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Angie Stone Stone Hits: The Very Best Of Angie Stone SonyBMG  We haven't really ever heard a whole lot about Angie Stone in Australia, but she is one of the most talented singer/songwriters in the US and 'Stone Hits' is an amazing collection of soul tracks from her last three albums 'Black Diamond', 'Mahogany Soul' and 'Stone Love'. Stone mixes her distinctive flare to take a more old school flavour of soul and blues and injects it with contemporary r'n'b characteristics, a trademark that sounds both smooth and retro, yet modern and original. Funky riffs united with Stone's tell-it-like-it-is lyrical attitude and a voice that sings with convincing experience means 'Stone Hits' plays like a story. From the high of Stay For A While, pining and yearning through Wish I Didn't Miss You and disheartened with lovers and love in general in Pissed Off and U-Haul, her music has a deliberate velvety flow; something Missy Elliott wants to achieve when she attempts to sing rather than rap, but can't get quite right. 'Stone Hits' demonstrates a musical maturity far more beyond Stone's years, making it surprising that she hasn't become a bigger superstar. Perhaps the old-style romantic soul of her music isn't at a fast enough pace to compete with the Crunk'n'b variety of today: after all, even guest singer Alicia Keys (who appears with Eve in Brotha Part 2) who made piano playing sexy again, uses her sexuality to attract audiences. In such an aesthetically-dependent industry, and the focus on body image in the celebrity world, perhaps the unfortunate truth is that Stone struggles against other women in her field. Whatever the case, Angie Stone has amazing talent with timeless staying ability; you'll like 'Stone Hits' if you want r'n'b but don't want anything too flashy and clubby.  |
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