Followers of Prince will know a little something about Illinois singer/songwriter LIV WARFIELD. In 2009 his Purpleness recruited her into his New Power Generation. He was impressed by her strident, gospel reared vocal style (Liv had been brought up in the strict Pentecostal tradition) and he went on to executively produce her solo album, ‘The Unexpected’. The music impressed the Soul Train gang who voted her that year’s (2014) “Best Newcomer”.
After Mr Nelson’s premature passing, Ms W found work with Nancy Wilson from Heart and the pair formed a duo, Roadcase Royal, whose sound fused the funk of Prince with the rock feel of Heart.
Liv has just released a new album – and on the concise 8 tracker that is ‘The Edge’ you can hear why the little Purple one was impressed by her vocal attack. The album boats several cuts that betray her time at Paisley Park. ‘Maybe They’ll Take Your Picture’ is garnished with Prince style funk flourishes as is the energetic title track which opens proceedings.
The album boats a couple of dramatic ballads too – the ponderous ‘Bloom’ and the building ‘Chess’. That one rides a rocky undertow – a hangover from her time with Nancy Wilson. Seven of the songs are orignals – the big cover being a treatment of Phil Collins’ ‘Another Day in Paradise’ where, once again, there’s a rock overdose.
LIVE WARFIELD; ‘’The Edge out now via Leopard Records.
