 Lena Horne Any album that calls itself Soul is setting itself up to be a punchline (remember Shark Sandwich by Spinal Tap?). However, as soon as Lena starts belting out "I Got a Worried Man" you know you're into a good bag. And while this is soul of about the same caliber as Mel Torme's Right Now!, hip does not come much hipper than Lena Horne. Recorded in 1966, Soul finds Lena slumming her way through what United Artists probably thought were surefire hits. It's glorious to hear such a gigantic voice applied to lighter material than the show standards normally associated with Lena. She injects a lot of humor and swingin' into the music, making for 33 minutes of fun music that'll leave you nodding your head in agreement. Most big names in the '60s suffered crises of identity when the rock revolution came around. Some (Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra) floundered hilariously, others (Lena, Mel Torme, Ella Fitzgerald) found a point of entry into the new music by understanding that the sensibility about pop music hadn't really changed. It's always about singing convincingly and having fun; hence, Lena's "Unchained Melody" sparkles while Bing's "Hey Jude" implodes. And since the Gap endorses her, now I'm sure she's hip. But you don't have to be a dedicated follower of fashion to appreciate good Soul when you hear it.
Review by Ten Ton Tom |