Georgie Fame - That's What Friends Are For (2022)

Georgie Fame's second album for Pye Records in less than a year is far more economical than its predecessor -- apart from a few strategically placed horn parts, it's a stripped-down pop/rock effort with some funk elements. Fame sounds at time like he's stretching his vocal resources here as a pop singer, holding notes a phenomenally long time on "Lovely Day," reaching hard on "L in L.A.," and generally romping around this material, embracing Latin influences here, soft pop there, and whatever else works, with some catchy upbeat ballads ("You") interspersed with more beat-driven pieces like "I Don't Care Who I Dance With" and "That's What Friends Are For." As with the previous album, the songwriting is mostly Fame's, which makes these two albums unusual in his output up to this time. © Bruce Eder