Evelyn "Champagne" King Albums (9)
'Open Book'
Release Date 8/28/2007
Tracks 13
Label RNB Entertainment Group
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Whenever there is some type of event where the DJ is spinning old-school soul, funk, and disco -- an event that could be taking place anywhere from Cherry Hill, NJ to Newcastle, England -- one question that inevitably comes up a lot is "Whatever happened to?" You know, whatever happened to McFadden & Whitehead (sadly, both died in the 2000s), or whatever happened to Teena Marie? ("Lady T" came out with an album called Sapphire in 2006.) And if the DJ is playing crowd-pleasers like 1977's "Shame" or 1982's "Love Come Down," someone inevitably wonders what Evelyn "Champagne" King has been up to. King flew under the radar in the '90s and early 2000s, but admirers of the Bronx native's '70s and '80s hits will be glad to know that she is in generally good form on her 2007 comeback album Open Book. King, who turned 47 on July 1, 2007, hasn't lost anything in terms of vocal power -- and she has respectable material to work with on a CD that, for the most part, successfully balances 2007 considerations and old-school R&B considerations. The album's most overtly 2007-sounding track is the single "Skillz," which is very much in the hip-hop-minded Mary J. Blige/Beyoncé Knowles/Olivia vein. "Skillz" tries a little too hard to be relevant to 2007 tastes and ends up sounding a bit forced, but even so, the tune is catchy. Most of the time, however, Open Book achieves a more organic and natural-sounding balance of the classic and the contemporary (by 2007 standards), and that approach serves King well whether she is embracing a quiet storm groove on the laid-back "Whole Lotta Yum Yum," getting into dance diva mode on "The Dance" (which house fans will definitely appreciate) or favoring an urban/adult contemporary blend on the title song (an introspective ballad). Although not in a class with essential gems like 1977's Smooth Talk, 1981's I'm in Love, and 1982's Get Loose, Open Book is a generally pleasing and respectable return to the studio for the veteran singer. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
'A Long Time Coming (A Change Is Gonna Come)'
Release Date 1/1/1985
Tracks 9
Label RCA
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
On the heels of 1983's artistically and commercially disappointing Face to Face, King served up a much more consistent follow-up with this album. From the onset of the set's vivacious opener, "Show Me (Don't Tell Me)" -- with a lyrical context notably similar to 1983's "Action," So Romantic allows King plenty of room to showcase her flair for dance music without overcrowding her with excessive electronic gimmicks. It does an impressive job of melding dancefloor beats with rock guitars and keyboards -- a vein in which the singer is very at home. Whether it be the intelligently produced "Just for the Night" boasting an understated echo chamber effect that is concentrated in the background; the straightforward and soulful "Give Me One Reason" (one of the set's most melodic tunes, along with the emotive "Till Midnight"); or the nocturnal rocker "I'm So Romantic," the overall sound is very solid with an adept mixture of live instrumentation and synthesizers. With King's bold vocals atop them, the songs on So Romantic make it one of her strongest '80s albums. ~ Justin M. Kantor, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
After working with producer T. Life on her first three albums (1977's Smooth Talk, 1979's Music Box and 1980's Call on Me), Evelyn "Champagne" King changed producers for her fourth album, I'm in Love -- a generally excellent release that found the singer being commercially and creatively revitalized. Half of the songs were produced by Kashif associate Morrie Brown (with Kashif and Lawrence Jones serving as associate producers), while the other half were produced by Willie Lester and Rodney Brown. Either way, I'm in Love is King's most rewarding and commercially successful effort since Smooth Talk, and she is undeniably inspired on gems that range from the funky title song (a major hit that Kashif wrote) and the assertive "If You Want My Lovin'" to the ballads "Don't Hide Our Love" and "The Best Is Yet to Come." An interesting tidbit: with I'm in Love, King temporarily dropped the "Champagne" from her name and simply went by Evelyn King -- however, she went back to calling herself Evelyn "Champagne" King with 1983's Face to Face. If you only have a few King albums in your collection, I'm In Love should be among them. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Producer T. Lifeenlisted a few different players on King's sophomore set. The resulting flavor is a bit jazzier than 1977's Smooth Talk, but also more formulaic and predictable. The fun, funky grooves are replaced here by thinner dance concoctions; and furthermore, the songs themselves aren't as substantial, lyrically or melodically. King does her best to shine over the humdrum, which she does most successfully on the two-part hustler "Steppin' Out" and catchy titletrack. Both of these numbers are rhythmically enticing, offering more variety than the predominating safe outings (the washy "Out There," very repetitive "Make up Your Mind"). She also tries her hand at a pair of slow-grooves -via a typical soul ballad, "Let's Start All Over Again," and the subdued, percussive "I Think My Heart Is Telling." The latter is remarkable for its restraint, and actually allows a nice forum for King to show her softer side. The jewels are few and considerably far between. Basically, the singer got caught up in what was probably RCA's attempt to fashion her into the somewhat mellowed-out, commercial disco trends of '79. But in the end, Music Box proved much less commercially successful than its predecessor. For listeners who simply appreciate King's passionate vocals, the set is worth sifting through; but for those looking for classic King grooves a la "Love Come Down" and "Shame," Music Box is better passed on. ~ Justin M. Kantor, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
With a healthy array of simple yet funky soul/disco romps, King's debut outing is a fine catch for 70's R&B connoisseurs. Grooves like the savvy titletrack, with its undulating drum fills and serene and stylish vocal arrangement; the assertive "We're Going to a Party"; and the quietly melodic, pondering "I Don't Know If It's Right" (R&B #7, Pop #23), showcase the singer's power and poise finely against solid arrangements. And then there's the perennial dancefloor classic "Shame" (R&B and Pop #7), a bustling romp with an unforgettable transitional bridge and catchy chorus. Several forgettable numbers do surface, in the form of the bland, repetitive "Dancin', Dancin', Dancin" and the unconvincing heavy funk stance of "Til I Come off the Road." But on the whole, Smooth Talk proves itself a fun, satisfying listen for the body - if not a genius piece of soul. ~ Justin M. Kantor, All Music Guide
