Reviewed by Andy Cooper

Los Angeles-based Alice Echols has a strong and distinctive voice, which has been heard backing soul and R&B greats such as Lionel Richie and Curtis Mayfield. She also co-wrote "Highly Recommended" made famous by gospel star Helen Baylor. So well crafted songs and sorted vocals are guaranteed here. Alice's style is at times reminiscent of Diana Ross, at others like Deniece Williams, and the song arrangements take on a suitably '80s vibe to match. Keyboard sounds, rhythms and riffs are styled nostalgically on the R&B and soul hits of that era, though it occasionally gets a little kitsch. This clearly isn't a big budget release: sampled sounds are used rather than a real orchestra, and backing vocals/choir are rather thin on the ground, but what is left has quality and character. "A Greater Love" with its major/minor key tensions, "King Of Kings" with its solid bass and drum underpinnings, and of course her own version of "Highly Recommended" are among the highlights. Alice E has earned her place at the front of the stage.

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