With the release of his second solo project, ‘Version’, DJ turned music producer Mark Ronson, brings his blend of old school urban groove to new heights. Unknown on this side of the Atlantic for his solo material, Ronson has worked with a diversified range of established hip-hop artists ranging from Jay Z to Sean Combs. His breakthrough came last year in native England when he produced two stellar albums -Lily Allen's Alright, Still and Amy Winehouse's multiple Grammy nominated album Back to Black.
Filling those albums with urban funk, street smarts and retro grooves, he helped catapult both albums to platinum status establishing them as the soundtrack to 2006. With Versions, Ronson’s love of retro soul and R &B stylings spills over to his own material. Planting his feet firmly on British soil, he covers modern British classic songs with today’s A-list artists to create a musical landscape where nostalgic blues and funk become part of the modern era.
Album opener, a cover of Coldplay’s "God put a smile on your face" filters through the Ronson machine to come out a big band-style instrumental with pounding horns and enough brass to make you forget the original all together. Lead single and stand out track “Stop Me” splices The Smith’s "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before" with the Supremes' "You Keep Me Hanging On," with Australian Daniel Merriweather providing the vocals. The retro groove and hip-hop beat bounce along to the chime of bells and layered strings giving the song crossover appeal unmatched on much of today’s urban music.
Weaving his magic on each track subsequent track, Ronson offers a new funk spin on rock (Radiohead’s "Just" featuring Phantom Planet) and pop (Britney Spears' "Toxic" with rap by Tiggers). The lists of vocal talent reads like a who’s who of today’s British stars including none other than Robbie Williams (Ronson produced William’s 2006 rap-influenced Rudebox). With sixties sounding drumbeats, honking horns and retro keyboards, Versions, brings back the fun that has been missing in funk and urban music.
The Beat Goes On
The downside to any DJ produced album plagues this album after a few spins. Reconstructing sounds that work on one or two tracks tends to wear thin with repetition as the album moves into its second half. It’s no wonder that the album’s highlights come early and from the singers that propelled his career the most in the last year. Lily Allen lends her vocals to a cover of the Kaiser Chiefs' "Oh My God", an ode to the underachiever. Sounding like a lost waif in the big city, Allen chimes better on this track than on some of her own material.
Ronson’s other muse, Amy Winehouse, delivers the summit of the disc. "Valerie" sends Winehouse to a new pinnacle, making this song an instant classic. Sounding like an old Motown single with swooping strings over a classic hip-hop beat, Winehouse begs for some attention from gal-pal Val, but undoubtedly grabs the limelight from the entire collection.
Mark Ronson has been nominated for 3 Brit Awards including British Male Solo Artist, British Album and British Single for "Valerie".
More Album Reviews
If you like British Hip Hop and dance you may enjoy Darren Hayes – This Delicate Thing We’ve Started, or Groove Armada – Soundboy Rock or for harder beats check out Blaqk Audio – CexCells.
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