Dada - Dada 1971

Fronted by the talented lead singer Elkie Brooks (who was quite popular in England at the time), Dada was a short-lived band project. Sounding something like a slightly arty, British version of Delaney and Bonnie, Dada's sound was heavy, gospel-oriented rock & roll. Unfortunately, the 'heavy' part of this is where a lot of the performances on this record suffer. Oftentimes, the arrangements are too heavy for their own good, and tend to weaken under their own weight. Many of the original songs are a bit dated and somewhat mediocre, with the one notable exception "Seed of Peace." A simple, gospel-soaked piano drives the chorus, led by Brooks' excellent lead. It's a wonderful track, somewhat reminiscent of Delaney & Bonnie's "Getto." It succeeds precisely because of the understatement in its arrangement. Unfortunately, this is one of the few examples of a laidback approach on the album; they could have done more of these. AMG.

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