Reviewed by Phil Thomson

Get this. The woman loves the man, the man loves the woman. But the man doesn't love the woman enough to make the relationship official. He's happy with his common law marriage; she's not. Add oodles of black, open-vowel harmony, groove, funk, sass - whatever - and the effect is as smooth as Errol Brown's pate. I approached this musical version of the David E Talbot stage play, which is very big Stateside, with a little scepticism: why would Word Records push this onto a UK ear? Either it is yet more spiritual navel-gazing, an attempt to find another The Preacher's Wife or it's a tug of Shaft nostalgia; but where would it fit in with 21st century British sensibilities? And musicals mean stringing more than two thoughts together at once. Well, its R&B credentials are peerless, with first rate performances from Destiny's Child members Kelly Roland and Beyonce Knowles, complemented by the equally animated Dawkins & Dawkins duo and fully supported by an emotional cast who battle it out to the end. With much musical and lyrical finger pointing, a few arguments and literal soul searching, the plot weaves you into the drama of ordinary relationships caught in the moral spotlight, and it is a remarkable feat that while all the songs are by different writers, the key producer, Fred "Uncle Freddie" Jerkins the iii has created the energy and urgency which a story like this deserves. Without the stage play, film, book, or any other point of reference, this still holds its own. Full marks for taking on such a difficult subject and bringing it alive.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

Interested in reviewing music? Find out more here.