Patrice Campbell has mastered the art of the ballad. Her debut CD, Garden of Love sports some nice up-tempo and mid-tempo cuts with the best being "Because Of Your Love." That song will remind old schoolers of the funky tunes from the late 1970s and early 80s that were driven by dynamic female vocalists. However, Campbell appears to be in her comfort zone when she wraps her vocals around those ballads. From a vocal standpoint, Campbell possesses the qualities that the adult singer needs to have to be a good R&B ballad singer. Campbell brings the jazz quality of having good vocal phrasing. Her voice is clear, and the listener can understand every word she says. Equally as important, Campbell brings passion to her vocals without over singing. From a lyrical standpoint, Campbell ‘s songs manage to touch on those themes that balladeers often return to, yet she manages to avoid making the songs sound like clichés. Garden of Love is an entertaining adult contemporary album that will be a welcome addition to any summertime play list.
Notable tracks: Because of Your Love, Finders Keepers, This Time Around, Close To You
Vocals: 3.5 stars
Music: 3.0 stars
Lyrics: 3.0 stars
Production: 3.0 stars
Soultracks call: Recommended
By Howard Dukes