MADELINE BELL - Madeline Bell (1971-2010) Mp3

By the time Madeline Bell's self-titled album (actually her third) came out in 1971, the American soul singer had been a top session vocalist in the U.K. for years, as well as achieving some British chart success as a singer in Blue Mink. Aside from the 1968 U.S. hit "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me," however, she never would achieve major chart success as a soloist. Like many a talented singer, in sheer chops and versatility she measured up to the artists she backed (such as Dusty Springfield), yet didn't quite have the vocal personality or material necessary to have the kind of stardom someone like Springfield did. That means this album isn't up to the standards of more famous soul singers of the period, but if you adjust your expectations properly, it's a pretty solid early-'70s soul LP. Avoiding the excesses starting to creep into some mainstream soul productions at the time, she handles an assortment of reasonably decent tunes with strong vocal performances, including solo versions of three songs that had already been recorded by Blue Mink for their Our World album. Some of the album's cuts are earthy love songs, but she proves capable of sweet pop tunes on "You Walked Away" and a cover of Bread's "Make It with You" that comes off better than you might guess. Other tracks like "Get Off Your Back-Sides" have more of the somewhat socially conscious let's-get-it-together sort of feel common in the early '70s, though the vibe doesn't get pretentious. She seems most engaged in the songs she wrote with Blue Mink's Alan Parker, making one wish more of their compositions had made it onto the album. The 2010 CD reissue on RPM adds good historical liner notes. by Richie Unterberger  
Tracklist:
1 If You Didn't Hear Me The First Time (I'll Say It Again) 3:01
Teddy Vann
2 Sweet Lovin' 3:48
Susan Cohen
3 You Walked Away 3:15
Madeline Bell / Alan Parker
4 World (You're Closing On Me) 4:17
Peter Green / Alan Parker
5 Make It With You 3:07
David Gates, Jr.
6 Get Off Your Back-Sides 3:53
D. Gordon / H. Gordon
7 Houses 3:07
Clive Westlake
8 Ordinary People 3:26
Mehran Ahari
9 Mind Your Business 2:24
Madeline Bell / Alan Parker
10 Blues 2:54
Madeline Bell / Alan Parker
11 You're The Fool 2:37
Sharon McMahan
12 Love Ain't Love 2:46
Van McCoy
Credits:
Arranged By – Chris Hughes
Vocals – Madeline Bell

MADELINE BELL - Doin' Things (1968-2004) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

 
Madeline Bell's final '60s album was, like her first (1967's Bell's a Poppin'), made in Britain under the production supervision of John Franz. And, like its predecessor, it unsurprisingly bore some resemblance to Dusty Springfield's late-'60s work, both because Franz also worked with Springfield, and because Bell sang backup vocals on Springfield records. To stretch the comparison even further, Bell had a style similar to Springfield's (especially in her slight vibratos at the end of phrases), as well as a similar bent for varied soul-pop material. The overall impression was something of a Springfield with a closer connection to genuine black American soul -- a connection that was honest enough, given that Bell was an African-American singer. The songs on Doin' Things, however, weren't as strong as the better material that Springfield interpreted. Still, it's a solid enough record, whether you're coming at it from a sub-Springfield angle or not, and it did contain some obscure compositions by Van McCoy, Billy Vera, Georgie Fame ("For Your Pleasure"), and John Lennon and Paul McCartney ("Step Inside Love," which the Beatles never recorded, but which Cilla Black had previously done for a British hit single). Interestingly, John Paul Jones -- who would join Led Zeppelin shortly afterward, and plays bass as a session musician on the album -- wrote one of the songs, "Hold It," as well as co-writing two others with Bell. [The 2004 CD reissue on RPM, in addition to including thorough historical liner notes, also adds six bonus tracks from 1968-1969 singles, among them the Bell-Springfield composition "Go Ahead On."] by Richie Unterberger