Music review: Joss Stone – 鈥楴ever Forget My Love鈥�
After the emotional high of Valentine鈥檚 Day slowly fades into normal routine, Joss Stone keeps affairs of the heart very real on her latest release.
Collaborating once again with Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics, 鈥淣ever Forget My Love鈥� details a roller coaster ride of feelings experienced when love departs just as quickly as it arrives.
The 34-year-old British soul singer-songwriter feels right at home addressing the fragile subject matter on the 10 impassioned arrangements that possess a retro Burt Bacharach and Dionne Warwick vibe.
鈥淏reaking Each Other鈥檚 Hearts鈥� is the marvelous opener with soothing strings introducing Stone鈥檚 elegant vocals making a declaration of disappointment in a failing relationship by announcing, 鈥淎ll the mistakes I鈥檝e made/I wish they would all go away/It鈥檚 as if they/Were tailor-made for me鈥�
Stone finds her stirring soul groove on the title track. The song serves as a powerful anthem focused on that one defining moment when both partners realize it鈥檚 better to go separate ways with Stone offering a final farewell by announcing, 鈥淣ever forget my love/I鈥檒l never forget you/Even though sometimes I want to.鈥�
While much of the album鈥檚 material reminisces about past love and moving on, Stone still offers up a few moments of encouragement and hope.
鈥淥h to Be Loved by You鈥� is a light and bouncy number that exudes moments of pure joy as Stone sings the praises of discovering a relationship that secures, strengthens and satisfies when sweetly proclaiming, 鈥淪ince the moment I could see that you fell in love with me/All my troubles, they left me, they walked right out the door.鈥�
鈥淲e stick together/Through thick and thin/Whatever kind of sadness we find ourselves in,鈥� sings Stone on 鈥淵ou鈥檙e My Girl.鈥� The heartfelt number carries a reassuring message of having a good friend by your side without judgement or question, only love and trust.
鈥淲hen You鈥檙e in Love鈥� brings the set to an uplifting conclusion with Stone declaring,
鈥淲hen you鈥檙e in love/The whole world knows it/All that you鈥檒l see/Is colors shimmering, butterflies and bees.鈥� It鈥檚 a charming promise that love eventually finds its way home.
With 鈥淣ever Forget My Love鈥� quickly shaping up to be her signature piece of work, there鈥檚 certainly little chance that anyone will soon forget Stone鈥檚 dazzling performance.