Released by: ArtisteXclusive Records
Release Date: May 5th, 2023
Genre: Blues Rock
Links: https://anapopovic.com/home
Line Up:
Ana Popovic: vocals, slide – electric – and acoustic guitar
Buthel: bass guitar, backing vocals
Chris Coleman: drums (track 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11) percussion (track 3) ending tribal drums (track
1)
Jerry Kelley: drums (track 1, 8) b-vocals (tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
Michele Papadia: Hammond organ, keys (track 1, 2, 7, 8, 9,)
Brandon ‘Showtime’ Bland: Hammond organ (track 3, 4, 6)
Jeremy Thomas: Hammond organ, keys (track 2, 5)
Joe Foster: rhythm guitar (track 4, 7)
Jeff Bates: rhythm guitar (track 4) string arrangements (track 7, 11)
Claudio Giovagnoli: saxophone (track 2, 5, 7,) horn arrangements (track 7)
Davide Ghidoni: trumpet (track 2, 5, 7) horn arrangements (track 5)
Mark Mullins: trombone (track 2, 4, 7, 9) horn arrangements (track 4, 7, 9)
Brad Walker: tenor sax (track 2, 4, 7, 9)
Bobby Campo: trumpet (track 2, 4, 7, 9)
Tasha Parker: b-vocals (track 3, 4, 7, 8)
Noel Burns: b-vocals (track 3, 4, 7, 8)
Nia Kelley: b-vocals (track 1)
JaDell Burns: additional arrangements (track 2)
Luuk van Meurs: additional arrangements (track 8)
Tracklist:
1. Rise Up! (4:45)
2. Power Over Me (3:42)
3. Doin’ This (3:38)
4. Luv’n Touch (4:09)
5. Queen Of The Pack (3:28)
6. Strong Taste (3:35)
7. Recipe Is Romance (4:12)
8. Deep Down (3:52)
9. Ride It (3:51)
10. Flicker & Flame (2:41)
11. Tun My Luck (2:24)
ANA POPOVIC is a Serbian blues guitarist and singer/songwriter whom I have followed for quite some time now. She started her solo career in the late 90s and hasn’t looked back since then, as she has built up a strong reputation of delivering high quality albums and performing in front of many people via various tours. Power is her 10th album so far, and once again it is filled with lovely soulful bluesy pop/rock based around the superb vocal and guitarwork of Ana.
Along with an all-star line-up of top-notch American musicians such as drummer Chris Coleman (CHAKA KHAN, STEVIE WONDER, BECK…), Michele Papadia (Hammond organ, keys), Brandon ‘Showtime’ Bland (Hammond organ), Jeremy Thomas (Hammond organ, keys), Joe Foster (rhythm guitar), Jeff Bates (rhythm guitar), Claudio Giovagnoli (saxophone), Davide Ghidoni (trumpet), Mark Mullins (trombone) and bassist and co-songwriter BUTHEL, here we have another sensational album that perfectly melts blues, pop and soul into a smooth rocking direction.
Opener Rise Up! shows rightaway we are dealing with a high quality release, which is of course always the case with a new ANA POPOVIC album. The funky groovy soulful bluesy midtempo song has a really catchy chorus, superb vocalwork and also great laid-back guitarwork by Ana herself. Ana is an amazing musician with both a wonderful voice and a great ear for a melody besides playing the guitar perfectly well. Other highlights on her new album are Doin’ This (a tempo changer, starting slow, but developing into an uptempo 60s inspired soul piece with a catchy fast chorus and once again a soaring guitarsolo), Queen Of The Pack (superb catchy uptempo bluesy funky soul pop/rocker), the light jazzy Ride It!, Flocker’n’ Flame (superb groovy bluesy rocker) and the uptempo closing track Turn My Luck, with it’s lovely catchy shuffle basic old school blues beat.
Written by: Gabor Kleinbloesem
Ratings: Gabor 8/10
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