Review: Dee C. Lee – Just Something (Acid Jazz)
★★★★ ½
The former Wham! member and Style Councillor returns with Just Something – a stunning modern soul classic
As Dee C. Lee explains to Classic Pop in our Just Something interview, there’s no big drama behind her absence since 1998’s third solo album Smiles was only released in Japan – Dee raised a family, and she just didn’t feel pushy enough to put herself forward for a comeback.
Frankly, screw that: Acid Jazz have got themselves a steal in persuading Lee back into the studio, with Brand New Heavies associate Tristan Longworth producing, plus a backing band comprising assorted BNHs and James Taylor Quartet musicians.
Fate was partly responsible for the hook-up, as Dee bumped into Acid Jazz boss Eddie Piller just when a low-key Style Council documentary reunion made her remember that she enjoyed singing after all.
However it’s come about, praise be that Just Something exists, because it’s wonderful. It sounds like it could have been made at any point since 1972, timeless soul showcasing a luxurious, adaptable voice seemingly preserved in aspic since Lee guested with Guru and Jamiroquai after The Style Council’s split.
The only covers – Weldon Irvine’s joyous I Love You and Norman Connors’ equally celebratory club anthem Be There In The Morning – both date from the 70s. It’s easy to picture flute-driven breeze Don’t Forget About Love and late-night mood Everyday Summer next to Rose Royce and Gladys Knight as classics which should by now have been on Cab Driver FM for decades.
Just Gorgeous
The contemporary aspects are mainly in the lyrics, Dee looking back on her career in the righteous funk of Back In Time, while the atypically seething Trojan cautions: “Goodbye, you trojan horse-ass friend” at a cheating lover, admittedly over delicate piano and sumptuous bass rather than any confrontational beats.
Co-writers include Mick Talbot on the brassily swinging Walk Away and Leah Weller, Dee’s daughter with Paul, herself an underrated singer. Those intimate associates and Cher writer Paul Barry seem to enhance Dee’s vision, rather than forcing their own stamp on her, as the overall classic feel stays consistent. That Lee pulls off penning a new song cheekily titled For Once In My Life, a defiant funk holler, shows how confident she’s become now she’s back in the game.
Only acoustic ballad Mountains resembles a filler, but that’s a rare misstep. After so long away, it’s remarkable how assured Dee sounds. Her songwriting matches her voice, which is some feat. For someone who seemed to epitomise the 20 Feet From Stardom maxim in Wham! and The Style Council, this is a late-blossoming classic. Just Something? Just gorgeous.
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