Robert Owens still reigns supreme

Robert Owens still reigns supreme

19 March, 2008 | 1.49PM

• Section: Music News Topics: House Nation
• Written by: Lewis Dene

I could write a book of superlatives to describe Robert Owens, with possibly a sequel too!

For more than 20 years, the gifted singer, songwriter, producer and DJ has played a pivotal part in defining house music and is the in a league almost exclusively to his own.

To use a football analogy (or soccer as the yanks call it), he’d make up the big four with peers Arnold Jarvis, CeCe Rogers and Roland Clark. 

His new artist album, ‘Night-Time Stories’ on Compost, might not be the house tracks of the stature of ‘I’ll Be Your Friend’ or ‘Love Will Find A Way’, but it’s still quintessentially Robert Owens; a master of soulful house with an angelic vocal with gospel rich tones.

For example, on this socially aware ‘Only Me’ plea to change our ways he goes deep, sultry and with a hook line that very nearly repeats his memorable “so many tears” lyric.

The album is a cohesive collection of collaborations with some of contemporary house music’s biggest and most respected names: producers like Wahoo, Jimpster, Atjazz, Charles Webster, Kid Massive, Kirk Degiorgio and Ian Pooley.

The first single, ‘Merging’ won support from the likes of Fred Everything, King Britt, Ashley Beedle and Peter Kruder.

It sets the tone for this socio-political soundtrack created very much in the early-1970s style of such musical revolutionaries as Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield.

To underscore the point Owens told us, “My work is about being aware of all the different facets and feelings in life. Much of it is driven by pain, but that’s just an emotion too. I can’t stand there and be like a pop star because I need to be real – and a real person gives from their soul and won’t let anyone taint that.”

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