When legendary blues and Jazz singer Etta James died of leukemia in January 2012, she left behind millions of mourning fans, one of whom was critically acclaimed and highly talented Soul singer Leela James. And although the two weren't related, Leela was so impacted by her idol's passing that she decided to record a full album of remakes of Etta's songs. The result, Loving You More ... in the Spirit of Etta James, is not only a loving and respectful tribute to one of the best singers in American history, it's an album that Etta herself would likely be flattered by and proud of. Loving You More, which will be released in the U.S. July 31, 2012, is a fitting homage to Etta's musical legacy.
Depth and Dimension
Although Leela James' Loving You More ... in the Spirit of Etta James is technically an album of remakes, calling it such only scratches the surface of what it truly is. Almost none of these songs are straightforward cover versions; almost all have been completely reconfigured to accommodate Leela's soulful from-the-gut singing style, which is quite different than Etta's smoother, more bluesy vocal technique. The most obvious example is Leela's remake of Etta's signature tune, "At Last." Instead of Leela's version directly following in the original's footsteps, her rendition is actually a male-female duet between her and singer-producer Shannon Sanders. Although this song is probably the most well-known and widely heard song of Etta's career, the addition of a masculine voice and a slight change in the song's tempo breathe new life into the track. Leela also redoes the classic "I'd Rather Go Blind" as a duet, giving the song a new depth and added dimension.
But those changes are slight compared to the sonic metamorphosis that other songs by Etta undergo on this album. Maybe the best example of this is Leela's version of Etta's late 1960s song "It Hurts Me So Much." The slower-paced and horn-inflected original is completely reworked musically as a Soul-drenched, hip hop-influenced track. And the remake of "Something's Got a Hold On Me" is also worth nothing.
But those changes are slight compared to the sonic metamorphosis that other songs by Etta undergo on this album. Maybe the best example of this is Leela's version of Etta's late 1960s song "It Hurts Me So Much." The slower-paced and horn-inflected original is completely reworked musically as a Soul-drenched, hip hop-influenced track. And the remake of "Something's Got a Hold On Me" is also worth nothing.
Solid, Consistent
Leela's version of the love song "Something's Got a Hold On Me" is an uplifting Soul/Gospel mixture that just may be the album's finest moment. Everything about the song works, from the lung-busting vocals to the modern sound, which was produced by Drew Ramsey and Shannon Sanders, the duo best known these days for crafting the hit Anthony David/Algebra duet "4Evermore" in 2011. In fact, the Ramsey-Sanders team produced all 11 songs on Loving You More, giving the release a solid vision and consistent sound, something that's usually missing from modern R&B/Soul due to the various producers that work on individual tracks. If the main reason behind the quality of this album is Leela's phenomenal voice, then a close second has to be the production, which is consistently top-notch throughout.
One of the smarter things Leela and her producers did with this album was opt to remake some of Etta's lesser-known material, such as "I Want to Ta-Ta You Baby" and "Nobody Loves You Like Me." By exposing some of Etta's more obscure material to the light of day, Leela not only breathes new life into the classics, but also invites those who might not be familiar with the songs to go back, listen to and learn more about the originals.
All-in-all, Loving You More is a fitting tribute to Etta James' music. Unlike most collections of remakes, it strays from the original songs' formula, but still manages to pay the proper respect to the source material. And this melding of the old with the new is an experiment that's a great success.
One of the smarter things Leela and her producers did with this album was opt to remake some of Etta's lesser-known material, such as "I Want to Ta-Ta You Baby" and "Nobody Loves You Like Me." By exposing some of Etta's more obscure material to the light of day, Leela not only breathes new life into the classics, but also invites those who might not be familiar with the songs to go back, listen to and learn more about the originals.
All-in-all, Loving You More is a fitting tribute to Etta James' music. Unlike most collections of remakes, it strays from the original songs' formula, but still manages to pay the proper respect to the source material. And this melding of the old with the new is an experiment that's a great success.
Disclosure: A review copy of this CD was provided by the publisher. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.