Natalie Cole's second album for Verve, released four years after
Ask a Woman Who Knows, is also based around covers. This time out, she fixes her gaze on more modern material and is joined by producer
Dallas Austin. Backed by a band anchored by
Austin (who drums throughout), longtime
Austin associate
Tony Reyes (bass, guitar), and
Marvin "Chanz" Parkman (keyboards),
Cole breezes through an easygoing set of covers including the likely (
Aretha Franklin's "Day Dreaming,"
Des'ree's "You Gotta Be"), the relatively unlikely (
Neil Young's "Old Man,"
Kate Bush's "The Man with the Child in His Eyes"), and the practically required (the requisite
Sting cover, thankfully not "Fragile"). Sounding like it was recorded at a leisurely pace, with all the involved enjoying themselves, the album should be a treat for any
Cole fan, even though there is only one original song: the classy,
Al Green-inspired "5 Minutes Away." ~ Andy Kellman