Brand New Heavies

From their groovy acid jazz debut in 1985 to their more familiar incarnation with American vocalist N’Dea Davenport, the Brand New Heavies have had moderate success on both sides of the Atlantic. When Davenport left the band in the mid-90’s, so too did a bit of the band's popularity. Now that Davenport is back, the question is whether they can recapture that old magic. Get Used to It rocks straight out of the box with old school funk ditties "We’ve Got,” "Right On” and the title track. While the cover of the classic Stevie Wonder song "I Don’t Know Why (I Love You)” doesn’t quite live up to the 1969 original, it’s an interesting interpretation. Slow jam "All Fired Up” excellently exploits Davenport’s unique vocals — it is perhaps one of the Heavies’ best downbeat numbers to date. The return of Davenport also sees a fresh return to funk basics — gone are the multilayered techno beats in favour of strong songwriting and uncomplicated funk and R&B. The band deliver the goods with an unapologetic slice of UK acid jazz/funk/soul.