Yahoo! Music Album Review

Released on 03/07/06
Label: Korova

Once upon a time, all UK R&B sounded like this; a quality mix of gospel inspired soul and quiet pop sophistication. But then that was in the '90s and since then everyone's either reinvented themselves or been dropped. Even at the time the likes of Lynden David Hall, Beverley Knight and Eternal struggled to make this kind of grown-up R&B work. Which begs the question, why should it be any different for Keisha White now?

The logic is understandable. As her second album proves time and again, she's a very capable singer, and as keeping up - let alone competing - with US R&B is pretty much impossible, it makes sense to go for quality and longevity over fashionable hits. Sadly the list of fine singers who hoped quality would win through in the end is long and full of names no one recognises anymore - ask Shola Ama - and White, if she's not exceptionally lucky, will soon be joining it.

"Out of My Hands" is a very dated album. And intentionally so. Not only does it share that '90s R&B ethos of putting sentiment over production, it sounds like it was recorded a good year before the world had heard of TLC, back when Whitney was still it. The lighters in the air sway of "Weakness In Me", "What's On Your Mind"'s smiley, life-is-good-if-only-you-look saunter and the out-of-the-darkness triumph of "I Choose Life" all come with sounds and sentiments only found in twenty year old records which, having stood the test of time, fill the schedules of Magic FM and tracklistings of "New Woman" compilations.

Modern classics is what Keisha's after, and to her credit, she's halfway there. "Complicated Emotions"'s rallying chorus feels more triumphant with every listen, the title track has got a certain slow-burning magic to it and that satiny smooth sheen makes it all feel suitably familiar. But there's nothing here that'd have you hanging off her every word like a real classic would. There's no big moment. There's no chick-flick essential to make her a favourite with thirty something females.

Beverley Knight had "Shoulda Woulda Coulda", Gabrielle had the "Knocking On Heaven's Door" inspired "Rise", but as yet, Keisha White hasn't delivered the one song that'll make her a much played household name. Without it, "Out Of My Hands", sounds dangerously like just another Brit-soul underachiever from the '90s.

    by Dan Gennoe