Kevin Michael - Kevin Michael

This album seems to be stuck in some kind of 70s time warp, as it owes a huge debt to the likes of Stevie Wonder and James Brown. Like these guys, the insidious ghost of funk haunts this disc. The tracks here seem to flow in and out of each other, giving the impression that this album is a whole work - with flashy guest vocalists - rather than a mere song collection. Sometimes the appearance of guest vocalists appears a bit tokenistic, as though they're only there to pep the track up, but, in the main, these work very well, such as Wyclef Jean on It Don't Make Any Difference To Me. Some of the lighter, frothier tracks veer a little too close to Europop territory to make a really lasting impression. Overall, this is a fresh and lively collection, which will appeal to all lovers of funk. [Jonathan Robert Muirhead]