ANA POPOVIC "STILL MAKING HISTORY" Source: Fan Review Date: 08/2007 Writer: John Hurd

I don’t think it would be over dramatic to say this is the most important disc Ana has made to date. It might also be the most important she will ever make in terms of the themes she touches on and how she addresses them.

So how do I start? At the very beginning I guess and in this case that isn’t even the music but the packaging. As befits the very first release on a new label Delta Groove have done a job here that I find hard to fault. I’m human, with the emphasis here on ‘man’ and I’d buy it just on the cover photos alone – a fault I found with the ‘Ana!’ disc was the cover picture. Certainly “Still Making History” will stand out on the blues shelf just by the use of pink alone.

DG have given Ana a logo too, and a booklet with lyrics – and believe me, you will want to look at them because they matter on this disc one whole lot. For artwork & cover 10 out of 10 – take a bow Randy Chortkoff & Co. This booklet is pretty well faultless.

I first saw Ana in the RUF Ladies Night Show in Bonn a couple of years ago and  it was clear even then that she had the potential to produce some classic music.  I even rather expected it.  What I didn’t expect was to hear it so early in her career.

Songs like ‘Hold On’, ‘Between our Worlds’ and the title track are serious topics and Ana covers them well without ever losing sight of the need to groove.  The music never loses out to the message.  There are some very commercial tracks on here too, like  ‘U Complete Me’ and ‘Hungry’ and also, of course, there has to be some glorious blues – like her take of Snooky Prior’s ‘How’d you learn to shake it like that?’ and ‘You don’t move me’.  My favourites though are the slow numbers.  Ana has found a distinctive vocal style – an American/Serbian accent that is unique and that I believe will become her second major musical weapon – aside from that Fender Strat of course!‘Calendars’ and the glorious ‘Doubt everyone but me’ are the CD’s highpoints for me at the moment, but last week it was ‘U complete me (Blues version)’ and that’s the beauty of this release – every track is a winner. 

Quite simply - I can’t believe that Ana Popovic will be announced onstage as “WC Handy Award nominee” much longer. Nominations are for people who come second – this disc comes from a WINNER!