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List of Official Music Reviews for Melissa Forbes
(See below for full reviews & publication details)

* Smooth Jazz Therapy (December 2006): UK

* Arthaus NYC (August 2006): USA

* The Muse's Muse (March 2006): USA

* San Antonio Urban Weekly News (March 2006): USA

* Smooth Jazz & More (January 2006): USA

* International Online Music Magazine (December 2005): Canada

* Australian Jazz Scene Magazine (September 2005): Australia

* The Independent Music Specialists (August 2005): Australia

* Jazz Exodus Magazine (August 2005): USA

* Soul Patrol Newsletter (June 2005): USA

* Brisbane News Magazine (June 2005): Australia

* Soul Tracks (May 2005): USA

* Rave Magazine (May 2005): Australia

* Queensland Pride Magazine (May 2005): Australia

* Sonic Soul (April 2005): Germany

* Time Off Magazine (May 2005): Australia

* Soul Express Magazine (March 2005): Finland

* Midnight Special Blues (March 2005): France

* 'As I Sing' - International Online Music Magazine (February 2005)

* 'Broken Wings', 'Thinking You Over' & 'Blackheart Blues' - Music Download (Feb 2005)

* CD Launch Concert at Brisbane Powerhouse 5/3/05 - Time Off Magazine (March 2005)

* Soundlounge Gig 23/10/04 - Soundlounge Management (October 2004)

* Troubadour Gig 29/9/04 - Brisbane News (October 2004)

Album Review - "No More Mondays"
Smooth Jazz Therapy (December 2006): www.smoothjazztherapy.com

And, now for something completely different; Australian-based singer/songwriter Melissa Forbes names her musical influences as Prince, Diana Krall, Sade, Joni Mitchell, Chaka Khan and Tina Arena. That’s quite a list but checking out her debut album ‘No More Mondays’ it’s easy to see why. A delightful confection of styles and moods, the CD was recorded in 2004 and released in March of 2005 through her own independent label, Kitten Kong Records. She has been described as a soulful jazz singer but ‘No More Mondays’, a collection that with the exception of several choice covers primarily focuses on her own material, is way more eclectic than that. It’s also a million miles away from her original profession of commercial law.

In fact Melissa worked in various areas of commercial legal practice for four years but was unhappy at not doing anything to further her passion for music. Wanting to change her career direction she enrolled in a year-long bridging course at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music in Brisbane, Australia from where she graduated in 2003 with a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Voice. During her music studies Melissa performed extensively with jazz bands around South-East Queensland but soon discovered that her true calling was original music. In 2004 she finally resigned from her legal job to concentrate on putting an album together and the result is now here for all to enjoy.

Most times gentle and reflective, the influences that have molded Forbes style abound throughout. It’s Joni Mitchell that comes to mind with ‘The Weekday Sun’ and she momentarily takes on the sound of Karen Carpenter for ‘Thinking You Over’. Another of her own compositions, ‘Blackheart Blues’, allows Forbes to pour both her heart and her soul into the tune while back in tranquil mode ‘Still’ is tender yet charged with emotion. She retains that emotion for ‘As I Sing’ and laces it with delicious violin from Paula Newcomb for a result that is truly stunning. The intricate and jazzy ‘Broken Wings (For Chet)’ is a number that made Forbes a finalist at the 2004 Music Oz Awards in the Jazz category. The whole song is lifted by exquisite flugelhorn from John Hoffman and Hoffman is again notable on ‘Shadows Of Love’. This is a real contender for best track on the album and is certainly the most soulful. The song benefits from a laid back yet compelling bass line that is sampled from the tune ‘Gaia’, written by Rachelle Ferrell and Jonathon Butler. The original can be found on Ferrell’s 2000 release ‘Individuality – Can I Be Me?’

White female vocalists who dip their toes into the cloudy and complex waters of contemporary jazz inevitably draw comparisons with Norah Jones but truth to tell Forbes has a depth to her tones that leaves Jones in the dust. This is especially obvious with another of the albums very best tracks, her smoky rendition of ‘Black Coffee / Brown Sugar’. Weaving together D’Angelo’s 1995 hit ‘Brown Sugar’ and the timeless Burke – Webster composition ‘Black Coffee’ Forbes makes it her own and does very much the same with her cover of ‘Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough’. With the exception of the catchy chorus it’s almost unrecognizable from the Michael Jackson original and altogether a hugely jazzy piece of work.

Sophisticated and grown up in its approach ‘No More Mondays’ deserves to launch Melissa Forbes onto the wider world stage. For more on Melissa Forbes go to www.melissaforbes.com

Review Link & Source: Smooth Jazz Therapy

Album Review - "No More Mondays"
Arthaus NYC (August 2006): www.arthausnyc.com

Melissa Forbes has a smoky, soulful jazz voice that is backed by a chitlin circuit jazz band. This combination is a winner making No More Mondays a collection of sultry, smoky head-nodding modern classics. No need for the skip button on th,is disc. You will want to play this one all the way through repeatedly.

Review Link & Source: Arthaus NYC - Jazz Reviews

Album Review - "No More Mondays"
The Muse's Muse (28 March 2006): www.musesmuse.com

* Genre: Adult Contemporary/Jazz/R&B

* Sounds Like: Vanessa Williams

* Technical Grade: 10/10

* Production/Musicianship Grade: 10/10

* Commercial Value: 10/10

* Overall Talent Level: 10/10

* Songwriting Skills: 10/10

* Performance Skill: 10/10

* Best Songs: Thinking You Over, Shadows Of Love, Broken Wings, As I Sing

* Weakness: None!

CD Review: In order to fully enjoy and appreciate this self-produced debut project from Melissa Forbes, an ex-lawyer turned singer/songwriter from Australia, you need one or a combination of the following: maturity, relationship experience, a desire for real love, or a sincere fondness for introspective lyrics and quality musicianship.

Melissa's roster of well-written songs flow effortlessly into each other like water into streams, showcasing musically fluid tracks that are defined by her technically precise vocals and high production values. She is a true artist who is not afraid to take risks, as evidenced on her adaptation and rendition of the Neo Soul Classic, "Brown Sugar" ("Black Coffee/Brown Sugar") which is a bold marketing move that pays off; effectively grabbing your attention and forcing you to ask the question: "Who is this white girl doing a D'Angelo song?"

Once your interest has been peaked in this project, you suddenly discover that your musical thirst has been quenched, and your hunger for lyrical depth has been satisfied - all while listening to the first 6 songs on this 12 song disc which includes a seductive cover of Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough," a vocal showcase on "Broken Wings" and the most commercial track, "Thinking You Over," which proves that only a talented writer and former lawyer could poetically and correctly use the word "obfuscation" in a lyric.

From beginning to end this project stimulates your ears, thoughts, and emotions while smoothly blending Jazz and R&B into a genre that Melissa can call her own. Songs like "Rising Up" which will evoke memories of "My Favorite Things" and her R&B gem "Shadow's Of Love (Love For Sale)" which will resonate at Urban radio stations and with R&B audiences alike, are done with distinction, personality, and flavor. Like most great music artists, she leaves you with a message that you can relate to which is born from her own experience on the deeply personal and inspiring, "As I Sing," which invites and encourages all of us to not waste another day and not to wish your life away waiting for happiness to find you...I think she's found it...and with a project of this quality, there should be No More Mondays at the office.

Advice: Market this project slowly and persistently. A publishing deal would be an excellent way to draw attention to your talent and give you the leverage you need (as a writer and music artist) to get the financing and promotion of a major label joint venture for your major talents. Persistence and strategy will be the key in a fickle U.S. market.

Review Link & Source: The Muse's Muse Reviews

Album Review - "No More Mondays"
San Antonio Urban Weekly News (Issue March 1, 2006): www.saurban.scorpion-media.com

Once I ran across Melissa Forbes' profile on MySpace, I decided to take a listen to a few of the songs she had posted. Not knowing what to expect from an Australian soul singer I was pleasantly surprised when the first track began to play. My ears perked up as the live rhythm began to set me in a mood that I first experienced while living in Detroit, Michigan, and being introduced to what I call 'traditional r&b/soul music'. Melissa's CD lifted me off my feet and cradled me with her smooth renditions of some of our American classics, then she brings you into her space with a beautiful voice that makes me want to light up a stogie and sip some E&J. I say 'BRAVO' Melissa! I think you've made the right career choice.

Review Link & Source: San Antonio Urban Weekly News

Album Review - "No More Mondays"
Smooth Jazz & More Radio Station (January 2006): www.smoothjazzandmore.com

Melissa Forbes studied law in her native Australia. After giving it much thought, she decided to make a career change and become a singer. Her debut album, “No More Mondays” shows that she made the right choice. Her voice is lively and soulful. If you’re a fan of British R&B singer Lisa Stansfield, then you’ll enjoy her exquisite style. The track arrangements on all the songs are robust and original, concentrating on the Contemporary Jazz and R&B genres. I absolutely loved the song, “Broken Wings (for Chet)”. It's smooth sound really makes this CD work. Other highlights are "Thinking You Over" and the D'Angelo cover, "Black Coffee/Brown Sugar". Once this import finds American support, Melissa Forbes' career will take off! Outstanding debut!

Review Link & Source: Smooth Jazz & More Internet Radio Station

Album Review - "No More Mondays"
International Online Music Magazine (6 December 2005): www.rcatcommunications.com

A Magnificant Album...A Superbly Gifted Artist...
(Review by Colin Lynch, R Cat Communications)

Melissa's debut album 'No More Mondays' opens with the sensuality wrapping, heart and soul enagaging "Sshhh! (Intro)" complete with astounding vocal clarity and polished brass that sets the mood for the magic to follow and which is the perfect lead in to "Black Coffee/Brown Sugar". Here we have one of the finest covers of D'Angelo's classic that you are ever likely to hear in your life! The production is delivering the kind of classy bluesy vocals and equally classy musicianship that one would expect from a multi Grammy award grabber in this delectably classy genre. You don't quite know what to do with your shoulders as they sync with the expertly delivered arrangement and, this is happening while Melissa's inimitable vocal style messes with your stupidly compressed preconceptions of where this genre seemed to be going for the new millenia. It's pretty clear to me that with the likes of Melissa Forbes, the genre is suddenly diamond-like and it's providing an incredibly bright future.

"Broken Wings (For Chet)" arrives at the gateway that exists beyond the speakers to engulf and amaze anyone with any sense in an instant. Mark Turner's lovely little jazz guitar intro is what hits you dead centre before another blue sky reappears in the form of Melissa's seemingly effortlessly sparkling vocals, and John Hoffman's uncompromising and heart caressing flugelhorn. This is the stuff of greatness folks... and nothing less.

"Don't Stop til You Get Enough" is now officially awarded my 'surprise of your life cover of the decade award' and oh how Michael Jackson would be stunned by this colourful and vibrant reworking. You see, it's actually quite hard to place personality and dynamics firmly into the roots of a classic song and if I go around recalling Melissa's version over the original... well I'd say that's pretty damn good wouldn't you? The arrangement is kinda deluxe and innovative without being overtly glossy. It's a serious and respectful reworking and it's quite simply platinum performance level stuff, albeit a little richer than it's founding father.

"Thinking You Over" features some truly magnificent vocal, piano, and fretwork performances I have heard in quite some time and it's all down to the atmosphere creating craftsmanship that these guys exude in. "Thinking You Over" is the kind of song that provokes the emotions in a delicate and diplomatic fashion... nothing too overdone... nothing too mushy... just sprinklings of excellence for the listener to contend with. Meanwhile, "The Weekday Sun" takes superbly casual yet skilled vocal training and mesmerising Fender Rhodes sounds just a few rungs further than you ever thought this lovely ladder was going to go up to. The view from the top is magnificence and splendour... what a singer... what a superbly gifted artist!

"Rising Up?" is cleverly uplifting with it's exceptionally tight arrangement, glowing performance, and expert production. You get the feeling that you've been blessed and although it's -38 outside and this coffee is almost done, it's just not a good idea to let your attention to detail drift when there's so much more happening in this song than you might have expected possible. I could listen to this kind of thing day in day out without even the slightest risk of becoming sidetracked or disenchanted... if only relationships where this certain!

Speaking of relationships... "Shadows of Love (Love for Sale)" features exceptional styling in vocal prowess and hauntingly beautiful harmonies that are as spellbinding as the horns that caress them every now and then in all of the right places. The tricklings of Hammond and the slow soulful bass pace is partiuclarly intriguing and yet another indication of the classyness and raised standards I mentioned earlier. Within seconds of the last note's fade, "You're My Alter Ego/Nothing Else Matters" brings back vivid images of the elegance of rich and passionate vocal meanderings and candlebra lit piano. The sound engineers need to be acknowledged here too. What you have ended up with in the production is a broadly coloured sound spectrum that appears to have been meticulously crafted while retaining the energy in dynamics that this song demands. It's the sound skills, techniques and workmanship that makes up the craft in production and these guys are craftsmen of the first division.

"Still" takes me willingly back to the passionate artist realm were notes and lyrics are born with the kind of fine balance nature itself had always intended. Countless songwriters past and present dreamed of this kind of fruit from their labours and many label-ready singers engaged the same yearning as their voices and inspirations evolved and took on the strains and struggles of being heard and appreciated. There's some nice guitar work here that runs sympathetically alongside the bass playing... very classy! Meanwhile, at the other half of the sky we have the unanticipated arrival of "Blackheart Blues" - a rather rare treat for my Roland monitors but an absolute emerald of a song that thrills and pounds down on your soul like there's no tomorrow. Watch out for the truly magnificent guitar, drums, and keyboard work... before the spectacular brass and vocal harmonies take the reins and your flight destination becomes a little more certain when Melissa gets back to the mic. Absolute brilliance!

The last track on this wondefully crafted album goes by the title "As I Sing"... what a remarkable example of superior songwriting and vocal magnificence this song really is. When I think back to where my head was in it's eager anticipation when the postman turned up ... if he was here right now he would be kissed all the way down the street with the deepest of affection and appreciation for his cold and lonely role in life, and, for bringing me this exquisitely crafted example of where soul, blues and jazz break previously untethered horizons.

'No More Mondays' indeed! Melissa Forbes has, with her first album, succeeded in estabishing herself as the multivitamin our hearts and souls always needed but frequently found out of stock. This is a magnificent album. It feels more like a gift than a review copy, and I have to say with absolute conviction that today, Melissa, it wasn't just my mailbox that was blessed.

Review Link & Source: International Online Music Magazine

Album Review - "No More Mondays"
Australian Jazz Scene (September 2005): www.jazzscene.com.au

A Soul Singer with a Bluesy, Jazzy Style...

Melissa Forbes was a Queensland commercial lawyer until music became her passion and she extended her academic prowess with a degree in Music, Jazz Voice. She is a soul singer with a bluesy, jazzy style that is unique among Australian vocalists and she has a fresh, clear voice with good diction. Eight of the twelve tunes on this CD were written by Melissa and she dwells on themes of urban life, office psychology and love among the upwardly mobile. "Black Coffee/Brown Sugar" is neither Peggy Lee nor the Rolling Stones, but still the blues that these artists were once noted for. "Rising Up" is a story in an elevator and shows her penchant for a nice touch in lyrical expressionism. A line in "Thinking You Over" goes, "If you can just excuse the obfuscation", which must be the first use of that word in a song! There are some nice musical touches from flugel horn, trumpet, guitar and Hammond organ, with the musicians listed above breaking up into smaller cominations to add variation to the sound. The compositions aren't often tunes to sing in the bath and the lyrics gain credibility with several readings (most are on the sleeve notes) but the voice is endearing and the CD will do nicely until Melissa comes to a venue near you.

Review Link & Source: Australian Jazz Scene

Album Review - "No More Mondays"
The Independent Music Specialists (August 2005): www.indie-cds.com

Melissa Forbes Shines as Vocalist, Composer & Arranger...
(Review by Louise Bell)

"No More Mondays", by Melissa Forbes, is a collection of jazzy, funky, bluesy grooves to ease and please, from fresh takes on standards such as "Black Coffee", through new arrangements of a couple of pop and rock covers, to a predominance of interesting originals dealing with staying sane in the rat race, or the tender advent of new love.

No more Mondays? A wish for an end to heartache - "I'm hangin' out on Monday my Sunday dreams to dry" (Black Coffee) - or the joy of a lawyer breaking free of the corporate grind on wings of song? Maybe both!

The style of this album is so easy and attractive you have to listen closer for the rich lyrical rewards. Even "Broken Wings (for Chet)" is musically uplifting, notwithstanding John Hoffman's gorgeous, plaintive flugelhorn and lyrics like "Citizen of the world, yet a nation of one / You shun, you scorn, you lie, you cheat / You feel defeat at the hands of 'them', but of course / You are your own worst enemy / No truce, no surrender, you tender to your every desire / While inspiring slavish devotion to the notions of / Truth and beauty".

Perhaps "truth and beauty" is something of a mantra for Melissa. Her vocal timbres, from warm honey to a cutting loose reminiscent of Vika Bull, convey the strength and sincerity of a woman who believes passionately in what she sings. There are lush textures of musical beauty here too, from Stephen Newcomb's accomplished and versatile keyboards (piano, Fender Rhodes, Hammond organ) Mark Turner's funky electric bass; Myka Wallace's steady drum grooves; and sparkly percussion embellishments from Tanja Hafenstein. Dave McGuire's guitar adds languid spice to tracks like "Blackheart Blues", on which Melissa shows she also plumbs the depths of human moods, "happy"! to explore life's inevitable shadows. "I'm feelin' so bad / And Lord it feels so good / Just wallowin' low / Down the dark alleys of my neighbourhood / Don't tell me to perk / Don't tell me to spark / I'm loving every minute of this / Dark heart, baby / I got them black heart blues". Still, somehow you know she'll come through - "peace is flowing over me, oooh baby think I'm shaking these blackheart blues".

Jim Forbes also contributes thoughtful lyrics to three tracks, which resonate well with Melissa's music. Melissa Forbes shines as vocalist, composer and arranger, and her band honours the music with skilled solo and ensemble playing, energy, sensitivity and spaciousness. The progression of the album is enhanced by a variety of instrumental configurations. Check out the tender simplicity of "As I Sing" where Stephen's gentle piano is met by a soulful violin cameo by Paula Newcomb, with Melissa"s heartfelt vocal.

This project is well served by recording of warmth and clarity; and subtle mixing, eg the trumpet floating over the buoyant ground of the rhythm section on "Shadows of Love (love for sale)". The booklet is well set out - but larger type next time please! Summer night on the balcony, winter night by the fire - give it a whirl.

Review Link & Source: Independent Music Specialists

Album Review - "No More Mondays"
Jazz Exodus Magazine (August 2005): www.thejazznation.com

This One's Dynamite: 5/5 Stars

Incredible arrangements and vocals, tremendous accompaniment, this one's dynamite! Nation Rating - 5/5

Album Review - "No More Mondays"
Soul Patrol Newsletter (Vol 3, Issue 10, June 2005): www.soul-patrol.com

Jazz/Funk/Nu Soul/Funkywhitegirl

That's right "Funkywhitegirl" is now officially its own "genre" here on Soul-Patrol. Much like Louise Perryman, the voice of Melissa Forbes, doesn't quite go with the face. And then once you also find out she's also from Australia, it completely destroys all of the stereotypes. And like Louise, she's got a crack jazz/funk band playing behind her that brings to mind someone like the Crusaders. And then you kick back and let the music take your mind. This CD starts off with an accapella song called simply "shhh", which serves perfectly as the lead in for a cover version of D'Angelo's "Brown Sugar" that is totally off-the-hook in a sultry/jazzy/bluesy way that "works the same way that a quick shot of liquor does for a Sunday morning hangover".

My point here is that this is a serious woman with some serious ideas on just how and what one should be doing on a Sunday morning, that is really just a continuation of whatever happened on Saturday night and won't end till Sunday afternoon. Now if that didn't make any sense to you, don't worry about it, just buy this CD and play it for your "significant other" on a Saturday night and I guarantee you that this disc will still be playing on Sunday morning, noon and night the day after. It's truly one of those disc's where you will be tempted to simply program the "repeat button". Think I'm kidding around, eh? Well song #3 on this disc is a hypnotic/erotic cover version of Micheal Jackson's "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough". And once again, that's the real point and that's what you will be saying to yourself all day long on Sunday, because you won't quite be able to "get enough" of Melissa Forbes (and you won't want to stop listening to her either).

Review Link & Source: Soul Patrol

Album Review - "No More Mondays"
Brisbane News Magazine (Issue 541, June 1-7, 2005): www.brisbanenews.com.au

She Fires on the Personal Stuff...
(Review by Trent Dalton)

Write what you know, say literary types. Write what you know and sing it from the bottom of your heart. Brisbane's Melissa Forbes can nail a jazz standard (see "Black Coffee/Brown Sugar"), but, like the best jazz women do, she fires on the personal stuff. Her own "Thinking You Over" is a perfectly structured and paced ode to those gloriously anxious moments before true love is sealed (and anyone who can squeeze the word "obfuscation" into a song deserves a round). "The Weekday Sun" seems like the harshest critique of contemporary society masked by a breezy, sun-kissed organ and a pulsing udu drum. But "Blackheart Blues" is the bomb, showing few things are more lethal than a heart-broken woman regaining her strength: "You want me to smile, I've got bile in my throat, I'm in hell, and I'm takin' off my coat." Even Lady Day would have chuckled at that one.

Review Link & Source: Brisbane News Magazine

Album Review - "No More Mondays"
Soul Tracks (May 2005): www.soultracks.com

Forbes has a Gorgeous, Clear Voice...

One of last year's treats for me was hearing Australia's Louise Perryman for the first time, and I received an equally pleasant surprise in May when I received No More Mondays from Perryman's friend and fellow Aussie Melissa Forbes. Forbes mixes elements of jazz, pop, lounge and soul into a very enjoyable adult disc that feels like a live nightclub performance. Forbes has a gorgeous, clear voice and precise phrasing, and she nails this mix of original tunes and some unusual remakes (such as her sultry cover of Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough"). Her jazzy backing band is solid and her compositions (especially the very soulful "Shadows of Love") are quite strong. Great late-night listening.

Review Link & Source: Soul Tracks

Album Review - "No More Mondays"
Rave Magazine (Issue 691, 24-30 May, 2005): www.ravemag.com.au

Brisbane Jazz Diva Seduces and Surprises

Melissa Forbes is a jazz singer with a difference: not only does she mostly sing her own songs on her debut album, but the covers she chooses are largely not jazz standards but reworked rock and pop songs. The best part is she somehow makes it all work. The torch song standard Black Coffee morphs into D’Angelo’s Brown Sugar before you know what’s going on; even more audacious is the way You’re My Alter Ego transforms into a jazzed-up Nothing Else Matters (yes, that Nothing Else Matters). Incredibly, it sounds natural and unforced, thanks to Forbes’ seductive vocals and clever arrangement. Her own songs hold up well too, the smooth flow of Broken Wings and the gutsy blues of Blackheart Blues being standouts. Lovers of vocal jazz will welcome Forbes’ expressive voice and the nicely understated performances of her band.

Review Link & Source: Rave Magazine

Album Review - "No More Mondays"
Queensland Pride Magazine (May 2005)

A Chilled Journey: 4/5 Stars

When Brisbane girl Melissa Forbes gave up her career as a lawyer to chase her dream of becoming a soul singer she definitely made the right decision. Melissa's strong and sultry voice is a wonderful instrument that takes us on a chilled journey through her own original tunes, some classics and her take on some more contemporary tunes. Her sexy cover of Michael Jackson's Don't Stop Til You Get Enough takes the song to a new level. Melissa even incorporates Metallica and D'Angelo songs into some classics with interesting effect. Remarkably, the album was recorded live in only three sessions.

Album Review - "No More Mondays"
The Independent Music Specliasts (May 2005): www.indie-cds.com

A Remarkably Classy Debut: 4/5 Stars

Brisbane has a line in top-quality jazz these days, and Melissa Forbes' new CD is a remarkably classy debut that will be just the thing for those who like their jazz smooth, sophisticated and soulful.

Album Review - "No More Mondays"
Time Off Magazine (May 2005): www.timeoff.com.au

A Promising First Release: 3/5 Stars
(Review by Megan Yarrow)

No More Mondays is a blend of standard blues and jazz, heartfelt originals and love songs. Melissa Forbes sweetens the melancholy standard ‘Black Coffee’ with D’Angelo’s ‘Brown Sugar’ and an interlude of guitar/Hammond organ, bass and drums. Her arrangements fuse dissimilar songs such as the modern jazz of ‘You’re My Alter Ego’ with ‘Nothing Else Matters’ by Metallica. ‘Broken Wings’ is dedicated to the mythic, yet tragic Chet Baker. ‘The Weekday Sun’, written by Jim Forbes, captures the essence of the CBD at lunchtime. ‘Rising Up’ continues this theme of the “trapped office worker” and highlights Forbes’ extraordinary vocal range. Lingering trumpet and soft, funky, Fender Rhodes add texture to ‘Shadows Of Love’. ‘Blackheart Blues’ is redolent of Percy Mayfield’s ‘Please Send Me Someone To Love’, and the finale, ‘As I Sing’, is a reminder not to waste a moment of precious time. No More Mondays is a promising first release.

Review Link & Source: Time Off Magazine

Album Review - "No More Mondays"
Sonic Soul (18 April 2005): www.soulsite.de

Relaxing Sounds & Grooves: 8.5/10 Stars

(This review from a German soul/R&B music site has been translated into English. The original German review can be read here)

I assume there has not previously been much connection made between D’Angelo, Nirvana, Michael Jackson and Chet Baker. But we have to study this connection more thoroughly now that the debut album “No More Mondays” by the Australian singer Melissa Forbes has arrived. The innocent look of Melissa’s face is hiding a rather adventurous existence. She has incorporated D’Angelo’s ‘Brown Sugar’, Nirvana’s ‘Nothing Else Matters’ and Jackson’s ‘Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough’ and merged these with Jazz standards or her own songs and produced a collection of the finest tunes. The result is that this ex-lawyer has managed to leave her own marks on a platform that is already heavily populated with beautifully sounding Soul-Jazz-Pop female artists. Very delicate arrangements have been transformed live by a competent band in a studio setting. Melissa’s voice dominates the well structured instruments and yet is perfectly integrated with these. The relaxing, exciting sounds and grooves of “No More Mondays” will brighten up grey Mondays and other problem times.

Review Link & Source: Sonic Soul

Album Review - "No More Mondays"
Soul Express (March 2005): www.soulexpress.net

"No More Mondays" contains some real gems...
(Reivew by Ismo Tankanen, Editor of Soul Express)

Early last year Soul Express introduced you to an Australian soul singer, Louise Perryman, whose CD "Whisper My Name" was an amazingly classy album which was even compared to such artists as Phyllis Hyman and Anita Baker. Now I’m happy to introduce another Australian soul singer, MELISSA FORBES, whose CD "No More Mondays" (Kitten Kong Records, 2005, Australia) also contains some real gems.

As a vocalist, Melissa may not be as impressive as Louise Perryman, but at places she reminds me of Angela Bofill, and what is really notable is that Melissa has written most of the best tracks on the CD. My definite favourite cut on the album is a song entitled "Shadows of Love (Love for Sale)", which is an absolutely gorgeous soul ballad with some jazzy Fender Rhodes, trumpet and a strong bass line. The self-written melody also sounds like an instant classic, and "Shadows of Love (Love for Sale)" is a certain inclusion to our Quality Time Top 50 tracks in 2005.

The album opens in a neo-soul-ish fashion, with an interesting combination of D’Angelo’s "Brown Sugar" and the Sonny Burke / Paul Francis Webster-written jazz standard "Black Coffee", a track that demonstrates Melissa’s influences both from soul and jazz music. Other excellent cuts include the stylish ballads "Broken Wings (for Chet)" and "Thinking You Over". The blues-oriented "Blackheart Blues" is a bit too mild to my liking and would need a rootsier interpretation, but I enjoyed Melissa’s reading of the jazz song "You’re My Alter Ego". There is also a rather successful jazz-inclined version of the Michael Jackson smash "Don’t Stop til You Get Enough".

There are no weak tracks on the album, but some of the ballads veer into Norah Jones-ish pop/folk style with little influence from any genre of black music. Anyway, with this CD Melissa has proved that she’s capable of performing top-notch jazzy soul whenever she wishes to do that.

Review Link & Source: Soul Express

Album Review - "No More Mondays"
Midnight Special Blues (March 2005): www.ms-blues.com

Melissa Forbes' Unbelieveable Debut CD
(Review by Paul Bondarovski)

As far as I remember, the last time a debut album of such a perfect artistic quality had been recorded live in the studio, it was on February 11th, 1963 in London, and the artists were the Beatles. And yet they'd already had years of experience. What then to say about yesterday's lawyer Melissa Forbes recording at a stretch her debut album (No More Mondays, 2005) only comparable with the best of Ella, Etta and Aretha altogether?.. Nothing to say. Relax and float downstream...

Review Link & Source: Midnight Special Blues

Song Review - 'As I Sing' from the album "No More Mondays"
International Online Music (18 February 2005): www.dgmpublishing.com

That Oh So Incredible Voice...

This Australian singer/songwriter has an amazing voice! Powerful, like a force of nature and smooth like velvet, the clarity and range of Melissa Forbes will leave an unforgettable and lasting mark on that part of your being that needs to be enriched through the wonder of music. "As I Sing" is a contemporary piece, slow and lovely, that features an accompanying piano, a short and beautiful spot of a violin, and that oh so incredible voice. Here is an artist with quite an interesting story, and certainly an interesting and successful future in store for her.

Song Reviews - 'Broken Wings', 'Thinking You Over' & 'Blackheart Blues' from the album "No More Mondays"
Music Download (February 2005): music.download.com

Editor's Review

When Melissa Forbes abandoned a promising law career to follow her dream of becoming a singer, it paid off in spades. This classy lady's sultry, confident voice is the perfect accompaniment to these vintage-sounding soul-jazz ballads and proof that the world needs more ex-lawyers.

Live Performance Review - CD Launch at Brisbane Powerhouse 5/3/05
Time Off Magazine (March 2005): www.timeoff.com.au

Time Off Magazine reviews Melissa's CD launch at the Brisbane Powerhouse on 5 March 2005. Read the review here.

Live Performance Review - Soundlounge Gig 23/10/04
The Soundlounge (October 2004): www.thesoundlounge.com.au

The Angels of Fab Music were certainly smiling at Melissa Forbes' recent gig at The SoundLounge. Clearly an outstanding writer/performer, Melissa infuses her lyrics with powerful emotion, clarity, relevance and good-humour - truly engaging the audience. In fact, she reminds people of their deep and abiding love of jazz. The players comprising the Melissa Forbes band are a freakishly talented band of merry men and women, who use their ample talent for collective social good, not evil. Audiences everywhere will love the beautifully constructed, sweetly poetic, polished style of music that Melissa and crew have to offer the world. My imagination has been well and truly captured. In the words of Apu Nahassapeemapetalon - 'Thank you, come again.' Spellbinding. Outstanding. Refreshing. All Good. (Review by Ben Treby)

Live Performance Review - Troubadour Gig 29/9/04
Brisbane News (October 2004): www.brisbanenews.com.au

It wasn't quite jazz, it wasn't quite blues, yet it was the best of both and something else again. Her name was Melissa Forbes and she came to play. Aided by super-swift stringman Mark Turner, local girl Melissa floored the intimate crowd at Valley bar The Troubadour recently with an unplugged set of originals that seemed - like the best of Ella, Etta and Aretha - to erupt in the soul and spill from the heart. Catch Melissa (who is working on her debut album) supporting Tyrone Noonan's new jazz outfit Palimpsest at the Currumbin RSL on October 22. For upcoming gigs, keep a watch on her website: www.melissaforbes.com (Review by Trent Dalton)

Melissa @ MySpace

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