Deborah Bond and her tight band 3rd Logic (along with guest Craig Alston from Fertile Ground) is a strong, supra-talented outfit with a definite talent base on which they have built upon. I can definitely hear Rufus in the mix but Deborah certainly is no mimic. Soul, Funk and a heavy dash of Latin is the order of the day and a delightful, essential and dramatic mix it is. The opening song is pure early 80s Chaka Khan and the irresistible urgent rhythm, funky bassline and slap guitar underpin an amorous, wanting woman who cannot wait to meet her lover in her dreams. Enough said! Track two, "A Message" follows, albeit a little more relaxed and exposes the great empathy that the band has between themselves and Deborah. The painfully short "Day After" is very interesting, and knowing that Deborah comes from a studied background in Music it is not surprising that the odd, futuristic yet enthralling drum beat that kick-start this song into a World rhythm gels so beautifully with the rest of the album. This song is very African, tribal but completely soulful and essentially urban. Quite a prelude to the ‘futuristic’ shuffling, drum-based intro to "Keep On" which initially raised my eyebrows but effortlessly slips into a mega-soulful midtempo with swirling strings and keyboard / bass combo. This song is just spellbinding, captivating and is another song that I have been playing regularly. A lazy, hazy jazzy ballad style can be found on "Sweet Lullabies" which develops into a gorgeous piano laced downtempo smoocher. The mood is upped and changed into a FANTASTIC jazzy number on "This Is Me" which will be appreciated by those who classic 80s soul/jazz fusion. This is an EXCEPTIONAL track and Deborah’s Chaka Khan tendencies ride along the Latin rhythm along with some particularly raw flute work and funky bass line. As the track really gets swinging we enter serious Azymuth territory, the Brazilian flavour oozes that vibe from every pore. This song renders the CD essential in itself irrespective of "See You In My Dreams". The more soulful, acoustic / Fender Rhodes filled "Don’t Waste Your Time" acts as a double whammy and allows you to be seriously knocked out by the lovely "Love’s Been Waiting" which is the cream of subtlety in its most devastating form. "Things Will Never Be The Same" tops off this CD and is very atmospheric with plenty of breadth and space within the tune. Its echoed, eerie expansiveness is a perfect foil for the more uptempo jazzy material. There is a bonus track on this CD … hidden away at the very end. Another surprise cut which is excellent, funky and grove-ridden. After all is said and done I don’t think real soul music needs big companies any more! CDs like this were trailblazers for today's burgeoning indie soul scene which we champion here at Soulchoonz. Barry Towler The Vibe Scribe
