The Tribe return in 2009 with yet another must-have CD crammed with summery vibes and scintillating ballads. What else should we really expect from this outfit? A talented, fluid, combo overlooked and overseen by the enormously talented Magic, Unified Tribe bring us more of what we really and truly want. Fans of the group will not be at all disappointed with this new set, and Magic wades in with the superb starter, "Guilty" - a great track that utilises some 80s flavours within the keys and melodic framework. The vocal harmonies are top-notch. The slap bass and synth stabs hark back to friendlier days and makes this jaded, world-weary hack very happy indeed! The socially conscious "Monkey" is very funky indeed with a stoic beat and spangly guitar and turntable scratches underpinning the effort. Ballads are, for me, my favourites. "I'm Sorry" is one such song and again harks back to the 1980s. Now, some may think that a negative comment but when you realise how classy that decade was - the sheer amount of timeless music made...this comparison is by no way a negative!Back to the uptempo grooves now with "Movin' On" and the superb vocalists Jessi, Starr and Harmony doing the business supported by Nikkie Cheek and Richard Kall. I can hear Chaka Khan kickin' this kind of groove, and it's much to the group's credit that they are making solid, solid tunes like this for our delight today. Fans of One Way and Kevin McCord will find "Touch Me" a track that they will particularly enjoy. The guitar and vocal arrangement is very much in that bag, and as such I love it to pieces. "I Forgive You" has within it's melody the merest hint of "Mercy Mercy Me". The vocal interplay between Magic and Jessi is pure symbiosis. Marvellous stuff indeed! "Intentions" is a VERY strong effort too, Magic stamping his authority all over the tune and bolstered by the vocal and musical majesty of the rest of the Tribe. The KILLER track for me, though, is the drop-dead ballad "Living Without You". I was totally blown away when I first heard this, and have not stopped hitting the repeat button. This melancholic slow jam is followed up by the sizzling end cut, "Alright" - an amazing ending and thus closing this latest instalment from the Tribe. I really cannot recommend this CD enough. Head over to CD Baby (link below) and snap a copy up! SUPERB!
Barry Towler
The Vibe Scribe
The Vibe Scribe
