The Bee Gees have a large fan base, even if there is a debate whether the band was better in its baroque pop era or after it started aiming songs toward the dance floor. Vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Coke Belda, a native of Spain now residing in Pittsburgh, appealed to both factions on his 2017 album (3) Gs - A Tribute To The Bee Gees. He recently released 5: A Tribute To The Bee Gees Vol. 2 (available at Kook Kat Musik), and it’s another expertly rendered collection of deep tracks and Top 40 hits. Arriving around the same time as The Bee Gees - How Can You Mend A Broken Heart? documentary, it likewise showcases the band’s amazing versatility.
Belda totally gets that the early Brothers Gibb material was not only rare, precious, and beautiful, but also delightfully quirky. His take on “Craise Finton Kirk Royal Academy Of Arts,” is a comic portrait set to a dance hall arrangement. “Marley Purt Drive” describes a guy stuck with an orphanage full of kids via Belda’s intricately layered vocals. “Harry Braff” has a Beatles-like energy, and is one of the few pop songs that honors a race car driver.
Belda also succeeds with the later material on 5: A Tribute To The Bee Gees Vol. 2, particularly a light, acoustic take on “Too Much Heaven.” His appealing duet with Sara Depp is backed by a steady beat on the catchy “Islands In The Stream,” a Bee Gees composition that was a hit for Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. “Omega Man” could be the album’s best cut, as Belda employs a guitar-driven power pop arrangement to propel the quick rhymes and clever wordplay.
No comments:
Post a Comment