UK Floor Fillers Vol. 3 - "GET READY" - 20 Blue-Eyed Soul Gems 1966-1971

British music fans loved R&B every bit as much as their American counterparts, perhaps a bit more so -- the British Northern soul community has embraced dozens of great artists who were all but forgotten at home -- and while England may not have had much in the way of authentic soul shouters, that wasn't about to stop rockers with a taste for the stuff from trying to create a credible simulation of the sounds pouring out of Chicago, Detroit, or Memphis. Get Ready: UK Floor Fillers, Vol. 3 is yet another collection from Nick Saloman's Psychic Circle label that gathers 20 rare blue-eyed soul sides recorded in the Green and Pleasant Land between 1966 and 1971, and though this material lacks something in the way of authentic soul, as dance-friendly U.K. pop much of this is infectious fun. There are a couple of Brown-Eyed American expatriates stacked in this deck, including Herbie Goins, a former U.S. G.I. who partnered with a band in London, the Soultimers, and P.P. Arnold, who was an Ikette with the Ike & Tina Turner Revue when Mick Jagger helped her land a solo recording contact with Immediate Records. But for the most part, Get Ready captures the sound of talented R&B fans trying to re-create the sounds of their favorite vocalists, and most come close enough not to embarrass themselves: Graham Bonney's full-bodied cover of "Get Ready" kicks off this disc with style, Barry St. John's version of "Cry Like a Baby" gives it a tough, funky groove that's a far cry from the Box Tops' original, Dave Walton and his studio band do a solid Motown imitation on "Love Ain't What It Used to Be," Los Bravos (of "Black Is Black" fame) come up with a big, swinging sound on "Save Me, Save Me," Bobby Sansom delivers a fine take on Rod Stewart's "Handbags and Gladrags," and some very frantic sax honking drives "Come on Along, Girl" by Ian & the Zodiacs. (Mark Deming, Allmusic)

trax:
1. Get Ready - Graham Bonney 2. Baby I Know - Lee Drummond 3. Cry Like A Baby - Barry St. John 4. Ain't Gonna Wait Forever - The House Of Lords 5. Coming Home To You - Herbie Goins & The Night-Timers 6. Take Your Time - The Swinging Soul Machine 7. I Don't Wanna Hurt You - The Warren Davis Monday Band 8. Honey (I Need Your Love) - The Mighty Dodos 9. Save Me, Save Me - Los Bravos 10. Love Ain't What It Used To Be - Dave Walton 11. I Wanna Make You Understand - Frankie & Johnny 12. Without The One I Love - The Tree Tops 13. Good Lovin' - Harlem Jonns Reshuffle 14. See-Saw - Tony Rich 15. L.O.V.E - Sarolta 16. Come On Along, Girl - Ian & The Zodiacs 17. A Likely Piece Of Work - P.P. Arnold 18. Save Me - Lee Tomlin 19. Have You Ever Had The Blues - Ray Gates 20. Handbags & Gladrags - Bobby Sansom
...served by Gyro1966...

We already posted the Vol 1 (FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2011) "Hide and Seek" A Collection Of British Blue Eyed Soul. I don't know why they didn't already call that UK Floor Fillers, Vol. 1. (maybe they thought about it after the fact?) - Gyro1966