“No love, no peace” is a powerful slogan and it also happens to be the title of a new album from Wisconsin-born, but now France-based blue-eyed soul singer/songwriter LAURA LLORENS. ‘No Love No Peace’ is her second full album and on it she’s supported by her band the Shadows of Love.
The predominant sound of the ten tracker is 70s soul – as befits the sloganizing of the LP’s title. So expect plenty of blaxploitation flavours – as on the opening track, ‘BLM’ and ‘Freedom Fighters’. Those titles could only properly be delivered wrapped in wah wah guitars, fuzz bass and crazy flute lines! Elsewhere ‘Magic Love’ is a catchy blue-eyed soul beater, ‘Deep Fried Butter’ is a bluesy funk workout, ‘Loving You’ is built around Curtis Mayfield style conga patterns while ‘Time Is All’ is fast and frantic – almost Northern.
Ms Llorens’ people tell us that ‘No Love No Peace’ is a homage to 70s soul and the band and their producers have tried to emulate the production values of people like Johnny Pate and Gene Page. Even the cover (above) is a sort of throwback – an obvious homage to the cover of the Impressions’ This Is My Country’.
LAURA LLORENS; No Love No Peace is released on June 2nd via Q-Sounds Recordings.
