the Last time Neneh Cherry played on the Beach, in the fall of 2011, she was the opening act for the funkveteranerna ESG. She seemed a little nervous, for she was about to re-launch himself as a solo artist after many years outside the spotlight.
Seven-and-a-half years and three successful albums later, she is back on the same stage, with a completely different self-confidence. Last year’s subtly catchy ”Broken politics”, her second fullängdsamarbete with Kieran ”Four Tet” Hebden, was rightfully praised, and an international tour ending with a sold-out concert on home turf.
content: ”the Lady still stands, boom! Fill fifty-five the next week, boom! Have three grandchildren, boom! Fuck that ageist shit, boom!” The audience cheers, she has us in his hand.
Neneh Cherry came to the top of both the uk and the us singles chart with ”Buffalo stance” in 1988 and became a superartist. But the money that she earned she used to finance the Massive Attacks debut album ”Blue lines” and thus became the entire triphopgenrens godmother (”Broken politics” sounds too modern, ripe trip hop of the best brand).
It is typical for Neneh Cherry: for her, music is not about ego, but about family, belonging to a movement, to create something together.
punk and hip hop explosive frammarscher, and the collectivist boost of energy as she was then still seem to bubble within her. It was with that attitude that she made a comeback in the company of the alternative jazztrion The Thing, and it is the same attitude that has made her collaborations with Four Tet is so deep and fruitful.
Live sound ”Broken politics”-the songs even better than on record, they get freer rein and swings harder. The lyrics are heartfelt and sometimes melancholy, sometimes cocky, decisive. Her six-strong live band is formidable, the energy they build up along with the main character is incredible, and the joy shared by all in the audience.
Also, the dressing, the promising newcomer Kelsey Lu, is the top, even if she feels more self-aware and less vulnerable than Neneh Cherry. She leans more towards pre-recorded material than organic music-making. Cherry on its side, is no rock-hard perfectionist, and when she comes up in a rap, she takes it with a laugh.
In the final, encore ”Buffalo stance”, Kelsey Lu share on the song and the dance with her. There is so much warmth, hope, and turn in the air. Neneh Cherry get the audience to sing ”No money man can win my love” over and over again, and all of a sudden, the old hit song as a timeless motto.
Read more music reviews by Nicholas Ringskog Ferrada-Noli, for example, about how the RZA was going to compare with the great jazz.
