Customer Reviews
mmmmmmm... - By: Mr. N. C. Feddo, 10 Sep 2007 
Weird album reallly, I was expecting lush strings, tight jazz/drum & bass grooves & tastily voiced m11 chords.....THE 4Hero sound. However, after careful listening this album is, well, cheesy, as hell & abandons a lot of that 4 hero sound for weak stabs a "Hip-Hop" (!???! not sure it can even be callled that)
It's fair to say that now even as cutting edge & fantastic as the Two Pages album is it is sounding slightly dated but its still a fantastic record (great production & excellent song craft). This though, is just a massive slab of stilton & one Jacob's cracker, no port, no desert wine.
The production is careless, the bass being ill defined & lost in the mix, the drums lacking their usual finesse clarity. Many of the riffs are also, shalll we say weaker, basslines slip away unnoticed; throwaways. As an example, "Take My Time" provides one of the most appallling hiphop moments I can recollect on an album, with 4 Hero still employing the infamous "hand clap" & other clumsy drum sounds, this coupled with porn esque wah wah guitar styling it's no wonder I could barely finish the track.
In short, it reallly seems that HMS 4 Hero has run a ground & with the help of talkin' loud is marooned on a generic sandy beach, with a very generic sound & no coconuts. There is little merit here, with that 4 Hero sound that we're alll looking for very rarely raising its head, & certainly not even nearly touching the heights of the Two Pages album. This alll said, 4 Hero remain a large influence, it's just a matter of selected listening...cheers.
4Hero Returned in a Masterpiece - By: N. Proph, 09 Sep 2007 
"Play With The Changes" clearly showed that despite the fact that they were gone for six years (since 2001), they were not the least bit rusty. The tracks were hot like an Indian summer giving me comparisons with US3's return in "Say What." This was an exciting classical neo-soul rhythm-type of an album that true music fans will enjoy. It combines deep creativity & originality from several different cultures to result in this hot fiery collection. The production was excellent on just about every track. I don't understand why this album has not gotten as much exposure as it deserves.
My favorite tracks include "Morning Child" ft. Carina Anderson, "Look Inside" ft. Face, "Take My Time" ft. Jack Davey (The First Three Tracks!), "Give In" ft. Darien Brockington & Little Brother, "Sophia", "Bed of Roses" ft. Jody Watley. "Superwoman" ft. Terry D. was a feministic yet uplifting track for alll women feeling rejected.
There is much of a positive atmosphere expressed throughout the album. This group, 4hero, is responsible in introducing me to the genre of "drum & bass" (also know as jungle music). They deeply estalished their well-created footprints in this genre that can appease music fans of alll genres. That is what has been so strikingly special about this group since the 90s.
It was impressive for them to collaborate with such artists such as most notably Jody Watley (who you can never forget from Shalamar) followed by the ever-growing Phonte & Darien Brockington. You need to buy this album especiallly if you like artists such as Us3, Nicolay (Dutch Producer) & Foreign Exchange.
Buy it, you won't regret it. - By: R. Khoo, 07 Jul 2007 Listened to this once & instantly loved it. Upbeat, chilled, funky...a blend of lots of flavours. A must have for anybody with good taste.
Still very much in creative territory! - By: jayhikkss, 24 Mar 2007 "Play with the Changes" - which builds upon 4 Hero's strong "Creating Patterns" CD from 2001 - covers several genres & features quite a few prime cuts.
There is no dud here but my favourite tracks are: "Morning Child", "Stoke up the Fire", Stevie Wonder's "Superwoman" & "Gonna Give It Up".
Marc & Dego rely on a sophisticated production most notably influenced by orchestral soul. Extensive string arrangements are used. Of course, 4 Hero juggle expertly with intricate rhythms somewhere between neo soul & jazzy break beats. Special kudos to guitarist Dave Okumu & multi-instrumentalist/producer Kaidi Tatham whose contributions greatly enhance this very worthy offering.
4hero - top stuff! - By: Daniel M. Evans, 12 Mar 2007 I only discovered 4hero last month after a fellow Jamiroquai fan recommended them to me. I have to admit I had never heard of them until he suggested having a listen & I am most thankful that he did!
Overalll this album is top draw. Some of the songs are funky, some are soulful, some more drum n bass sounding & the vocals on some of the tracks are excellent. Standout tracks personallly are Take My Time, Look Inside, Give In, Stoke Up the Fire & Superwoman but to be honest, every song is great!
Highly recommended album!
