Track Listing

1. Just For You
2. Fantasy Island
3. Never Mind Love
4. Last Night 10000
5. Smile
6. Red Flower Sunset
7. Angel Street
8. Lonely
9. Rhythm 'n' Blues
10. Believe It
11. Bohemia
12. Avalon

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #72918 in Music
• Released on: 2006-10-30
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
Even though it was the group's fourth studio album, Fresco was touted as the album which was going to propel M People to mega stardom in the US. Although it failed to break the group in the States, Fresco is a competent collection of choice cuts which represents M People's further push into the British pop establishment. Even though the album sees two collaborations with fellow Mancunian Johnny Marr (formerly the guitarist from the Smiths), Fresco follows the same successful formula of their last album, Bizarre Fruit. The album is chock full of catchy handbag/garage numbers ("Fantasy Island" and "Angel Street"), as well as sweeping, orchestral synth-ballads, which make full use of Small's power-assisted voice. Proving that not all pop stars are apolitical, the track "Last Night 10,000" sensibly addresses the issue of homelessness. --John Galilee

Customer Reviews

This group brought back the classic sound of "Motown" for me
This very good music truly fed the "soul" of love. M-People put the punch of Motown back on the charts in this age of 2000 and beyond. I have not heard such good vocals with such a magnatism and sultriness since Aretha Franklin. I can respect this.......

A more cosmopolitan range of songs than "Elegant Slumming"
In 1991, I first heard "How Can I Love You More" and noted Heather Small's sultry and smouldering voice with a hint of aggression and persuasive stance. Other vocalists I admire with soulful qualities include Alison Moyet and Bonnie Tyler, the latter having a Gothic tag with her collaborations with Jim Steinman. Should Heather Small team up with Jim Steinman the result should be explosive! Back to this album, there is a less commercial stance than "Elegant Slumming" with one of Fresco's stand-out tracks being "Fantasy Island" less pop-orientated than "One Night In Heaven" for example. Another stand-out track for me is "Lonely", a classy reggae track breaking new territory for M-People. It's a happy and uplifting song which could have been a massive hit due to its change in style from the more commercial M-People hits. "Red Flower Sunset" could have been another choice for a single, being slower and more passionate than "Sight For Sore Eyes". Although there are no plans for an album of dance mixes of selected M-People hits, probably that may be the next project in the pipeline after Heather's "Proud" album, her break from M-People for a while.