How Sweet It Is

by

Joan Osborne

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I'm surprised to see such negative reviews here. I got this when it first came out, and I was stunned by the first listen of the CD (a rare occurrence for me). I go by the expression "expectations die hard"--I don't have expectations in life anymore. I think the people that panned this do, and they're expecting a "Relish 3". So of course they're going to be disappointed; even if it were a "Relish 3", they'd probably still complain because they're stuck on a single success in the past that obviously cannot be duplicated. It's too bad people limit themselves like that. But back to the album...

I think these are all excellent readings of songs we mostly already know.

* "I'll Be Around" is mellow, like the original. She carefully executes the vocals throughout.

* "Think" of course cannot be improved from Aretha's original, but it is nonetheless so well done here. She doesn't soar on it Aretha style--but would you want her to? And the backup singers add great effect as well. Backup singers can sound too forced or too calculated; here they do not.

* "How Sweet It Is" is also mellow, yet still subtly smoldering.

* The infectious "Smiling Faces" features a smooth Isaac Hayes harmony vocal, and it's irresistable.

* "Love's In Need Of Love Today" isn't particularly distinguished, but that doesn't mean it's bad by any means.

* "These Arms Of Mine" is one of the standouts. Again, no one could ever touch Otis' original, but you'll definitely enjoy this one without even thinking of his. It's gorgeous!

* "Only You Know And I Know" is probably the kind of track the naysayers of this album were looking for. It's a great rocker.

* "War" is another standout. It is nothing at all like the original--but that's a big part of its success. I think it's a brilliant, incredibly soulful interpretation. She brings to light lines that are probably becoming relevant once again today--"war has laid waste to a whole generation, induction and destruction, who wants to die?". It's a knockout.

* "Why Can't We Live Together" is stunning and is pure soul, no doubt about that.

* "Axis: Bold As Love" is a surprising choice, but it's beautiful with wonderful harmonies throughout.

* "The Weight" is a smart (and a little sassy) retelling, again with great usage of backup vocalists.

* "Everybody Is A Star" isn't a standout, but it's still a good listen.

So all in all, as far as cover albums are concerned, I think this is a great album. I think the best cover album ever is Laura Nyro & Labelle's 1971 classic "Gonna Take A Miracle", so for me that can never be outdone. But this is up there!

Forget your expectations of Joan, and you will love it.

The problem with Joan Osborne is her voice; it's such a sublimely powerful instrument that her material often seems beneath her. Her debut album was a solid effort. Even the largely ignored follow up RIGHTEOUS LOVE showed strokes of brilliance (check out the title track or the Bob Dylan penned 'To Make You Feel My Love.' Ultimately, however, it fell victim to too many producers hands in the studio. So, one would think that Joan had found material to match her powerful set of pipes in the tunes of R&B's golden age. Somehow though, this too doesn't seem to work. Not that it's an awful album. Joan's quiet version of 'Everybody is a Star' is an absolute understated triumph, as is her version of 'These Arms of Mine.' Largely though, this collection feels uninspired and indifferent. What strikes me most while listening to the songs on this album is the choice of covers. It seems to me that Joan would inevitably turn to the Godmother of White Soul whose shoes she seems destined to fill--Dusty Springfield. Yet there's not a Springfield track on here. Wouldn't it be amazing to hear Osborne belt 'Breakfast in Bed' or 'I Can't Make it Alone'? What seems like a no-brainer to me must not have occured to Osborne's camp. If it had, a much worthier collection of tunes would've resulted. While this album is no masterpiece, it's better than most of the stuff out there due solely to Joan's powerful voice. It's just that you know she's capable of making an amazing album. She just hasn't done it yet. We can only hope that her record company will be patient enough with her til she does, a problem facing many talented artists today.