Not only did she play tracks from her highly anticipated forthcoming album, My Favourite Letters but also her version of ‘Seven Nation Army’, which originally appeared on the Nostalgia 77 album, The Garden. The set included ‘Humankind’ which is the first single from the album.

Gilles played three songs from the live show on his Worldwide show (see links below - this was the show that he played the latin-flava remix of ‘The Hope Suite’ by Nostalgia 77. Watch out for the forthcoming interview on Fly with Ben Lamdin).

Anyway, back to the 12”. The lyrics are risqué enough but ‘Humankind’ is probably too different for the R’n’B charts. Tru-thoughts say, “it fuses hip hop with tango in an extremely funky way!” The tango element comes out strongest in the instrumental version, whilst a violin solo precedes some ‘Boom, boom bip’ on the 303 (or similar) at the end. As it’s quirky, it’s not going to be immediate for most and that usually means the mass radio will miss it. In fact, the accusation might go that the whole thing is too clever; aimed to generate interest with the album-buying public. The press release recounts, “Were Alice Russell American she’d be hanging out with Jill Scott, Angie Stone and Alicia Keys right now,” (Q Magazine). That she’s a huge talent is undeniable but we don’t want her going off into some Keliseque wonderland. As another reviewer put it, “Surely by the end of the year she’ll be earning the accolades she deserves,” (Blues and Soul).

Mr. Peterson has already got the album and he’s high on the accolades already. Before playing one of the new tracks, ‘All Over Now’ he said, “this is one of the albums of the year.” Afterwards he said, “I’ll tell you what, every track is strong.”

‘Mean To Me’ also features on the album, but there’s acoustic version that is exclusive to the single. I like the sound of this one as the sexually cheeky lyrics about recipes is simply backed with guitar and more folksy violin (by Mike ‘sausage fingers’ Simmons).

I enjoyed her last album (see Hectic review below) and I hope the new one lives up to expectations. Alice and co-writer TM Juke put together the band for Big Chill and they will be touring throughout the UK in October and November plus an Australian Tour is planned for Alice with Quantic (aka Will Holland) in November/December. Also check Quantic Soul Orchestra mix on Keepintime.

So very busy times for all at Tru-Thoughts and touch wood, the live tour will come near you soon.

Reviewed: Alice Russell – ‘Humankind’ (Tru-Thoughts) Cat. No. TRU 084 Release Date: 5th September, 2005.
Tracklisting:
A1 Humankind (Radio Mix) (4:07)
A2 Humankind (Album Instrumental) (4:38)
B1 Mean To Me (Acoustic Version) (2:59)
B2 Humankind (A cappella) (3:42)
Notes:
All tracks written by Alice Russell & Alex Cowan. All vocals by Alice Russell.
All programming and production by Alex Cowan
Click HERE for a listen to ‘Humankind’ (Beatonic Re-Rub)(provided on Tru-thoughts site)

Alice Russel - Under The Munka Moon (Tru Thoughts)
Whilst Joss Stone is getting all the press and adulation a 17 year old soul diva from Exeter can get, Ms. Russell seems to go unnoticed by comparison. Her powerful soul voice dominates with other Tru Thoughters TM Juke and Quantic helping out. Whilst she is very good, this CD doesn’t feel like a solo album, more like a collection of tracks she’s done/appeared on. Some tracks have really good musical performances with varying styles from funk, synth-broken, samba, sixties/70s soul to verging on jazz ballads of Mr. Parkinson’s liking. Pick of the bunch, ‘Peace Resides’ (which at any time you think Rick James (RIP) will pop up with a Portuguese love rap), ‘Hurry On Now’ and ‘Take Your Time, Change Your Mind’. Due to the range of material, I suspect it’s not going to be the album of the year. Which is a shame. Don’t think the album title helps personally but what it really needs is a huge track like Nostalgia 77’s ‘Seven Nation Army’.

Reviewed: CD046 (release date 12.07.04)

P.S. If you caught the ‘The Big Chill’ Review in The Guardian (Tuesday, 9th August, 2005), Ms. Russell was not mentioned. I hope they won’t overlook her again.

Links:
Alice Russell www.alicerussell.com
Tru-thoughts – www.tru-thoughts.co.uk
TM Juke www.tmjuke.co.uk “Need to give you this one. This girl is so hot on the vocals. Alice Russell, Nostalgia 77” Gilles Peterson, Worldwide Radio 1 (12.12.04).
Photos of Gilles Peterson at the Big Chill with link to the Big Chill site.
Gilles Peterson : Tracklisting 07/08/05 - Live From The Big Chill 2005. Alice Russell – ‘All Over Now’ (Tru Thoughts), ALICE RUSSELL : : LIVE AT THE BIG CHILL Alice Russell – ‘What we Want’, ‘Humankind’, ‘Seven Nation Army’.
The Guardian – The Big Chill, Eastnor Castle, Herefordshire “DJ Gilles Peterson, who played an excellent set of complex, intelligent multicultural mash-ups on the main stage, but it was when he played the Specials’ A Message to You, Rudy that the crowd roared.”