On their first album together in more than three decades, Patti LaBelle, Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash - collectively known as the singing trio Labelle - show that time apart definitely hasn't eroded their chemistry, nor have the years diminished their vocal abilities. On their new album, Back to Now, released in the U.S. on Oct. 21, 2008, the ladies pick up right where they left off back in the mid-1970s. The Gospel melodies, soaring vocals, message songs and strong songwriting that fans had come to expect from the girls back during their heyday are all on display in one form or another on the album.
Down To Business
It's been more than 30 years since the trio Labelle released an album as a full group. Think about that for a second and let it marinate. Over 30 years. When they last recorded as a group way back in 1976, Gerald Ford was president of the United States, the Apple Computer Co. had just been founded, and lots of popular contemporary singers - many of whom count Patti LaBelle as an influence - were still years away from being born. But despite the historic nature of this album, there's no grandiose self-congratulations or patting themselves on the back. If this were any of a number of other acts getting back together, there would no doubt be material on the album hyping it up, maybe an opening skit or a dance song called 'We're Back!" or "New Beginning" or something to that effect. But not with Labelle; they simply get down to business once the album starts, and they sound focused on making good music and leaving all the hyperbole and promotion to others. Even the album's title, Back to Now, is no-nonsense; it acknowledges the group's past, but like the trio, seems more concerned with embracing the present.
Anyone who's heard the album's first single, the Wyclef Jean co-produced "Rollout" may have been concerned by the musical direction that album was going to take. The song sounds like something that T-Pain might have recorded, complete with Auto Tune-saturated vocals.
Very Solid
But rest assured that "Rollout" isn't indicative of the album as a whole. Not by a long shot. "Rollout" is a club song and the album's biggest, most blatant attempt at a commercial hit, but the production is all wrong. The use Auto-Tune wasn't meant for stellar vocalists like the Labelle's members - it was meant as a crutch for people who aren't real singers, like Kanye West, Snoop Dogg and of course, T-Pain. Fortunately, "Rollout" is very much unlike anything else on the album, and the rest of Back to Now is pretty much what you'd expect if you're a fan of Patti, Nona and/or Sarah. Among the album's best songs is the opening track, "Candlelight," a Lenny Kravitz-produced, Nona Hendryx-penned love song with amazingly soaring vocals. Other winners are the socio-political song "Tears for the World," the Gospel-influenced Rosa Parks tribute song "Dear Rosa" and an incredible version of Cole Porter's "Miss Otis Regrets."
So the verdict is: other than the aforementioned "Rollout," the only real flaw with the album is occasional oversinging. But although until now they hadn't put out an album as a trio for almost 33 years, the girls haven't lost any of their group chemistry or passion for performing together. Back to Now is a very solid album that may be their first in decades, but it probably - and hopefully - won't be their last.
