Last Night
Given how many times His Name Is Alive have been compared to 4AD labelmates theCocteau Twins, one might expectLast Nightto be laden with spectral voices soaring across panoramic soundscapes. Which couldn't be further from the truth. Warn Defever has long been a fan of '70s funk, as well as acoustic blues, and those are the paths he travels now--albeit with the fine taste and gothic sensibility anticipated from a 4AD artist. He began moving in a new direction with 2001's critically laudedSomeday My Blues Will Cover the Earth, his first major collaboration with singer Lovetta Pippen.Last Nightis equally excellent, combining that psychedelic funk with indie delicacy. The title track is smoky soul, "Devil's Night" sounds like a troubledMorcheeba, while "Someday My Prince Will Come" is a groovy sax-fest. Then there are the covers. TheEquals' "Teardrops" is practically a power ballad, while a beautiful version ofJimi Hendrix's "Train" boasts tenor sax, piano, and mournful, questioning vocals. Throughout, there's Pippen--her voice clear, cool, and unimpeachably truthful.Last Nightis a must for any R&B; fan seeking something different.--Dominic Wills