SOLOMON BURKE "Soul Arrives!" 1955-1961

Although he never had a huge commercial hit, Solomon Burke's brand of secular gospel mixed with a touch of country helped set the stage for soul, and at least two of his early-'60s singles for Atlantic Records, "Cry to Me" and "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love," are stone-cold pop-soul classics. Burke made full use of his preacher's background in his material, fundamentally understanding that there was little difference between a pulpit and a center stage microphone as long as you had a crowd out in front, and several of his songs are essentially secularized sermons. This generous 31-track set is drawn from Burke's stay with Apollo Records between 1955 and 1961, and while it aptly shows what Burke can do, arguably his best and signature sides were done when he moved on to his next label, Atlantic Records. (Steve Leggett, Allmusic)

INFO

http://www.allmusic.com/album/soul-arrives!-1955-1961-mw0002471329

trax:

01 Christmas Presents 02 I'm All Alone 03 Why Do Me That Way 04 I'm In Love 05 To Thee 06 No Man Walks Alone 07 Walking In A Dream 08 A Picture Of You 09 You Can Run But You Can't Hide 10 This Is It 11 I Need You Tonight 12 You Are My One Love 13 For You And You Alone 14 Don't Cry 15 They Always Say 16 My Heart Is A Chapel 17 Leave My Kitten Alone 18 Friendship Ring 19 Mama, Mama Dear 20 Doodle De Doo 21 It's All Right 22 This Little Ring 23 I'm Not Afraid 24 You Don't Send Me Anymore 25 Always Together 26 Honk, Honk, Honk Pt 1 27 Honk, Honk, Honk Pt 2 28 Keep The Magic Working 29 How Many Times 30 Just Out Of Reach 31 Be Bop Grandma

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"The Madness Invasion" Vol. 2 - 1988

One of my favorite songs when I was a kid was the Crestones Bad Motorcycle, the 45 I had is long gone, but this sounds pretty good! Thanks, man, VROOOOM! - MuckinfugglyI wonder if all those cars on the overpass are running off the sides because they're afraid of the fifty-feet-tall woman, or are they spending too much time looking up her mini-skirt... - O.B. Dantraxfromwax:

1. The Elite - One Potato 2. The Loafers - Crazy Talk (1959) 3. Phil Johns & The Lonely Ones - Ballad Of A Juvenile Delinquent (1960) 4. The Statesmen: Roo-Buh-Doo-Buh-Doo 5. Hollywood Flames - Frankenstein's Den 6. The Crestones - She's A Bad Motorcycle 7. Kip Tyler - Rumble Rock (1958) 8. Curley & The Jades - Boom Stix 9. Round Robin' - I'm The Wolf Man 10. Drag Kings - Midnight Drag Of Paul Revere 11. Jerry Neal - I Hates Rabbits (1958) 12. Crazy Crickets - Expressway 13. Joe Cota - Creep-A-Con-Rock 14. Billy Taylor & The Tear Drops - Wombie Zombie (1959) 15. The Roxsters - Goodbye Baby (1958) 16. Tommy Falcone & The Centuries - Like Weird

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Del Shannon "Home and Away" 1967

As if to say hey, don’t forget about me, there’s even a remade version of Del Shannon’s big 1961 No. 1 hit single, called “Runaway ’67.” Not only is it slowed down but it’s without Max Crook’s Musitron — the original song’s hook. There’s no other instrument to replace that original song’s lead break.
All-star musicians for these sessions include Nicholls, Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones, Twice As Much, P.P. Arnold, session drummer Andy White, Nicky Hopkins, and the Small Faces’ Steve Marriott. Amongst the bonus tracks are both the UK and US singles (“Led Along,” “Mind Over Matter,” “Runaway ’67,” “He Cheated”) in mono, plus an additional rare mono version of “Silently.” (Steve Elliott, Something Else Reviews)This was an ambitious album for both Del Shannon, and for producer Andrew Loog Oldham. The goal was to make a UK Pet Sounds of sorts, with Del in the guise of Brian Wilson — but the album was shelved by Del’s record label Liberty Records back in ’67.
I’m not so sure they achieved that entirely here but, it is both a delightful and completely new direction for the former hitmaker and great rock ‘n’ roller to have taken. I’d say it’s a lot more akin to Billy Nicholls’ superb 1968 album Would You Believe than Pet Sounds.
Now Sounds’ reissue from last year was the first time all of the tracks have been assembled to recreate the original unreleased album. Nicholls actually contributes a couple of songs (“Cut and Come again,” “Led along,” “Friendly with you”) and they greatly aid the overall album. The Motownish “My Love has gone” is a lovely mid-tempo tune displaying Del’s high end vocal range. “Life is But Nothing” and “Silently” perhaps come the closest to that Pet Sounds sound which Oldham — famous as the Rolling Stones manager, and also president of Immediate Records — was trying to achieve for Del Shannon. “Mind Over Matter” could’ve scraped the Top 40.
INFO: http://somethingelsereviews.com/2013/04/19/del-shannon-home-and-away-1967-2012-reissue/trax:

01 It's My Feeling 02 Mind Over Matter 03 Silently 04 Cut And Come Again 05 My Love Has Gone 06 Led Along 07 Life Is But Nothing 08 Easy To Say, Easy To Do 09 Friendly With You 10 He Cheated 11 Runaway '67 12 Led Along (Mono Version) 13 Mind Over Matter (Mono Version) 14 Runaway '67 (_Live_ Overdub Mono Version) 15 He Cheated (Mono Version) 16 Silently (Mono Version)

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Solomon Burke "The Electronic Magnetism" '71

An album of stunning beauty, and one of Solomon's best-ever! He's recording here in a vein that's more in keeping with the smoother Southern soul sound that began to dominate later in the generation – with weeping guitars, soaring strings, and smooth keyboards – and the sound is a perfect accompaniment to Solomon's raspy voice, and actually brings out a lot more soul than his rootsier recordings. The title cut is a stunning love song that taps into the natural force of magnetism, and which shows that Solomon hasn't lost an ounce of his talent. Other cuts include "Stand", "No Man Walks Alone", "Bridge Of Life", and his weird medley of Elton John tracks, called "Three Psalms of Elton". (Cover has a small stain in the bottom right corner, and a DJ sticker on the back.)  © 1996-2015, Dusty Groove, Inc.trax:

01 The Electronic Magnetism 02 Three Psalms Of Elton 03 You Can Run But You Can't Hide 04 All For The Love Of Sunshine 05 Bridge Of Life 06 Together We'll Light Up The Wo 07 Stand 08 PSR 1983 09 Lookin' Out My Back Door 10 No Man Walks Alone 11 J.C. I Know Who You Are

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Solomon Burke "Home in Your Heart" The Best of Solomon Burke 1992

Of the great stars of the 1960s soul movement, Solomon Burke isn't as well-remembered as many of his peers, most likely because he had relatively minor success in the crossover marketplace (never scoring a Top 20 pop hit), and he faded from view on the R&B charts by the early '70s. But if Burke's impact was somewhat narrow, it was also quite deep; he was hugely popular in the deep south, a potent live attraction across the country, and (after Ray Charles) one of the first major attractions at Atlantic Records, who helped define the label's signature polished-but-deeply soulful sound. Burke also had, quite simply, one of the finest voices in popular music, a rich and resonant instrument that possessed a churchy authority that was the ideal match for his material, which balanced the pleasures of the flesh with the price of transgression. While Burke made solid albums after leaving Atlantic, his tenure at that label remains his strongest and most rewarding period, and Home in Your Heart: The Best of Solomon Burke is a superbly compiled and annotated two-disc set that cherrypicks 40 superb selections from Burke's Atlantic archive, including the epochal "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love," "Just out of Reach (Of My Two Empty Arms)," "Cry to Me," "The Price," "If You Need Me," and many more. Someday, some archivist should go through Burke's long out-of-print sides for MGM, Bell, Chess, Dunhill, and other labels and create a compilation that will fill in the gaps of Burke's "lost years" before his re-emergence in the mid-'80s, but for the meantime Home in Your Heart: The Best of Solomon Burke remains the best place to start exploring his body of work, and it's a remarkable collection of Southern soul at its finest. (mark Deming, Allmusic)

trax disc 1:

01 home in your heart 02 down in the valley 03 looking for my baby 04 i'm hanging up my heart for you 05 cry to me 06 just out of reach 07 goodbye baby 08 words 09 stupidity 10 can't nobody love you 11 go on back to him 12 baby, i wanna be loved 13 can't nobody love you 14 got to get you off my mind 15 someone to love me 16 you're good for me 17 dance, dance, dance 18 everybody needs somebody to love 19 tonight's the night 20 baby, come on home 21 if you need me 22 the price

trax disc 2:

01 get out of my life woman 02 save it 03 take me (just as i am) 04 when she touches me (nothing else matters) 05 i wish i knew (how it would feel to be free) 06 party people 07 keep a light in the window 08 i feel a sin coming on 09 meet me in church 10 someone is watching 11 detroit city 12 shame on me 13 i stayed away too long 14 it's just a matter of time 15 since i met you baby 16 time is a thief 17 woman, how do you make me love you like i do 18 it's been a change 19 what'd i say

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"Elvis Inspiration" Vol. 2

Forty original recordings that inspired Elvis Presley. The songs he made famous.trax disc 1:

1. Shake Rattle & Roll - Big Joe Turner 2. My Happiness Ella Fitzgerald with - The Song Spinners 3. Baby Let's Play House - Arthur Gunter 4. Harbor Lights - Sammy Kaye & His Orchestra Feat. Tony Alamo & The Kaydets 5. Hearts Of Stone - The Jewels 6. I'll Never Stand In Your Way - Joni James 7. Shake A Hand - Faye Adams 8. Love Me - Jimmie Rodgers Snow & His Tennessee Playboys 9. Sentimental Me - The Ames Brothers 10. I'm Gonna Bid My Blues Goodbye - Hank Snow 11. Pledging My Love - Johnny Ace with The Johnny Otis Orchestra 12. How Do You Think I Feel - Red Sovine 13. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry (Over You) - Roy Hamilton 14. I Really Don't Want To Know - Eddy Arnold 15. Reconsider Baby - Lowell Fulson 16. I'll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin') - Gene Autry 17. Tomorrow Night - Lavern Baker & The Gliders 18. Tomorrow Never Comes - Ernest Tubb 19. Are You Lonesome Tonight? - Don Cornell (With Hugo Winterhalter Orchestra) 20. White Christmas - The Drifters

trax disc 2:

1. Good Rockin' Tonight - Roy Brown with Bob Ogden's Orchestra 2. Aura Lee - The Shelton Brothers 3. I Feel So Bad - Chuck Willis 4. How's The World Treating You - Eddy Arnold 5. Tweedle Dee - Lavern Baker & The Gliders 6. There's No Tomorrow - Tony Martin 7. Love Me - Willy And Ruth 8. Have I Told You Lately That I Love You? - Red Foley with Roy Ross & His Ramblers 9. Tryin' To Get To You - The Eagles 10. Little Cabin Home On The Hill - Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys 11. I'm 10,000 Years Old - Brownie Mc Ghee & His Jook Block Busters 12. Beyond The Reef - Margaret Whiting & Jimmy Wakely 13. When The Swallows Come Back To Capistrano - Billy Ward & The Dominoes 14. When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again - Wiley Walker & Gene Sullivan 15. Love My Baby - Little Junior's Blue Flames (Junior Parker) 16. Hurt - Roy Hamilton 17. Are You Lonesome Tonight? - The Red Caps 18. Hound Dog - Freddie Bell & The Bellboys 19. It's A Sin To Tell A Lie - The Ink Spots 20. Here Comes Santa Clause - Gene Autry

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Solomon Burke "No Man Walks Alone" 1955-1957 (2008)

16 tracks recorded between 1955 and 1957 for Apollo in New York by the legendary soul singer, Solomon Burke, accompanied by Howard Biggs and his Orchestra. Tracks include "When I'm All Alone", "Walking in a Dream", "You Can Run But You Can't Hide" and "You Are My One Love."Personnel:

Solomon Burke - (vocals) with Howard Biggs and his Orchestra featuring King Curtis - (tenor saxophone), Mickey Baker - (guitar) and others

trax:

01 christmas presents from heaven 02 when i'm all alone 03 i'm in love 04 why do me that way? 05 to thee 06 no man walks alone 07 walking in a dream 08 you can run but you can't hide 09 a picture of you 10 i need you tonight 11 this is it 12 my heart is a chapel 13 for you and you alone 14 you are my one love 15 they always say 16 don't cry

...Many Thanks To Jillem For The Share! served by Gyro1966...

"Elvis Inspiration" Vol. 1

Forty original recordings that inspired Elvis Presley. The songs he made famous.trax disc 1:

1. That's All Right - Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup 2. That's When Your Heartaches Begin - The Ink Spots 3. Blue Moon Of Kentucky - Bill Monroe 4. I Love You Because - Leon Payne 5. Ther's Good Rockin Tonight - Wynonie Harris 6. Fool Fool Fool - The Clovers 7. I'll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin') - Jimmy Wakely 8. Just Because - Shelton Brothers 9. Milk Cow Blues Boogie - Kokomo Arnold 10. Tomorrow Night - Lonnie Johnson 11. I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine - Dean Martin 12. It's A Sin - Ivory Joe Hunter 13. When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again - Eddy Arnold 14. My Baby Left Me - Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup 15. Money Honey - The Drifters 16. A Fool Such As I - Hank Snow 17. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry - Hank Williams 18. Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho - The Golden Gate Quartet 19. Milky White Way - The Trumpeteers 20. Blue Christmas - Ernest Tubb

trax disc 2:

1. So Glad You're Mine - Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup 2. I Need You So - Ivory Joe Hunter 3. Your Cheatin' Heart - Hank Williams 4. I'm Moving On - Hank Snow 5. Hound Dog - Big Mama Thornton 6. Lawdy Miss Clawdy - Lloyd Price 7. Faded Love - Bob Wills 8. It's A Sin - Eddy Arnold 9. Rags To Riches - Billy Ward & The Dominoes 10. Such A Night - The Drifters 11. Tiger Man (King Of The Jungle) - Rufus Thomas 12. Mystery Train - Little Junior Parker 13. I Will Be Home Again - The Golden Gate Quartet 14. Run On For A Long Time - Bill Landford And The Landfordaires 15. Old Shep - Red Foley 16. Milk Cow Blues Boogie - Johnnie Lee Wills & His Boys 17. Crying In The Chapel - Sonny Til & The Orioles 18. Swing Down Sweet Chariot - The Golden Gate Quartet 19. I'll Hold You In My Heart - Eddy Arnold 20. I'll Be Home For Christmas - The Pilgrim Travellers

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Tav Falco & The Unapproachable Panther Burns "Conjurations: Seance For Deranged Lovers" 2010

It's been 11 years since Tav Falco and Panther Burns have released an album of new material (the last was 2000's Panther Phobia). Falco has been busy, working as a film producer, director, and actor; studying the tango and becoming a dancer; re-forming the band for festival appearances in Europe and the United States, and becoming the author of Ghost Behind the Sun: Splendor, Enigma & Death (Mondo Memphis, Vol. 1), a musical history of the city from the Civil War to the present. All of this, of course, makes Conjurations: Seance for Deranged Lovers, a special occasion. The lineup, a quintet, features a slew of guitars, from baritone and bass to slide and electric six-strings, plus percussion. There is a trio of guests playing piano and harpsichord, bandoneon, and cello as well. Recorded at Section Musicale on the Saint-Germain-des-Prais in Paris, musically Conjurations is the most ambitious recording in Falco's career. This doesn't mean it's "progressive" in any way. Falco's unique, even trademark meld of theatrical personas and styles here -- from blues, rockabilly, tango, chanson, swing and decadent cabaret balladry to mid-20th century rock & roll -- are all distinctly rooted in Memphis. The album plays like a suite, which makes for sometimes jarring transitions: the jangly, midtempo rock balladry of "Ballad of the Rue de la Lune" to the downright nasty distortion blues of "Sympathy of Mata Hari" -- the album's first two cuts -- are one example, but even more so are the lilting, cinematic "Chamber of Desire," driven by Falco's guitar and a harpsichord with the dirty-assed slide guitar madness of "Administrator Blues." Elsewhere, the elegantly ragged "Budapest" bridges two tangos: "Tango Fatale" and "Secret Rendezvous," both marrying the influence of Astor Piazzolla's bandoneon and Carlos Gardel's singing style to film noirish American blues. The grimy harpsichord psychedelia of "Garden of the Medicis" is simply startling as it moves from rocker to uptempo waltz. Falco saves the best for nearly last, however, with the Link Wray-esque, swaggering, decadent rocker "Gentleman in Black," which eclipses into "The Phantôme Demoiselle" -- which channels Johnny Cash at Sun Studios -- before closing it all out with what can only be called a Memphis tango in "Conjuration of Masques." Falco's lyrics have to be heard to be believed, and are as engaging as his brilliant track annotations in the booklet. While better sounding -- sonically -- than any Panther Burns offering in the past, Conjurations is also one of the very best. (Thom Jurek, Allmusic)

trax:

01 Ballad of the Rue de la Lune 02 Sympathy for Mata Hari 03 Chamber of Desire 04 Administrator Blues 05 Tango Fatale 06 Budapest 07 Secret Rendez-vous 08 Garden of the Medics 09 Lady from Shanghai 10 Gentleman in Black 11 Phantome Demoiselle 12 Conjuration of Masques 13 Real Cool Trash

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Solomon Burke "Proud Mary" - The Bell Sessions 1969-70

I first discovered Solomon Burke from Nick Honrby's novel "High Fidelity." In the novel, a Burke song "Why Can't We Stay Together" features prominently and since main character Rob has such a breadth of knowledge about music, I sought it out hoping to discover something new. This track can be found on Burke's "Definition Of Soul" album which has a 70's/Al Green kind of vibe to it. It's a swell song, and that album is quite good, worth owning, but it in no way prepared me for the power, and genius, and purity of purpose in "The Bell Sessions," which I've been listening to over and over and over for a few weeks now.
The back of the CD has liner notes by John Foggarty who writes that he feels Burke's recording of "Proud Mary" is definitive - that no one before had ever captured the true essence of the song as Burke did... and he's right. For the first time, I actually listened to, and heard the lyrics of this American classic. It's also the first version I've ever heard to completely erase my memory of Tina Turner's bravura rendition.
Burke has a preacher's background, so his sound is steeped in the Gospel tradition which seems the likely source for his greatest gifts - drama, pacing, and rhythm. The man knows how to build a song from the ground up. He starts slowly, gradually sucks you in, and then gives you the release you're begging for, while beautifully serving the lyric the whole way through. No song demonstrates this better than Track #6, "That Lucky Ol' Sun." In the liner notes Foggarty singles out this tune, and boy is he right. Discover this brilliant recording for yourself before some insurance company or The Gap puts it in an ad sure to give goose-bumps. After listening to Burke's version over and over, I was surprised to stumble on it in other parts of my record collection. Ray Charles does it. So does Johnny Cash on his newest "American Legend III." Obviously I'd heard the song before but I'd never heard the song. Classic doesn't even come close to describing it.
"The Bell Sessions" is made up of two distinct albums, and there's a decided shift in sound mid-way through from a stripped down, more acoustic sound to more fully produced tracks complete with enormous gospel chorus. However both styles work wonderfully - it's impossible to choose a preference. Among the fine tracks in the later half, "Generation of Revelations" will have you dancing around your living room.
Why Burke's work in this era isn't better known is a mystery to me. While you could never actually equal the thrill of discovering Aretha Franklin for the first time, listening to the "The Bell Sessions" will be its own kind of revelation. A classic. (The Soul Digger)trax:

01 Proud Mary 02 These Arms Of Mine 03 I'll Be Doggone 04 How Big A Fool (Can A Fool Be) 05 Don't Wait To Long 06 That Lucky Old Sun 07 Uptight Good Woman 08 I Can't Stop 09 Please Send Me Someone To Love 10 What Am I Living For 11 She Thinks I Still Care 12 I'm Gonna Stay Right Here 13 The Generation Of Revelations 14 In The Ghetto 15 God Knows I Love You 16 The Mighty Quinn 17 A Change Is Gonna Come

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William Bell "Wow… / Bound To Happen" 1969-1971

In 1997, Fantasy combined two of William Bell's classic Stax albums, Wow... and Bound to Happen, on a single CD. The albums found the soul man in two notably different settings. The last Bell album that was produced by organist Booker T. Jones, Bound to Happen is a Memphis-oriented treasure boasting a number of songs that should have been major hits but weren't, including the sweaty "All God's Children Got Soul" and a magnificent remake of Albert King's "Born Under a Bad Sign." And under Jones, Bell shows us how well Sly & the Family Stone's "Everyday People" works in a Memphis soul setting. Wow..., meanwhile, marked the first time Bell didn't record in Memphis. Instead, he recorded in Muscle Shoals, AL under Stax's Al Bell and went for a consistently sleeker sound and more of a Northern soul orientation. Wow... isn't quite as strong as Bound to Happen, but it does have its share of impressive material, including "Penny for Your Thoughts" and the hit "I Forgot to Be Your Lover." As it turned out, that sleeker approach would be a primary direction for Bell in the '70s. (Allmusic)

trax:

01 i can't make it (all by myself) 02 till my back ain't got no bone 03 all for the love of a woman 04 my door is always open 05 a penny for your thoughts 06 you'll want diamonds 07 winding, winding road 08 somebody's gonna get hurt 09 i forgot to be your lover 10 i'll be home 11 western union man 12 my whole world is falling down 13 everyday people 14 johnny, i love you 15 all god's children got soul 16 happy 17 by the time i get to phoenix 18 bring the curtain down 19 a smile can't hide (a broken heart) 20 born under a bad sign 21 i got a sure thing

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Famous L. Renfroe as The Flying Sweet Angel Of Joy "Children" 2008

“A long time ago I used to hear spiritual singers singing beautiful songs and I wanted to be a singer too. I first started my musical career by singing in small local groups in my hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. In the year 1968 I came to Seattle and started singing with local groups, but failed to find one that was stable enough to record (with) so I decided to cut an album by myself. The music was written and produced by myself who except for the drum parts, done the entire record.” – Famous L. RenfroeThe above quote is the only known context for this incredible, singular, album by Famous L. Renfroe or, as he dubbed himself, The Flying Sweet Angel of Joy. 1968’s Children was reissued in 2008 courtesy of Fat Possum Records, but the details of the album’s original release and reception remain scant.DIY in approach, there is a homespun, ramshackle fidelity to Children, thanks in no small part to Renfroe essentially performing the entirety of the record by himself. Renfroe’s earnest, gospel delivery comes through in both his singing and his playing and the, presumably, one-take nature of the album really hits home. What’s more, is that Renfroe effortlessly blends his gospel inspiration with a stew of American roots music, resulting in a record that is at once gospel, blues, soul and funk.

As openers go, “Introduction” truly lives up to its title, as it riffs on the aforementioned genres and finds Renfroe declaring himself “The Flying Angel of Joy” who will “fly, fly, into your heart.” “Children” is a slower, more meditative gospel, carried along by wordless humming, while “Believe” rides a funky guitar rhythm, accented by lo-fi, almost tin can-like drums. “It’s So” – a bluesy instrumental with some real vampy guitar – is probably the funkiest cut on here, while other tracks lock into repetitive hymn-like grooves, and create a kind of hypnotic experience akin to attending a revival. It’s at time hard to believe Renfroe actually recorded all the backing vocals himself, as they vary so greatly in pitch and tone — some of the voices truly sound female. Not only is there no proof to the contrary, but each track finds Renfroe delivering such dramatically different lead vocals that it could just as well be true.

Children is one of those singular gems of idiosyncrasy and naturalism, a seamless blend of American form, which we tend to worship. But, as Renfroe would say, “tell it to Jesus…” words / c depasquale

(http://www.aquariumdrunkard.com/2014/05/20/famous-l-renfroe-children/)

trax:

01 Introduction 02 Children 03 Believe 04 Feed 05 Reaching 06 It's So 07 Why Not I 08 And Man 09 His Love 10 Circle 11 War 12 Tell

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Solomon Burke "That's Heavy Baby" The Best Of The MGM Years 1971-1973 (2005)

Raven's That's Heavy Baby gathers 22 Solomon Burke rarities he recorded for MGM between 1971 and 1973, following his career-defining soul hits for Atlantic in the '60s. During his brief stint with the label, Burke produced two enjoyable soul/gospel/country-inspired albums, Electronic Magnetism and We're Almost Home, plus contributed a few songs to the soundtrack of the blaxploitation film Cool Breeze. The majority of these cuts maintain a consistently high performance level with the exception of three insipid cover versions from Electronic Magnetism. The problem with Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Lookin' out My Back Door," Sly Stone's "Stand," and especially, "Three Psalms of Elton: Your Song/Border Song/Take Me to the Pilot" has nothing to do with the material or Solomon Burke's performance, but with the flashy arrangements drenched in background vocals. Imagine former Osmonds producer and onetime MGM head honcho Mike Curb behind the controls of a Stax record; not even Solomon Burke's commanding, booming delivery could rise above such garishness. Luckily, the remaining material is decent, as are the rare singles from the period: "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down," "Georgia up North," and "Here Comes the Train." That's Heavy Baby is a welcome retrospective of scarce material from this deep soul master. (Allmusic)

trax:

01 the electronic magnetism (that's heavy baby) 02 three psalms of elton: your song / border song / take me to the pilot 03 you can run but you can't hide 04 stand 05 bridge of life 06 psr 1983 07 lookin' out my back door 08 j.c. i know who you are 09 the night they drove old dixie down 10 get up and do something for yourself 11 love's street and fool's road 12 it must be love 13 then i want to come home (vocal) 14 we're almost home 15 i've got to do my own thing 16 drown in my own tears 17 everybody wants to fall in love 18 i can't stop loving you 19 sweet, sweet reason 20 misty 21 georgia up north 22 here comes the train

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"The Madness Invasion" Vol. 1 - 1987

Now I've been invaded by madness. Cheers Paul16 Strange and bizarro pieces from the trash can: Stupid Noises And Amazing Cuts from late 50s & early 60s!trax:

1. Dinks - Nina-Kocka-Nina 2. Wild Tones - Shut-Ups 3. Archie King - The Vampire 4. Caps - Three Little Pigniks (1959) 5. Tabbys - Hong Kong Baby 6. Hollywood Flames - Strollin' On The Beach 7. Swanks - Ghost Train 8. Hugh Barrett - There Was A Fungus Among Us (1961) 9. Invasion - The Invasion Is Coming 10. Invaders - Cat's Eyes 11. Sonny Russell - 50 Megatons (1963) 12. Tony Butala - Long Black Stockings 13. Red Hot Russell - Pedro Joe (1958) 14. Mackey Beers - That Jim (1962) 15. Neal Scott - Go Bohemian 16. Rialtos - Like Thunder

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Solomon Burke "The Very Best of Solomon Burke" 1998

The Very Best of Solomon Burke is an excellent 16-track collection that features his biggest hits from 1961-1968, including "Just Out of Reach (Of My Two Open Arms)," "Cry to Me," "Down in the Valley," "I'm Hanging Up My Heart for You," "If You Need Me," "You're Good for Me," "Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye)," and "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love." All of his best-known songs in their hit versions are available on this concise, affordable disc, not always in strict release order but still an education in and of themselves -- the tracks all come from the first generation original single masters, many of which were remixed or even shunted aside in favor of re-recorded versions for his albums during the 1960s, including his greatest-hits and best-of collections. The producers spent the time to track down those long-unused and forgotten originals for this, their first authentic representation on CD. Additionally, the 16th song is a true diamond among the R&B treasures here -- the June 1968 single "Soul Meeting" cut by the Soul Clan, which consisted of Burke, Arthur Conley, Don Covay, Ben E. King, and Joe Tex, the super-session product of a short-lived experiment in raising money for the black community. This is the only appearance of this Don Covay-authored track on CD, and makes this release essential even for those who already own the 1992 double-CD set Home In Your Heart. (Allmusic)

trax:

01 just out of reach (of my two open arms) 02 cry to me 03 down in the valley 04 i'm hanging up my heart for you 05 if you need me 06 can't nobody love me 07 you're good for me 08 goodbye baby (baby goodbye) 09 everybody needs someone to love 10 the price 11 got to get you off my mind 12 tonight's the night 13 someone is watching 14 take me (just as i am) 15 i wish i knew (how it would feel to be free) 16 soul meeting (the soul clan)

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"Walk On The Wild Side" The Jazz Side Of Mod

Whether you want to relive the excitement of clubs like the Flamingo, the Twisted Wheel or the Marquee, remember what it was like to enjoy an early-morning cappuccino in a Soho espresso bar or simply get yourself in the groove, The Jazz Side Of Mod will effortlessly take you back to the sounds and the times of that long-gone but still fondly remembered MOD era. (The Guardian)Walk on the Wild Side: The Jazz Side of Mod gathers 32 tracks recorded primarily between 1960 and 1962. Although R&B ravers Booker T. & the MG's and Bill Doggett show up, and there are a couple of cuts that have a bit of splashy Hollywood swing to them, this is primarily grooving soul-jazz from the likes of Jimmy Smith, King Curtis, Herbie Hancock, Jimmy McGriff, and Brother Jack McDuff, music that makes for a cool swinging party. (Allmusic)

trax disc 1:
1. Walk On The Wild Side - Jimmy Smith 2. Low Down - King Curtis 3. Watermelon Man - Herbie Hancock 4. Swingin' Machine - Mose Allison 5. All About My Girl - Jimmy McGriff 6. He's A Real Gone Guy - Brother Jack McDuff 7. Work Song - Oscar Brown Jr. 8. Blues Walk - Herbie Mann 9. Strange Meeting - Kenny Clarke|Francy Boland 10. Somebody Loves Me - Jimmy Smith 11. Romesville - Googie Rene 12. Black Orpheus - Wayne Shorter 13. Comin' Home Baby - Mel Tormé 14. Flap Jack - Noble "Thin Man" Watts 15. Why Don't You Do Right? - Mark Murphy 16. Boogie Bossa Nova - Quincy Jones & His Orchestra
trax disc 2:
1. Soul Bossa Nova - Quincy Jones & His Orchestra 2. Rebecca - Googie Rene 3. I've Got A Woman (Part 1) - Jimmy McGriff 4. The Madison Time - Ray Bryant Combo 5. Mr. Kicks - Oscar Brown Jr. 6. B.N. Blues - Herbie Mann 7. Right Now - Mel Tormé 8. Parchman Farm - Mose Allison 9. Something Frantic - King Curtis 10. Mo' Onions - Booker T. & The MG's 11. Samba De Orfeu - Charlie Rouse 12. Money's Gettin' Cheaper - Jimmy Witherspoon 13. Hot Tamales Noble - "Thin Man" Watts 14. You're The Boss - LaVern Baker & Jimmy Ricks 15. Screamin' - Brother Jack McDuff 16. Stop That Twistin' In Here - Bill Doggett
...served by Gyro1966...

"Bob Crewe Presents The DynoVoice Story" 1965-1968

Crewe objected to the unauthorized use of his face on the cover of this anthology of his Dynovoice label, so the two-CD set was withdrawn. After initial shipments went out, it became very hard to find and now fetches high prices on the secondary market.Bob Crewe -- label owner, performing artist, songwriter, and producer -- ranks with Phil Spector among the great Svengalis of '60s pop. The two-disc set Bob Crewe Presents the Dynovoice Story takes an extended look at his DynoVox, DynoVoice, and New Voice labels. Subtitled "The Label That Had to Happen!" and bearing a photo of Crewe's smiling face on the cover (looking a bit like Robert Redford), the collection rounds up 56 recordings by two dozen or so artists, including a number of hits (the Toys' "A Lover's Concerto," Eddie Rambeau's "Concrete and Clay," the Bob Crewe Generation's "Music to Watch Girls By") and many, many rarities. In fact, rarities tend to be the focus since some of the artists are not represented by their hits. Crewe and his fellow Four Seasons, Bob Gaudio and Charles Calello, are all over these productions. Girl group sides tend to arouse particular interest among collectors, and there are a number of such recordings here, from actual groups (the Toys, the Hi-Fashions, the Beach Girls aka the Rag Dolls) and soloists who worked in a faux-girl group style (Diane Renay, Jessica James, Jeanne Thomas). The girl group sound dominates the first disc while the late-'60s rock of Mitch Ryder and the Chicago Loop reigns on the second disc. The collection features lengthy notes and mastering from the original tapes wherever possible, and is a superlative retrospective. Unfortunately, shortly after its release, Crewe raised objections to the use of his name and photo on the cover and Westside withdrew the compilation, creating an instant collector's item. (Greg Adams, Allmusic)

trax disc 1:

1. a lover's concerto - The Toys 2. this night - The Toys 3. ski-ing in the snow - The Beach Girls 4. concrete & clay - Eddie Rambeau 5. soupy - Maggie Thrett 6. hallelujah - The Invitations 7. written on the wall - The Invitations 8. look for the rainbow - Eddie Rambeau 9. what's wrong with me baby - The Invitations 10. why did my baby turn bad - The Invitations 11. the train - Eddie Rambeau 12. billy knows - The Hi-Fashions 13. give her up (baby) - Jessica James & The Outlaws 14. come closer - Jessica James & The Outlaws 15. attack - The Toys 16. see how they run - The Toys 17. baby's gone - The Toys 18. the company you keep - Diane Renay 19. words - Diane Renay 20. happy birthday broken heart - Diane Renay 21. life of the party - Jean Thomas 22. too good to be bad - Jean Thomas 23. please stay with me - Charlotte & Emily 24. walkin' my cat named dog - Norma Tanega 25. skiing in the snow - The Invitations 26. may my heart be cast into stone - The Toys 27. on backstreet - The Toys 28. can't get enough of you baby - The Toys 29. silver spoon - The Toys 30. baby toys - The Toys

trax disc 2:

1. Jenny Take A Ride - Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Whee 2. The Slow Fizz - The Motivations 3. Little Latin Lupe Lu - Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels 4. I Hope - Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels 5. we'll be makin' out - Bob Gaudio 6. Thinkin' About You Baby - Eddie Rambeau 7. Down - Billie Dearborn 8. I'm Not A Fool - The Sky 9. (When She Needs Good Lovin') My Baby Comes To Me - The Chicago Loop 10. Love, Love My Friend - George McCannon III 11. music to watch girl's go by - The Bob Crew Generation 12. Time Marches On - Lainie Hill 13. Isn't It Just A Shame - Kenny Wells 14. Bread - Norma Tanega 15. if you loved me baby - Duff Thurmond 16. Medley: Devil With A Blue Dress On/Good Golly Miss Molly - Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels 17. Warm Smoke - Peter Antell 18. Down By - George 'n' Sonny Sands 19. Sock It To Me Baby - Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels 20. Run, On The Run - Norma Tanega 21. One Grain Of Sand - Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels 22. What Now My Love (El Maintenant) - Mitch Ryder 23. Blessing In Disguise - Mitch Ryder 24. The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore) - The Little Bits (Feat. Karyl Mann) 25. The Feeling Of Love - The Little Bits (Feat. Karyl Mann) 26. Mushroom City - JImmy Williams 27. Barbarella - The Glitterhouse

...Many Thanks to The Northern Madman for the share! served by Gyro1966...

Bill Haney's Atlanta Soul Brotherhood - Vol. 2

This second CD devoted to Bill Haney’s output, is further proof that Haney really knew what he was about in the studio. Featuring tracks from early R&B flavoured releases to an almost uptown sound, this compilation again mixes singles on Haney’s own label Chant with items he leased to other independents.This second volume in the Bill Haney set of CDs features another very tasty batch of rare soul from the Atlanta scene of the late 60s – one of the lesser-documented local soul regions of the 60s. The set features a number of rare singles from the Chant label, plus a huge amount of previously unissued stuff produced by Haney and Down South Productions. Titles include "Why'd You Have To Make My Little Girl Cry" by Charlie Thomas, "You'll Lose Your Love" by Randolph Walker, "I'm A Lonely Man" by Bobby Wilburn, "I've Been Blessed" by Joe Graham, "He'll Have To Go" by Al Christian, "You Ain't For Real" by Arthur Alexander, "My Mary My Life" by Joe Graham, "Something I Never Had" by Jerry Woodard, and "Wasting My Life Loving You" by Milton Marlin. 25 cuts in all!  © 1996-2015, Dusty Groove, Inc.

Bill Haney: producer, label owner and all-around entrepreneur and all repertoire featured originates from Bill Haney’s Down South Productions and Chant Records.

See more at: http://acerecords.co.uk/bill-haneys-atlanta-southern-soul-brotherhood-2#sthash.WEiJAWf4.dpuf

trax:

1. I'm A Happy Man - Joe Graham 2. I'm A Lonely Man - Bobby Wilburn 3. Pride And Soul - Randolph Walker 4. Achin' All Over - Gary Allen 5. A Woman Can't Do What A Man Do - Dino & Doc 6. I've Been Blessed - Joe Graham 7. Miss Jackson's Daughter - Randolph Walke 8. Bring It On Home To Me - Al Christian 9. Wasting My Life Loving You - Milton Marlin 10. Something I Never Had - Jerry Woodard 11. You'll Lose Your Love - Randolph Walke 12. He'll Have To Go - Al Christian 13. You Ain't For Real - Arthur Alexander 14. You Got Love - Jarvis Jackson 15. Love Is Sure - Dino & Doc 16. Show Me - Jarvis Jackson 17. Got To Get To Know You - Brenda Duff 18. 40 Love Street - Randolph Walker 19. Mighty Cold Winter - Dino & Doc 20. I Love Her More - Randolph Walker 21. I'll Give You Time - Allan Collay 22. My Mary My Life - Joe Graham 23. My Love Is True - Jarvis Jackson 24. Stop My Heart From Crying - Jimmy Pace 25. Why'd You Have To Make The Little Girl Cry - Charlie Thomas

...served by Gyro1966...

Bill Haney's Atlanta Soul Brotherhood - Vol. 1

This 24 track compilation consists of intense 60s to early 70s southern soul songs which move from delicate to dangerous at the producers discretion.Another nice volume in Kent's "Soul Providers" series, dedicated to unsung heroes of America's local soul scenes during the 60s. This volume pays tribute to Atlanta producer Bill Haney, and it features 24 tracks culled from the Down South Productions and Chant labels. Titles include "Nothing's Going To Change The Way I Feel" by Al Christian, "Frozen Love" by Gay Meadows, "Something I Ain't Never Had" by Jarvis Jackson, "I'm A Dreamer" by Bobby Burn, "Sweet Sweet Woman" by Jerry Woodard, and "I Know" by Dino & Doc.  © 1996-2015, Dusty Groove, Inc.

Bill Haney: producer, label owner and all-around entrepreneur. All repertoire featured originates from Bill Haney’s Down South Productions and Atlanta’s Chant label.

See more at: http://acerecords.co.uk/bill-haneys-atlanta-soul-brotherhood#sthash.ReT2ml0j.dpuf

trax:

1. I'm A Dreamer - Bobby Burn Aka Bobby Wilburn 2. Something Wrong With Our Love - Joe Graham 3. I've Been Blessed By Your Love - Al Christian 4. Got My Plans Squared Away - Randolph Walker 5. Devil - Dino & Doc 6. You Better Listen To Me - Arthur Alexander 7. Pride & Soul - Gary Allen 8. Something I Ain't Never Had - Jarvis Jackson 9. Come Back Son - Jerry Woodard 10. Like The Wind - Dee Clark 11. Don't Let Me Know - Charlie Thomas 12. Who Are You Fooling? (aka Listen To Me) - Joe Graham 13. Sweet Sweet Woman - Jerry Woodard 14. I Know - Dino & Doc 15. Workin' On A New Love - Milton Marlin 16. Steppin' Stone (aka I Used Love) - Joe Graham 17. Achin' All Over - Randolph Walker 18. What You Don't Know? - Jarvis Jackson 19. You Got Love - The Five Jays vocal by Joe Dowell 20. Nothings Going To Change The Way I Feel - Al Christian 21. A Hurt Girl - Dino & Doc 22. Do Me Wrong - Randolph Walker 23. My Peaceful Forest - Roy Hamilton

...served by Gyro1966...

THE BLUE SHADOWS "Lucky To Me" '95

The Blue Shadows' On the Floor of Heaven was such a spectacular debut that follow-up Lucky to Me almost had to be a disappointment. In brief: it's not. The sound still conjures up The Beatles at their Rubber Soul/Revolver pop peak fused to the Gram Parsons-influenced Byrds from their Sweetheart of the Rodeo phase, with The Everly Brothers hijacked on vocal harmonies. The main difference is this: while on the debut you could point to several tracks and say "here's the Orbison influence, that's just how Dave Edmunds would have tackled this," the influences are much more effectively integrated on Lucky. The heart and soul of the sound still reside within the Siamese-twin harmonies of co-vocalists Billy Cowsill and Jeffrey Hatcher. Cowsill, of course, is a veteran of the family singing group phenomenon; he and Hatcher are not related, but it would be difficult to imagine two voices resonating with more empathy and symbiosis. On the Floor of Heaven was such a seamless pop and country fusion that neither side of the radio band quite knew what to do with it. So, for Lucky to Me the group slants perceptibly to a tougher, rockish edge. Many of the songs have more bite, with an element of CCR-like choogle not previously there. In addition, stand-up bassist Elmar Spanier was put out pasture in favor of meatier, former Barney Bental rhythm guy Barry Muir. The result? Immediate, excited response from...country radio stations! One can only deduce, therefore, that the debut album was just too country for country radio. Go figure. (Allmusic)trax:

01 Don't Expect A Reply 02 Lucky To Me 03 (Born To Be) Riding Only Down 04 Time's Out Of Place 05 Let The Cowboys Ride 06 I Know 07 Maybe In Time 08 Tell Me 09 Why Oh Why 10 The Trouble With Trouble 11 Look At It Rain 12 Field Of Gold

...Many Thanks To Jillem For The Share! served by Gyro1966...

"No Cats Allowed" - Dog Songs / "No Dogs Allowed" - Cat Songs

trax "No Cats Allowed" - Dog Songs:
1. Bird Dog - The Everly Brothers 2. Dog Hauled Around - Billy Wallace 3. Highway Dog - Sneaky Pete Kleinow 4. Female Hound Dog - Charlie Gore & Louis Innis 5. My Dog Got A Tag On Her - Jack Eden And The Dimensions 6. Big Black Dog - Emmylou Harris 7. Let Me Be Your Salty Dog - Arlie Duff 8. Dirty Dog Blues - The Modern Mountaineers 9. Old Dogs, Children And Watermellon Wine - Tom T. Hall 10. Putting On The Dog - Leroy Mack 11. Do The Dog - The Sunlights 12. Dog Bite Your Hide - Jimmy Vernon 13. Banjo Dog - Gene Parsons 14. Poor White Hound Dog - Jack Nietzche 15. Walkin' My Cat Named Dog - Barry McGuire 16. My Dog Can't Bark - Muddy Waters 17. They Gotta Quit Kicking My Dog Around - The New Christy Minstrels 18. Dogs - The Who 19. Houn' Dog Boogie - Sheldon Gibbs 20. Low Down Dog - Big Joe Turner 21. Dog House Boogie - Hawkshaw Hawkins 22. Old Man Will Your Dog Catch A Rabbit - Leadbelly 23. I'm Gonna Buy Me A Dog - The Astronauts 24. Prairie Dog Ramble - Andy Schroder 25. Bird Doggin' - Gene Vincent 26. Walkin' The Dog - The Trashmen 27. Kids and Dogs - David Crosby 28. Lay Down Little Doggies - Arlo Guthrie 29. A Dog, A Siren And Memories - Master's Apprentices 30. When The Big Dogs Run - Iain Matthews And The Swinelakers
...Many Thanks To Searnav For The Share! served by Gyro1966...trax "No Dogs Allowed" - Cat Songs:

1. Hollywood Cat - Trig Richards 2. Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat - Hannah May 3. Black Cat - Lightnin' Hopkins 4. Put Your Cat Clothes On - Carl Perkins 5. Let The Black Cat Hop - The Sabres 6. Crosseyed Cat - Muddy Waters 7. Long Tail Cat - The Kenny Loggins Band 8. Like A Cat - Plainsong 9. Ten Cats Down - The Miller Sisters 10. Alley Cat - Bob Haworth 11. Cat Squirrel - Doctor Ross 12. Bear Cat - Rufus Thomas Jr. 13. The Cats Were Jumpin' - John Worthan 14. The Cats Bop Around - Burt Allis And The Diggers 15. Gyp The Cat - Bobby Darin 16. Black Cat - Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger And The Trinity 17. Three Cool Cats - The Beatles 18. Wild Cat Loose In Town - The Trashmen 19. Tom Cattin' - Tom Brumley 20. Cat On A Hot Foam Board - The New Dimensions 21. There's More Than One Way To Skin a Cat - Fairley Holden 22. Honky Cat - Country Gazette 23. Cat's Squirrel - Cream 24. Copy Cat - Cowboy Copas & Kathy Copas 25. Cat Cruise - Richard Wright 26. If I Was A Cat - Ann Jones 27. Wild Cat - Gene Vincent And The Blue Caps 28. Wild Cat - The Sensations 29. Ducktail Cat - Dan Virva 30. A Cat Called Domino - The Teen Kings

...Many Thanks To Searnav For The Share! served by Gyro1966...

Scott Morgan "Scott Morgan" '10

Scott Morgan had the good fortune of being in two of Michigan's most powerful and important rock bands -- in the 1960s, he was the lead singer with the legendary blue-eyed soul combo the Rationals, and in the '70s, he sang and played guitar with Sonic's Rendezvous Band, a mighty hard rock band formed by Fred "Sonic" Smith of the MC5. However, outside the Midwest, Morgan has never received the attention he deserves -- the Rationals' excellent recording of Otis Redding's "Respect" was stopped dead in its tracks by Aretha Franklin's admittedly outstanding cover, and Sonic's Rendezvous Band never scored the record deal they richly deserved, their recorded legacy during their lifetime limited to just one single. But Morgan has never stopped making great music, continuing to perform and record with a variety of groups over the years, and 2010's Scott Morgan (his first proper solo album) confirms he still has a superb voice that can handle blues, soul, and rock with equal assurance while his songwriting chops are in great shape. Scott Morgan teams the singer with a top-notch crew of Michigan rock talent -- Jim Diamond recorded the sessions at his Ghetto Recorders studio and plays bass, while Matthew Smith (Outrageous Cherry, the Volebeats) and Chris Taylor (Mazinga, Powertrane) handle the guitars, and Dave Shettler (the Sights, SSM) was the drummer. The results blend the hard rock power of Morgan's work with Sonic's Rendezvous Band and Powertrane and the passionate soul sounds of the Rationals while conjuring a tough, funky groove that's fresh and strong while rooted in a classic style. The new tunes on the album (written by Morgan and his bandmates) deliver a muscular, big city variation on classic soul archetypes (celebrated in the joyous "Memphis Time"), while his covers of "Bring It on Home to Me," "Do I Move You," and "Something About You" show Morgan can breathe new life into songs that have been in circulation for years, and his reworking of "Mississippi Delta" is nothing short of brilliant. And while the musicians on the album thoroughly deliver the goods, and Smith and Taylor make a killer guitar combo, it's Morgan who carries this show and he does it with grace, strength, and total authority. Scott Morgan has been quietly earning his reputation as one of America's great unsung rock and soul voices for decades, and on this album, he sums up a great deal of what he's learned over the years; it's one hell of a shakedown party, and you owe it to yourself to check it out. (Mark Deming, Allmusic)trax:

01 Something About You 02 Fallin' For Ya 03 She's Not Just Another Woman 04 Summer Nights 05 Since I Lost My Baby 06 Lucy May 07 Mississippi Delta 08 Do I Move You 09 Memphis Time 10 Bring It On Home To Me 11 Highway

...Many Thanks To Jillem For The Share! served by Gyro1966...

Guardian Angel "Into Lightnin'" 1971-1972

Detroit's first regional rock supergroup, Guardian Angel was founded in 1972 by former Rationals frontman Scott Morgan and bassist Terry Trabandt in tandem with ex-Savage Grace singer/guitarist Al Jacquez; joined by lead guitarist Jeff Jones and Morgan's drummer brother Dave, the band quickly translated its members' past successes into a major fan following of their own, earning renown throughout the southeastern Michigan concert circuit for their incendiary live appearances. However, after issuing their lone single, "Hijackin' Love," Guardian Angel self-destructed; while Scott Morgan went on to form his own eponymously-named band, Jacquez, Jones and Dave Morgan soon reunited in Lightnin'. (Jason Ankeny, Allmusic)OK Scott Morgan fans...the missing link between the Rationals & Sonics Rendezvous. The quality of this recording is almost pristine. Check out the MP3 samples for yourself. I actually ordered this from The Easy Action Record label site. Heard about this band but never heard any recordings...till now! You get the very first recordings of "Take A Look" & "Soul Mover." Early versions of "Cool Breeze," and a live version of the Rationals cover of "Barefootin'." In fact 9 studio recordings and an entire 9 song live set recorded in Ann Arbor in 1972. Like I said, I was shocked at the sound quality. I'm so used to all the lo-fi recordings from Iggy & the Stooges, MC5, Rationals, Sonics Rendezvous...so naturally I was very surprised at how good this sounds. The band features former Rationals Terry Trabrandt & of course Scott Morgan and for those fans of Savage Grace, guitarist Al Jacquez, along with guitarist Jeff Jones and on drums Morgan's little bro David. I'd call it tough R&B, soulful rock. You'll want to grab this one if you're a fan of Detroit rock and roll, or a fan of Scott Morgan. (Dean Kuschell, Detroit Underground)

trax:

01 Things Get Better 02 Let's Work Together 03 Cool Breeze 04 The First Time I Saw You Baby 05 Soul Mover (Live) 06 See Saw (Live) 07 Hijackin' Love (Live) 08 Doctor Doctor _ Leave My Blues At Home (Live) 09 Take A Look (Live) 10 Feel So Bad (Live) 11 Tell The Truth _ Your Love (Live) 12 Heavy Makes You Happy (Sha Na Boom Boom) (Live) 13 Barefootin' (Live) 14 Take A Look 15 Soul Mover 16 Cool Breeze 17 Feel So Bad 18 Things Get Better

...Many Thanks To Jillem For The Share! served by Gyro1966...

Dee Clark "Raindrops" (1956-1962)

Dee Clark was one of the most adaptable R&B vocalists of the '50s and early '60s, as this reissue shows. He did songs in a Little Richard mode, an Afro-Latin setting, and also performed ballads, novelty tunes, and covers.Though largely unknown among contemporary audiences, Dee Clark was one of the most successful R&B singers of the late '50s and early '60s, his resonant, expressive tenor gracing classics like "Raindrops" and "(Hey) Little Girl."

trax:

01 i just can't help myself 02 when i call on you 03 just like a fool 04 seven nights 05 why don't you come home 06 24 boyfriends 07 oh little girl 08 wondering 09 nobody but you 10 blues get off my shoulder 11 just keep it up 12 hey little girl 13 your friends 14 raindrops 15 you're telling our secrets 16 walk away from me 17 you are like the wind 18 drums in my heart 19 bring back my heart 20 fever 21 i'm a soldier boy 22 shook up over you

...Many Thanks To Jillem For The Share! served by Gyro1966...

Big John Hamilton "How Much Can A Man Take" 1967-1971

A fine collection of deep and country soul recorded between 1967 and 1971 for the Minaret label. This is great music, very reminiscent of Otis Redding on many of the cuts. The backing bands are terrific and this is a very good CD to add to your classic soul collection. (Deep Soul Groove)Based on heartbreaking pleas like "How Much Can a Man Take" and "I Have No One," Big John Hamilton occupies his own special place in the southern soul pantheon as archetypal obscure soul master. Until now, frustrating little was known of the man but all is revealed in this first-time overview of his ultra-essential sides cut for the Minaret label; from `67/'70. As if those Deep Soul classics weren't reason enough to welcome this collection, Big John proves across this set that he could do it all with characteristic aplomb; from southern-fried funk to hillbilly-soul. (The Soul Detective)

trax:

01 Big Bad John 02 Pretty Girls 03 How Much Can A Man Take 04 I Have No One 05 Big Fanny 06 The Train 07 If You're Looking For A Fool 08 Before The Next Teardrop Falls 09 I Just Want To Thank You 10 Breaking Up Is Hard To Do 11 Love Comes And Goes 12 Take This Hurt Off Me 13 Lift Me Up 14 Just Seeing You Again 15 Take A Chance With Me 16 I Finally Caught Up With Jody 17 I'm Getting It From Her 18 Go Ahead On

...served by Gyro1966...

Big John Hamilton "Are You Happy With Him" (Soulscape)

Tremendous work from Big John Hamilton – an overlooked singer from the Florida scene, but one who's finally been getting his due on the reissue market! This package really goes past the previous Hamilton collection in that it features a wealth of unreleased material – wonderful tracks from Big John's later years, when he was recording with a depth that easily matched his better-known sides of the late 60s – still mostly cut around the same Playground studio scene in Florida! As with other Soulscape releases, there's a care here that's clearly apparent – a love of John's music, and willingness to present his talents in the best possible light – not just in terms of the track selection and sound quality, but also in the notes included within. Loads of great stuff, almost all of it in a deep soul mode – 21 titles that include "Show Me Your Love", "Angel", "Free Me", "I'll Just Keep On Loving You", "After Loving You", "Tender Side Of Me", "Old Man Bad Luck", "On Our Way Home", "Creole Lady", "I Want My Baby Back", "Rainy Day Lover", "Country & The Blues", and "Help Me Make It Through The Night".  © 1996-2015, Dusty Groove, Inc.

trax:

01 Temporary Love 02 Angel 03 Free Me 04 I Got To Get Myself Somebody 05 Show Me Your Love 06 Are You Happy With Him 07 Give Me Some Of Yourself 08 Love Comes And Goes 09 I'll Just Keep On Loving You 10 After Loving You 11 Tender Side Of Me 12 Old Man Bad Luck (Got His Cuffs On Me) 13 On Our Way Home (with Doris Allen) 14 Soul Socking Thing 15 I Want My Baby Back 16 Creole Lady 17 Every Time You Touch Me 18 Rainy Day Lover 19 Country And The Blues 20 Help Me Make It Through The Night 21 Kiss The Hurt Away

...Many Thanks to The Northern Madman for the share! served by Gyro1966...

The Dangtrippers "Transparent Blue Illusion" '91

The Dang Trippers were a jangle pop group featuring guitarist / vocalist Devin Hill, guitarist Doug Roberson, and drummer Kenn Goodman.The Dangtrippers were a popular band from Iowa City that flourished in the late 80's and early 90's. They released two full-length Lp's, "Days Between Stations"-dog gone records '88, and "Transparent Blue Illusion"-zero hour records '90, plus several 7-inch and 12-inch singles.

The "Road Kings" of the Mid-West, they attended many NMS in cities like, New york, Chicago, and Austin, not to mention hundreds of shows from the eastern seaboard, to the far reaches of the Mid-West, all the way north to places like Manitoba, Canada.

They disbanded around early 1992, with a reunion show in 1994. Let's hope for another one.

trax:

01 Raga 02 Headhunter 03 Grey Matter Mr. Grey 04 Pictures In The Sky 05 Henry Slade 06 Damien 07 Antigone 08 Shane 09 Laughing Gas 10 Sundial 11 Piper Laurie 12 Medieval

...Many thanks to LoFi Larry for the share! served by Gyro1966...

The Diplomats Of Solid Sound "What Goes Around Comes Around" '10

Pravda Records (in association w/Record Kicks - Italy) proudly presents the fifth full-length by Iowa City Ambassadors of groove The Diplomats Of Solid Sound, entirely mixed and edited by Lack Of Afro (Freestyle) and inspired by the sounds of the best 60s style soul and funk. Having already cut 4 full-length albums, "Instrumental Action Soul" (Prescription Records - 2001), "Let´s Cool One"(Estrus Records - 2003) and "Destination Get Down!" (Estrus Records - 2005) & self-titled Diplomats Of Solid Sound featuring The Diplomettes (Pravda Records/Record Kicks 2008) the band is just getting warmed up. What Goes Around Comes Around is chocked full of irresistible funk and soul bombs ready to melt your heart or make you shake it on the dance-floor, strongly confirming their standing in the contemporary funk and soul scene. (Record Runner)

trax:

01 B-O-O-G-A-L-O-O 02 Back Off 03 Promise Of A Brand New Day 04 Gimme One More Chance 05 No Man 06 Fascination 07 Bailout! 08 Jealous 09 What Goes Around Comes Around 10 I Can't Wait For Your Love (Pistol Allen) 11 Get Out Of The Way (So I Can Get Back To My Life)

...Many thanks to LoFi Larry for the share! served by Gyro1966...

The Diplomats Of Solid Sound "Let's Cool One" '03

In a world where the average person's knowledge of funk doesn't seem to go far beyond what Dr. Dre borrowed from George Clinton, it's a pleasure to have the Diplomats of Solid Sound around, who with cool and concision conjure up the shades of the Meters and Booker T. & the MG's on their 2003 album Let's Cool One. While it would be a mistake to say that Hammond handler Nate "Count" Basinger and his partners in crime are quite up to the level of their role models, they hit the target with a lot more accuracy than one might expect, and while these guys know how to brew up a percolating groove (try "Ribsticker" or "Swamp Chomp" and you'll see), they also have an admirably laid-back approach to old-school soul, knowing not to force it if it doesn't fit. Featuring 11 swank originals and a quality cover of Sly Stone's "You Can Make It if You Try," Let's Cool One doesn't stray terribly far from its influences, but these guys are just good enough to capture not just the sound but the ineffable feel of vintage instrumental soul, and they do it with taste, flair, and just the right amount of grit. And any band who not only knows enough to call a song "Pistol Allen" but makes the name-check stick must be doing something right. Cool stuff. (Mark Deming, Allmusic)

trax:

01 The Cuber Baker 02 Who's Got The Grady? 03 You Can Make It If You Try 04 Swamp Chomp 05 Shadow Of Your Soul 06 Ribsticker 07 My Place BBQ 08 Pistol Allen 09 Don't Touch My Popcorn 10 Escape From Shantytown 11 Clyde The Glide 12 The Plush Club

...Many thanks to LoFi Larry for the share! served by Gyro1966...

The Dangtrippers "Days Between Stations" '87

If we follow Doug Roberson back one more step we’ll find him with The Dangtrippers, a power pop outfit with a loose retro pop rock & roll sound. This project exemplifies a young band of budding musicians with solid chops and an urge to explore. Although a bit boxed-in by the 80’s factory rock assuredly ingrained all around them, they were early to key-in to the indie/alt sound that would barnstorm the marketplace by the late 1980’s. Much of their material still holds up well today, with enduring melodies, interesting hooks, sing-along lyrics and a general “summertime” sort of feel. (LoFi Larry)

trax:

01 When Time Runs Out 02 Maxwell's Demon Box 03 Masquerade 04 Sitting On The Doorstep 05 Talk About Love 06 Nehru 07 Days On The Roof 08 Jack Knife 09 Freudian Slip 10 Reasons Why 11 Half Your Age 12 Someone New 13 Legerdemain 14 Lovers Again

...Many thanks to LoFi Larry for the share! served by Gyro1966...

"Platterpuss 45's" Vol. 1 - Everybody's Got A Little Something

Time for me to give back something to this blog and to you wonderful sharers who have turned me on to so much incredible music. - YankeeboyI have recently started digitizing my 45 collection. Mostly stuff from the 50'and 60's and most of them fairly obscure. Here is the first batch of them. Something here for everyone's taste - some teen pop, garage, girl group and soul - what they all have in common is that when I heard them I decided that they were worth adding to my collection. Enjoy. - Yankeeboy

trax:

1. Fare Thee Well (Liberty 55906) - The T-Bones 2. Stand By Me (Amy 943) - Little Eva 3. Like My Girl (Laurie LR-3398) - The Sound Investment 4. Sorry for Me (Capitol 5033) - Roosevelt Nettles 5. Since Don't Have You (Providence - Prov. 421) - The Johnny Law Four 6. Orphan of Love (Dot 45-17079) - Bobby Allen 7. I Can Make You Mine (APT 45-25074) - The Originells 4 8. Rainbows End (Josie 45-905) - The Nomads 9. NIght Train (Jayco 45-260701) - Bob Marriott & The Continentals 10. My Baby's Comin' Home (Midtown - MDT-3502) - Spencer 11. Let Me Love You a Little (So I Can Love You a Lot) (Hickory 45-P-1420) - Jimmy Elledge 12. I'm Gonna Wait (Fantasy 570) - Leon Haywood 13. I Saw Her Standing There (Original Sound  OS-103) - Larry Bright 14. I Fall to You (Columbia 4-43565) - Bob Morrison 15. Harlem Shuffle (Musicland 20.013) - Bob Kuban & The In-Men 16. Everybody's Got A Little Something (Diamond D-197) - Bob Allen 17. That's Life (Federal 45-12493-reEQ) - The Esco's 18. Don't You Know (Rally R-1601-A) - Rico & The Ravens 19. Counterfeit Love (Limelight Y-3027) - Al Hartley 20. If I Can't Love You  (Moonglow M-5005) - The Cindermen 21. Hey Girl (Ruff Records 45-1003) - The Checkmates 22. All The Time Now (Ruff Records 45-1003) - The Checkmates 23. The Boy of My Dreams (Decca (UK) (F.12013) - Twinkle

...Many Thanks to Yankeeboy for this share! served by Gyro1966...

The Diplomats Of Solid Sound "Instrumental Action Soul" '01

Soulful Hammond, clever guitar, root down bass, and sexy drums...The Diplomats Of Solid Sound deliver everything that is good and righteous about music. (Record Runner)A little bit of funk and a whole lotta soul, these cats are keeping boogaloo strong in the middle of the American bread basket. They began as an all-instrumental band, following the paths of luminaries like Booker T & The MG’s with sweet soul struts underscored by butt-shakin’ funky springs in the rhythm section. On their fourth album they introduced a new vocal component called The Diplomettes that raised their game even more with a female tag-team of deep soul and dirty blues that reminds one of Lisa Kekaula meets Tina Turner. Hammond & horns, boogie beat, soul stomp, greasy grind, and rip-rompin’ R&B. The first couple albums are mostly guitar/organ/drums, then they add the horns, then the lady singers, and their sound gets more dynamic at every step along the way. I would think all the soul-heads ‘round here might really dig these guys. (LoFi Larry)

trax:

01 Hugh's Hefner 02 Cookie Time 03 Willie's Theme 04 Bullfrog Bugaloo 05 El Corazon Negro 06 Chinese Connection 07 Stoned Preacher 08 Hot Stick 09 Soul Slaw 10 Mobley Turnaround 11 Tennessee Toothpick 12 Soul Beat Pt 2 13 The Men From S.C.E.P.T.E.R. Theme

...Many thanks to LoFi Larry for the share! served by Gyro1966...

The Bent Scepters "Hellevator Music" '99

The Diplomats Of Solid Sound originally began as a side-project for a few members of The Bent Scepters, especially for the main Scepters, singer / guitarist Doug Roberson and organist Pat White. This band had a different target than The Diplomats, playing proto-punk garage-ish power pop rock & roll, somewhat retro but really not revivalist, seasoned now and again with a splash of psychedelic pop or roadhouse country blues or saucy soul. (LoFi Larry)Hellevator Music is simply the latest refinement of this band's uncanny knack for creating dirty, supercharged garage rock that'll rip you out of your seat, drag you feet first to the dance floor and leave you there until you've sweat all three of those vodka martinis out of your system and are still screaming for more. Buy this CD and beware: You too will become a fanatic, and you will scour the earth for Blind Date With Destiny (both versions), and maybe even sell your soul just to listen to the all-but-extinct Bikinis, Guitars and Martinis cassette. You will start believing in UFOs and aliens that look like supermodels. You will own the entire Planet of the Apes series on DVD. And you will be convinced that some day, somewhere, when you least expect it, the Bent Scepters will come out of hiding and take over the world! Don't say I didn't warn you. (Record Runner)

trax:

01 High Flying Bird 02 Mindrocker 03 Stand In Line 04 Trouble Everyday 05 Above The Law 06 Getting By On Me 07 Jackpot... Busted 08 All Around The World 09 Instant Peter Sellers 10 Kingpin 11 My Toyota 12 Little Olive

...Many thanks to LoFi Larry for the share! served by Gyro1966...

The Diplomats Of Solid Sound "Featuring The Diplomettes" '04

Undoubtedly the funkiest thing to ever come out of Iowa City, the Diplomats of Solid Sound, led by the Hammond B-3 playing of Nate Basinger, have had a series of jazz-inflected instrumental funk albums that recall at times a sort of breezier version of Booker T. & the MG's. For this outing, though, the Diplomats, who also include Doug Roberson on guitar, Jim Viner on drums, David Basinger on baritone sax, and Eddie McKinley on tenor sax, have added vocals, courtesy of the Diplomettes (singers Sarah Cram, Katherine Ruestow, and Abbie Sawyer), and the result is a pleasantly varied and jazzy take on a set of R&B and funk pieces. the Diplomats don't really stomp the funk so much as they skate around it in a kind of soul-jazz mode, strong enough to dance to but light enough to allow for some real interplay between the players, and the addition of vocalists actually adds a little Caribbean lilt to things. Among the highlights here are the sturdy, muscular "Come in My Kitchen," the bright, snappy "Trouble Me," and the interesting reggae remix of "Hurt Me So" that closes things off, a track that is more dancehall than Sly Stone. It's all fun, but assuming the Diplomettes are going to stick around, the Diplomats of Solid Sound may be on the edge of breaking into a whole new place with their next release. Until then, this set shows some interesting possibilities, and it's the perfect album for a little summer dance party on the patio. (Steve Leggett , Allmusic)

trax:

01 Plenty Nasty 02 Come In My Kitchen 03 Hurt Me So 04 Budget Fro 05 Trouble Me 06 Soul Connection 07 Smokey Places 08 Lights Out! 09 B-A-B-Y 10 If You're Wrong... (I Don't Want To Be Right) 11 Hurt Me So (Lack Of Afro Remix)

...Many thanks to LoFi Larry for the share! served by Gyro1966...

The Bent Scepters "Blind Date With Destiny" '97

Another example of a landlocked state throwing out some of the best surf and garage music ever. One of a few truly inspired bands that can actually get the swing and rockabilly crowd out on the dance floor doing the twist! The CD comes close, but not quite draws out the energy that they have live. Jackie Rocket - Billygirl True Stories

trax:

01 You'll Be Sorry Now 02 No Way Down 03 Kissing Truman Capote's Picture 04 I Love You 05 Deep Inside My Soul 06 Super Chimp 07 Shalako 08 Open Up Your Mind 09 Take the Fall 10 Gold Digger 11 Eagle Has Landau 12 Take It Like a Man 13 Journey to the Delstars 14 Gassed 15 Chinese Burn 16 The Warning

...Many thanks to Tralfaz for the share! served by Gyro1966...

The Diplomats Of Solid Sound "Destination…Get Down" '04

Iowa City's keepers of the good groove, the Diplomats of Solid Sound are serving up more old-school funk and soul on their third album, Destination...Get Down! The biggest change in the group's attack this time out is the addition of David Basinger on sax, who adds a new level of muscle and atmosphere to the Diplomats' signature sound, but for the most part this is in the same vein as their previous set, Let's Cool One. But while Destination...Get Down! may offer up "more of the same," the truth is that the DOSS are getting better at their Meters meets Booker T. Hammond-fortified grooves, and the group sounds both cool and passionate throughout these 12 instrumental tracks, with keyboard man Nate "Count" Basinger clearly the star of this show. The jazzy undercurrents in the Diplomats' tunes are easier to spot here, without sacrificing the R&B heart of their music, and even without the presence of a full-time bassist on these sessions, they have the ability to get the dancefloor burning in no time flat, without leaving the listeners behind. Fun stuff, and well worth a spin for those who like their soul hot and cool at the same time. (Mark Deming, Allmusic)

trax:

01 Smash Up 02 Knock A Piece Off 03 Holdin' The Money 04 Wicked P 05 Intercontinental Git 06 Ladies' Choice 07 Dealer Cheater 08 Loaf And Jug 09 Sizzler 10 Mohair Momma 11 Triple Starch 12 Growin' In It

...Many thanks to LoFi Larry for the share! served by Gyro1966...

Wayne Walker "How Do You Think I Feel?" The Singer & His Songs

Great collection of hillbilly, honkytonk and rockabilly oldies. Country songwriter Wayne Walker is a cult-favorite from the 1950s and '60s, best known for numerous hits recorded by Webb Pierce and Mel Tillis. His work had a special rock'n'roll bounce to it that set it apart from the country shuffles, waltzes and weepers that everyone else was recording at the time. This generously programmed album includes a bunch of Walker's own singles as well as various artists recording a bunch of mostly-obscure old tunes. It's great stuff, and if they ever put out Volume Two, I'll snap that one up as well. (DJ Joe Sixpack, Slipcue Guide To Country Music)Wayne Walker is remembered as a legendary songwriter who penned country and pop hits for everyone from Elvis Presley, Eddie Cochran, Ernest Tubb, Carl Perkins, Johnny Angel, Johnny Burnette, and Ray Price to Bobby Vinton, Patsy Cline, and Andy Williams. He is a longtime member of the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame. In his early days, he was also a rockabilly rebel. This monster 33-track collection from Barcelona’s El Toro adds heft to the latter legend by compiling many recorded versions of songs he wrote or co-wrote with those that became hits for others in the '50s. The first 16 cuts on this set are all Walker's and include his second single, the snaky rockabilly boogie “All I Can Do Is Cry” from 1956. For balance, it’s countered by the teen ballad “It’s My Way.” His version of “Bo-Bo Ska Diddle” is perhaps the most definitive, as is his fingerpopping “Just Walkin’ Around,” modeled on Fat Domino's collaborations with Dave Bartholomew and Bobby Charles. The second half of the set is devoted to covers of his songs by others. Check Brenda Lee's swaggering “Rock the Bop,” that leaves nothing to the imagination as to what the song is really about. Price's reading of “I’ve Got a New Heartache” is here -- it went to number two on the country charts -- as are both Red Sovine's and Presley’s versions of “How Do You Think I Feel?” and both versions of “Sweet Love on My Mind” -- the original by Jimmy & Johnny; the other by Burnette & the Rock ‘n’ Roll Trio. But there are some minor classics here, too, such as Shady Wall's “The New Raunchy,” Otto Bash's inferior but better-selling reading of “All I Can Do Is Cry,” Jimmy Lee's “Love Is Hard to Understand,” and the Kitty Wells-Webb Pierce vehicle "Can You Find It in Your Heart?" Any way you slice it this is the definitive -- if incomplete -- retrospective of Walker’s work for now. (Thom Jurek, Allmusic)

trax:

1. All I Can Do Is Cry - Wayne Walker 2. It's My Way - Wayne Walker 3. A Teenage Love Affair (Can Cause The Blues) - Wayne Walker 4. Whatever You Desire - Wayne Walker 5. Just A'Walkin' Around - Wayne Walker 6. Bo-Bo Ska Diddle Daddle - Wayne Walker 7. Come Away From His Arms - Wayne Walker 8. I'm Finally Free - Wayne Walker 9. It's Written In The Stars - Wayne Walker 10. After The Boy Gets The Girl - Wayne Walker 11. Just Before Dawn - Wayne Walker 12. You've Got Me (Where I Wanna Be) - Wayne Walker 13. What Kind Of "God" Do You Think You Are - Wayne Walker 14. Little Ole You - Wayne Walker 15. Now Is The Time For Love - Wayne Walker 16. You Got The Best Of Me - Wayne Walker 17. Lips That Kiss So Sweetly - Jimmy Lee & Wayne Walker 18. Love Me - Wayne Walker & Jimmy Lee 19. Can You Find It In Your Heart? - Kitty Wells & Webb Pierce 20. Outlaw - Red Sovine 21. What 'Cha Doin' To Me? - Jimmy & Johnny 22. Sweet Love On My Mind - Johnny Burnette & The Rock 'n' Roll Trio 23. The New Raunchy - Shady Wall 24. Rosalie (Is Gonna Get Married) - Faron Young 25. How Do You Think I Feel? - Red Sovine 26. Love Is Hard To Understand - Jimmy Lee 27. Holiday For Love - Webb Pierce 28. I've Got A New Heartache - Ray Price 29. Sweet Love On My Mind - Jimmy & Johnny 30. Rock The Bop - Brenda Lee 31. All I Can Do Is Cry - Otto Bash 32. How Do You Think I Feel? - Elvis Presley 33. Are You Sincere? - Andy Williams

...served by Gyro1966...

Andre Williams with The Diplomats Of Solid Sound "Aphrodisiac" '06

Since reawakening the world to his outsize talents with the raw and raunchy blast of 1998's Silky, R&B legend and self-described "Mr. Rhythm" Andre Williams seems to have gone out of his way to prove just how freaky he can deaky on each subsequent album. But Williams pulls back the reigns a bit on 2006's Aphrodisiac and the disc shows he can groove a bit easier and still keep the party going. Williams' backing band for this set is Iowa City's latter-day organ groove merchants the Diplomats of Solid Sound who, as expected, don't generate the same sort of noisy attack as the garage rock upstarts he's most frequently been teamed with in recent years. The result is a more laid-back and funky groove that's soulful but potent at the same time, fusing '70s blaxploitation sounds, Jimmy Smith-style jazz figures, and Booker T.-influenced R&B workouts into one solid package. Williams gives as good as he gets on these sessions, and if his voice is a bit frayed around the edges, the old-school toasting of "Uptown Hustler," the potent lovers' pleading of "I'm Not Worthy" and "I Don't Need May (Juana)," and the post-Hurricane Katrina lament of "Three Sisters" confirm the spirit is still more than willing. Williams has certainly sounded more physically powerful than he does on Aphrodisiac, not surprising for a man of 70 years, but he's still capable of getting on the good foot, and this album's biggest drawback is its running time -- at a mere 29 minutes, this album doesn't fuel the party as long as it could or should, though the quality outweighs the quantity. (Mark Deming, Allmusic)

trax:

01 Hold Up 02 Do You Remember? 03 I'm Not Worthy 04 Prove It To Me 05 I Don't Need Mary (Juana) 06 Three Sisters 07 Uptown Hustle 08 Chrysler 300 09 Thunder Thighs 10 I Can See

...Many thanks to LoFi Larry for the share! served by Gyro1966...