Released: March 22
More than two and a half decades in the making, Dee C. Lee returns in fine form as she delivers ‘Just Something’ – a collection of soulful pop gems from the heart.
The 11 song set is largely written by the singer-songwriter herself, with a semi-autobiographical thread tapping into key events over the past 25 years, while also reflecting on her life overall with a warm sense of nostalgia.
Inspired by classic Motown, the single Walk Away reunites Dee with her former fellow Style Councillor Mick Talbot, with his distinctive piano and Wulitzer also featuring on the track Everyday Summer, written by her daughter, Leah Weller.
With playing from a supergroup of musicians also on her label roster, including Brand New Heavies’ Simon Bartholomew, plus former James Taylor Quartet bassist Gary Crockett and guitarist Nigel Price, it makes for a sound rooted in Dee’s present, while reunions with writers Michael McEvoy and Ernest McKone evoke the past, bringing to the fore her trademark soul.
One of the album’s deeper moments, Mountains reflects upon her divorce with ex-husband Paul Weller with an endearing rawness wrapped up in Dee’s luscious vocals, while tracks such as Anything, co-written with Paul Barry, deliver a forward-facing sense of optimism and For Once In My Life – the oldest song on the set, dating back to 1998 – is classic while effortlessly cool.
Also featured are two covers, Renee Geyer’s Be There In The Morning and I Love You, recorded by Weldon Irvine, sitting seamlessly alongside the original material, strong in their own right and highlighting the indisputable quality of the work on offer.
Sonically, ‘Just Something’ is rooted in a Motown-esque soundscape throughout and, in that regard, few risks are taken, but having found her groove so perfectly this time around it’s hard to imagine Dee delivering anything else.
Instead, she gathers a lifetime of experience into a body of work that serves as a reminder of her musical prowess and why she got into the business in the first place. “I wanted to make something that made people forget their problems for a while,” Dee says. “I wanted to put a smile on their faces.”
