Ali Campbell - Running Free '2007

Tracks list

       As the frontman of UB40 with a very distinctive voice and style, Ali
Campbell was used to both original songs and covers, and there were a few of
both on Running Free, his second solo album but his first without his bandmates
in 12 years. He wasn't on his own, however, recruiting some friends and well
respected musicians to duet with him on several of the tracks; most of them are
namechecked on the album cover. Johnny Nash had already put a light reggae beat
to his original hit "Hold Me Tight" as far back as 1968, and Campbell does not
change much on his version 39 years later. Charles & Eddie didn't appear on this
version of "Would I Lie to You," a song they took to number one in 1992, but the
claim that this is a duet with Bitty McLean is rather dubious, as Campbell's
nasally vocals dominate the song, as they do on "Hallelujah Time" with Smokey
Robinson. Perhaps Robinson should have been asked to guest on the song "Being
with You," which he'd originally taken to number one in 1981, but instead that
honor went to Mick Hucknall, whose voice was clear enough to be heard alongside
Campbell's. At least Katie Melua gets a couple of verses of her own on "Don't
Try This at Home." As for the rest of the songs, there's not much that can be
said for them, perhaps UB40's time had already come and gone, but one of the
most poignant songs from Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life, "Village
Ghetto Life," was given a lilting lovers rock beat but the whole song was
spoiled by a pointless rap in the middle by Aston "Family Man" Barrett and Don
Yute.

1.01 - Ali Campbell - Running Free (4:07)
1.02 - Ali Campbell - Hold Me Tight (4:00)
1.03 - Ali Campbell - I'll Be Standing By (3:29)
1.04 - Ali Campbell - Don't Go (3:05)
1.05 - Ali Campbell - Would I Lie to You (3:06)
1.06 - Ali Campbell - I Want One of Those (3:15)
1.07 - Ali Campbell - Hallelujah Time (3:51)
1.08 - Ali Campbell - Don't Try This At Home (4:05)
1.09 - Ali Campbell - Flex (3:53)
1.10 - Ali Campbell - Being With You (4:00)
1.11 - Ali Campbell - Gotta Get Away (3:34)
1.12 - Ali Campbell - Devoted to You (3:04)
1.13 - Ali Campbell - Village Ghetto Land (4:49)
1.14 - Ali Campbell - Cold Around My Heart (3:59) 

Related artists