “The Back of Your Hand,” “The Pieces,” “Shake That Thing,” “Go Go Go” & “You’re The One That I Want.”
CD photos by Spike Marble. CD @ https://www.greydelislegriffin.com/
Enjoy some of our previous coverage here: REVIEW: Grey DeLisle “The Grey Album”