Ain’t no soul left in those ole shoes? Hell, no! Read on for your regular fillet of soul releases...
For those who think the well is dry when it comes to quality soul re-issues, you need look no further than VARIOUS ARTISTS Play The Game: The XL and Sounds Of Memphis Story Volume 2 (Kent). With no less than eleven previously unissued tracks this volume picks up from where volume one left off with more quality soul sides dripping with class. None more so than the opening track ‘All In My Mind’ by the heavenly scented voice of George Jackson. Never before released it sounds alarmingly fresh. Elsewhere on this comp you will find funky grooves from the deliciously foxy girl group The Minits, deep southern ballads and exquisite group harmony soul, all sprinkled with some good old Memphis gold dust that should captivate any serious connoisseur of soul.
The near mythical status of Fame studios in Muscle Shoals, American Studios in Memphis and 926 East McLemore Avenue, the home of Stax Records are all well represented on VARIOUS ARTISTS Take Me To The River: A Southern Soul Story 1961-1976 (Kent). It was in these studios where legends were created and race barriers extinguished.
The genre we now know as Southern Soul took the gospel influence from the church to create secular tales full of depth and emotion as perfectly encapsulated by James Carr’s haunting version of ‘Dark End Of The Street’ included here alongside other renowned classics. The over familiarity should not dilute the power and historic value of these recordings and unlike many over-played Motown recordings, time has not dated the sounds contained herein. Repeated listening can never temper the satisfaction to be had from the wholesome, ‘Try A Little Tenderness’ (take 1 is included here for collectors). It is only right this enchanting genre should receive ‘box’ treatment. The only downside with this 3-CD set is the £30+ price. The deluxe booklet should help tempt those with deep pockets and even shorter arms but a fourth CD may have justified the hefty price tag. Chances are soul fans have got most of the material included here already. If not, here is your essential introduction. Indulge.
Otis Redding protégé ARTHUR CONLEY released four albums for Atlantic in the late sixties. Soul Directions (Collectors Choice), his third long player, is something of a find with two tracks co-produced by Redding (who passed away before the album was released), two very strong Dan Penn/Spooner Oldham compositions, three dancers including the sprightly hit, ‘Funky Street’ (check out those handclaps!) and Conley’s moving tribute to his mentor, ‘Otis Sleep On’. In stark contrast, the final album, More Sweet Soul (Collectors Choice) is a poppier affair and pales in comparison. The ill-conceived version of the awful song that is ‘Ob La Di, Ob La a’ is the main offender. The vocal is so uncharacteristically low in the mix as if to purposely avoid any further embarrassment! Conley sounds on more familiar territory with the soulful ballad ‘Is That You Love’ but the rest of the material fails to hit the heights set by the previous album.
The Stax Solo Recordings (Kent) pairs up two under-appreciated soul sirens for one compilation of Stax rarities from VEDA BROWN and JUDY CLAY. Brown was never comfortable with some of the material she was presented with but that didn’t stop her singing with a conviction that disguised her disdain for the subject material (the cheatin’ kind). The recently departed Isaac Hayes, alongside partner David Porter, wrote most of the material sung by the gutsy voiced Clay during the late sixties, highlighting the rich song-writing legacy left behind by the self-proclaimed ‘Black Moses’. But it is Brown who wins the battle of the sisters with more material to choose from. Her sweet voice adorns some deliciously moody, string laden seventies soul on this welcome addition to the Stax catalogue.
Girl group affectionados will already hold the name DARLENE LOVE in high esteem. Her terrificly untamed vocal trill was the dynamite behind many Phil Spector produced ‘Wall of Sound’ thunderbolts from ‘He’s A Rebel’ to the christmas classic “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)”. But there is a lot more to Darlene Love beyond the shadow of Spector as So Much Love: A Darlene Love Anthology 1958-1998 (Ace) successfully acknowledges. The much compiled Northern Soul staple, ‘That’s When The Tears Start’ kicks of this entertaining set of effervescent tracks. Featuring recordings she made with her group the Blossoms alongside solo recordings and other oddities penned by unlikely sources such as Lee Hazlewood and names more synonymous with classic sixties girl group sounds, Goffin & King.
Andy Smith has a refreshing approach to record collecting and DJing. His highly recommended compilations cover all bases of black American music from soul, funk and jazz through to ska, reggae and hip hop. His philosophy is to judge a record on how good it sounds as opposed to its market value. VARIOUS ARTISTS Andy Smith Diggin’ In The BGP Vaults (BGP) is a DJ mix of funky breaks making for a sussed party CD. Check out the insistent driving beat behind rare heavyweight funk anthem ‘Brand New Girl’ by Billy Garner. Harold Mabern’s quirky instrumental cover of the Jackson’s ‘I Want You Back’ is a joy. Meanwhile, Billy Hawks’ mod favourite ‘Oh Baby I Believe I’m Losing You’ is quite simply the definition of cool. With clever mixing and scratching to accentuate the funky breaks and beats, Andy Smith, demonstrates his talent for taking dusty old records and making them sound both modern and vital.
Finally, the present day is well served for fans of funky Hammond organ workouts. Brighton based THE GRITS debut The Grits (Freestyle) takes the deep fried grooves of The Meters and Booker T & The MGs to create a heady brew of original material which sits neatly alongside choice covers (‘Boom Boom’, ‘Tramp’ and ‘Funky Soul Brother’). Catch ‘em live if you get the chance. |
