| Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Track Structure | 9 |
| Interest | 8 |
| Melody | 8 |
| Performance | 10 |
| Lyrics | 0 |
| Enjoyment | 7 |
| Recording Quality | 9 |
| Commercial Appeal | 5 |
| Overall | 8 |
When Dave “Superhuman” Kelly asked me to write this review, I think I knew instinctively that it was likely to be one of my more meandering efforts and that has indeed proved to be the case.
You have been warned!
So let me now try and explain why that should be the case.
There can’t be too many people with access to a TV or the internet who haven’t yet seen the film of when Susan Boyle walked out onto the stage for her performance in “Britain’s got talent”. When I sat down to write this review I felt a bit like Messrs Cowell and Morgan must have done (but only a bit). Why? Well like them (and don’t be fooled by anything they might have said on the night) I knew in advance that I was dealing with a talented person. Unlike them, I don’t have to feign some sort of ignorance for the benefit of the cameras and the publicity machine that drives the show. Someone knew well in advance of the performance than Susan Boyle had a voice that transcended her perceived image and I’m positive that the judges would have been tipped the wink as well.
But at that point, their ability to provide meaningful feedback comes to an abrupt halt. Clearly Susan Boyle has a wonderful voice but there must be many, many singers working in theatre and opera companies throughout the world with equally fine or better voices but would either Piers or Simon have the technical ability to differentiate between them? I’m willing to bet the answer to that question is a resounding “No”! So, in the end, and realising that she clearly could sing, their feedback was reduced to veiled (or not so veiled) comments about their own and the audience’s expectations based on her looks and that they had all been fooled. Which raises the interesting question of why we should think only attractive people should be talented. I’ll leave you to ponder that while I move on.
My dilemma is the same as tweedle-dum and tweedle-dee’s (sorry, Simon and Piers’) inasmuch as I am truly not competent to comment on the technical ability of Mr Kelly save to say that it is clearly in a different league from mine. Fortunately, we have comments from other superb guitarists on Superhuman’s page to provide plenty of evidence of that ability. No fine a judge as the legendary Mr Dan E Peck has seen fit to give feedback and approval to this piece so it must be good (sorry, Dave – couldn’t help it J).
And that’s triggered another little train of thought. Isn’t it interesting that the context in which the feedback is given is worth as much, or more, than the words themselves. Back in the day when Dan was perceived to be a master axe wielder, praise from him was felt to be praise indeed and yet now, when his true identity has been revealed, the words no longer carry any weight (even though the words themselves haven’t changed). Deep, huh!
Fortunately, in this case, it matters not, given that you will have heard, as you are reading, just how superbly Superhuman has mastered his chosen instrument. The style of playing may not be to everyone’s taste (and to be blunt, it’s not one of my favourite genres) but there is no hiding the ability.
Which brings us neatly back to Ms Boyle. While her style and taste may not meet everyone’s approval, talent (and MP3Unsigned, along with Britain, has got plenty of it) will out, come what may; and the one thing that Superhuman and Susan Boyle share is an abundance of it.
To listen to the track Click Here