"Treacherous is what great soul music is all about..."
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By Andrea Guy
The people that say they don’t make music the way they used to, need to grab a copy of Lee Fields’ album Treacherous. This album will bring back memories of the great soul music of the 1970s while bringing a bit of modern flair to the songs...
The debut single from the album is called “I Want To Get With You,” and its funky beat is enough to get the most staid person up on their feet and dancing. The song oozes sensuality. He sexes things up with “I Wanna Dance With You Naked.” This song can’t be described as anything other than pure funk.
Lee Fields has a powerful voice that is full of emotion. Think Al Green and James Brown, and you’ll have an idea of how Lee Fields sounds. He’s old school soul through and through, and Treacherous is an album that is anything but treacherous to listen to.
You can hear the influence of those old school artists in many of the songs on Treacherous, but probably none more than “I Want You So Bad.” The album isn’t all old school sound. Songs like “Livin’ For The Gusto” and “Man Hunt” are very modern dance tracks, going as far as using a vocoder effect. Those modern touches detract from a voice that doesn’t need enhancing. Maybe these added frills make the songs more commercial sounding, but it isn’t necessary.
There are plenty of voices out there that need enhancing, but Lee Fields doesn’t have one of those. He’s the real deal. His voice is a powerhouse.
He proves that you can mix modern with the old school sound best on “We Are Here To Turn It Out,” a very James Brown-esque track. It is fast and funky. This song begins and ends the album, with the closing version of the song being an instrumental.
Lee Fields shines the brightest on songs like “At The End Of The Day,” a romantic, soulful song that has a slow sexy beat. It is a song that could easily top a list of “Songs To Get Busy To.” He may not have the deep bass range of Barry White, but songs like this will have the same impact on the listener.
“He Doesn’t Care About You,” seems to be a nod in the direction of the great Otis Redding. The melody is simple and Lee’s voice is nothing short of perfect. This is one of the album’s stronger tracks, because it keeps the focus on Lee’s voice. The passion in his voice would melt any heart.
Treacherous is an album that compels the body to move. The songs will have you getting your groove on in no time. The beats seem to go straight to the hip. Lee’s singing style points to artists like James Brown and Otis Redding who are obvious influences on his music, but his name should be right up there with them. He doesn’t need fancy production to make the songs ear catching, his voice is enough for that.
Treacherous is what great soul music is all about: raw emotion and sexy beats. The dance numbers are like 70s funk with a little spice added. This is a must have album for anyone with a love for soul and funk. Treacherous reminds us what made that genre of music so great, and it shows us how great it still is, when the right voice is there, and Lee Fields definitely has the right voice.
