It's all about the voice. I used those words in my review of Kelly and the Crows back in 2018, and they still hold good. I also said that she had no need to aspire to be Chaka Khan or Etta James, because Melisa Kelly is a powerful singer her in her won right. And that, nearly four years on, applies even more strongly now.
The Crows are a solid professional band - drums, bass, guitar, keyboard and sax. The songs are a mix of self penned, and blues and soul classics. Numbers from Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, and the aforementioned Khan and James all feature, and were generally the highlights of the show. Other than Devil's Luck, the title track form their new album, their own material lacks punch, sounds characterless in comparison. But that voice means they are never uninteresting. Power, long notes, variations in phrasing, an instrumentalist in full control. Kelly's introductions are less assured, in contrast to the self belief exhibited in her vocals. But she's funny and flamboyant, and that makes up for the lack of slickness.
To be clear, I really enjoyed this gig, and the beat and rhythms kept the feet busy. No complaints in terms of entertainment. But. There was a sense of frustration. Late on in the evening each band member got a chance to show off their talents in a solo. All competent, but only bass player Kieran Savage stood out in showing any real imagination, giving us something that contained a hint of surprise, of unpredictability. And that's true of the whole performance. Kelly has a voice that deserves better. Better arrangements, better songs, more imaginative accompaniment. The last act I saw in this venue was Scots blues guitarist Sandy Tweeddale, and I kept wondering what this performance might have sounded like with his creative influence injected.
Yes, it's all about the voice. But it needs more to hit a higher level.
