John and Lucie Collins - Artist Overview

Hear The Track Here

And the winner of this month's Yeah But No But Maybe But award is John and Lucie!

What this means is that (no matter what) someone, somewhere on my review list will change their mind at least once as the review approaches. In this case, it was John and Lucie Collins, and not the one time either. Still, got to love 'em for trying and I do have a surprising soft spot for these purveyors of ''adult contemporary, emotionally complex ballads' (their words.) Wait, O Speedy eyeball, think on what I have just said. I said like and ballads in the same sentence. Will the sky fall on our heads now? As you know I can't stand anything slushy (my words) but I'm certainly honest enough to know when it's done properly and - in every respect - John and Lucie Collins deliver the goods perfectly. As I said in my year end 2006 review thread...therefore.... I'm doing THREE of their tracks because the poor little mites can't make up their minds :D

The rest of you should not be getting any ideas from this. My choice, my words.

Of course, I wouldn't do this for anyone and to do it for someone who doesn't even work in a genre I like says it all - that is how good I think they are. Part payment, I think, for the pleasure they gave me with Open Up Your Heart (April 2006). A great place to start right now would be I Feel Your Heart, a track that features the very distinctive vocal tones of Lucie Collins on quite a rocky track that in itserlf is a bit of departure from the norm. Lucie's voice has been the main selling point over the past year, but great kudos should go to John Collins for a splendid arrangement for the voice and the musical nous to fill the spectrum with complimentary sounds. In many ways, although nothing like as immediate, I Feel Your Heart has much in common with my favourite J and L track.

Men In Uniform carries on the more modern setting shown by Heart, a very substantial departure from their ballads and show tunes image of the past. After the highlight provided by I Feel Your Heart, I just didn't get into Men In Uniform as much, and that may have something to do with its lightness as a track. Again, absolutely nothing wrong with it whatsoever, just a personal preference. I also felt, correct me if I'm wrong, that Lucie was not as convincing on this track as the first one. Switchblades switches the vocal spotlight onto John, on a highly topical subject and - as usual - he turns in his usual faultless performance and in the process giving us a track that has a lovely feel and sound. A track that I think is going to gain them some considerable attention; it's topical AND it's delivered in a very poppy way that many will find appealing. It was nice to spend some time indulged this divergence in styles which is why I also chose the review all three tracks - this is a very promising area for them.

Excellent songsmiths, on top form. Highly Recommended.