Garlanded music biz entrepreneur PRESTON GLASS is a real busy man -writing and producing here, there and, it seems, everywhere! Over the past few months though he’s managed to put together his own album… ‘Cycle Of Chills’ that’s just come out on SoulMusic/Platinum Garage Records.
The set’s a 13 tracker with a sonic template that covers the smooth soul gamut that Mr G has become known for. The album opens with a trio of strong, sedate dancers – ‘All Weekend Long’, ‘Soulmate of Mine’ and ‘I Don’t Need a Dance Floor’ (in a “Steppers” mix) and across the album there’s a few more to get feet tapping and heads nodding. ‘A Love Too Good To Follow’ is one – never frenetic – just a steady, lilting beater while ‘The Next One’ is brasher and breezier.
The album offers some sweet ballads too – most with a pronounced Philly flavour. Try ‘Water When I’m Thirsty’ – a very pretty duet with Rebbie Jackson, or the predictable ‘In A Romantic Mood’ – another duet; this time Preston teams up with his daughter, Gemia Burns.
Best of the Philly-flavoured cuts is the melodic ‘Love Never Can B 2 Sweet’ which would have made a great vehicle for the Spinners. That then leaves ‘On A Day Like Today’ which sounds like an escapee from a musical (maybe it’s the title… ‘On A Clear Day’, you know) and the odd sounding ‘(Everything Else Comes) Second To Love’ – something of a plodder; doomy and gloomy, (especially at the start) for what purports to be a love song.
As for the album title? Well, no idea! No clues with the PR material other than Preston saying, “this is feel good music for the mind, body and SOUL, promising to send warm chills repeatedly up and down ones spine; thus creating a cycle of good vibes and great musical journeys”. So there you go! However, if you’re seeking unpretentious, contemporary soft soul, offering both dancers and smoochers, you could do worse than investigate this one.
(BB) 3/5
