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The Delfonics - La La Means I Love You / Sound Of Sexy Soul - Kent CDKEND 287

The first two albums The Delfonics recorded together on CD for the first time, and it’s forty years this year since they were originally released (La La Means I Love You is from 1968, and Sound Of Sexy Soul from 1969), which in itself is quite scary. So what can I say about the tracks on show here; Firstly, several of them were huge sellers when released, and this type of Sweet Soul is probably my least favourite. So, whilst I know many of the tracks, they fall into that area of accepting the artistry, but not wanting to hear it too often.

La La Means I Love You - I’m Sorry / Break Your Promise / The Shadow Of Your Smile / Hurt So Bad / Losing You / Alfie / La La Means I Love You / You’re Gone / The Look Of Love / Can You Remember / A Lover’s Concerto
Sound Of Sexy Soul - Ready Or Not Here I Come (Can’t Hide From Love / Ket It Be Me / Hot Dog (I Love You So) / Loving Him / Ain’t That Peculiar / With These Hands / Face It Girl, It’s Over / Goin’ Out Of My Head / My New Love / Somebody Loves You / Scarborough Fair / Everytime I See My Baby
Bonus Track - You Got Yours And I’ll Get Mine

Swamp Dogg’s Southern Soul Girls: Sandra Phillips - Bette Williams - Kent CDKEND 288

You’ve got to laugh haven’t you: Bette Williams was never interviewed, never had a single reviewed, and quite probably the first time one of her records was played on national radio was on January 1^st, 2008 on the Craig Charles ‘All Singing, All Dancing’ New Year’s show on Radio 2. After recording these tracks between 1970 and 1972 she disappeared into obscurity again. Yet almost every track drips with heart wrenching emotion. It’s Soul music of a Grade A calibre ! Sandra Phillips, by contrast had a much longer, much more successful career, and is just as Soulful a singer. Both ladies, coupled with Jerry Williams ability as a writer and producer, have contributed sides here which will ensure another winner for the Kent stable. 

Sandra Phillips - Rescue Song / I’ve Been Down So Long / My Man And Me / To The Other Woman (I’m The Other Woman) / Now That I’m Gone (When Are You Leaving) / Someday We’ll Be Together / After All I Am Your Wife / Ghost Of Myself / If You Get Him (He Was Never Mine) / She Didn’t Know (She Kept On Talking) / Please Don’t Send Him Back To Me / Some Mother’s Son
Bette Williams - He Took My Hand / Now That I’m Gone (When Are You Leaving) / If She’s Your Wife (Who Am I) / Can’t Win For Losing / A Feeling (Someone Else Has Grown) / Another Man Took My Husband’s Place / If You Get Him (He Was Never Mine) / Got To Travel On / Robin Right On (Inst)

Tommy Tate - I’m So Satisfied: The Complete Ko Ko Recordings And More - Kent CDKEND 289

Having recorded over almost fifty years, Tommy Tate, is one of those artists who never quite ‘made it’. Respected and revered within Soul aficionado’s circles, he recorded for a multitude of labels, but never really had the oen smash hit that would propel him forward. His longest stay with one label was with the Ko Ko label between 1971 and 1977. This CD includes all his released tracks from that period (Including three from when he was a member of The Nightingales and recording for Stax), plus six tracks that have only ever seen release on a Japanese CD in 1996. So, classic, classy, Southern Soul, that deserves listening to. Buy it now. 

Tommy Tate - School Of Life / Sanity / I Just Can’t Believe Your Love For Me / I Remember / If You Got To Love Somebody / I’m So Satisfied / (You Brought Me) From A Mighty Long Way / Help Me Love / Identity (I’ve Got To Know Who I Am) / Revelations / I Ain’t Gonna Worry / More Power To You / If You Ain’t Man Enough / It’s A Bad Situation / Hardtimes SOS / Always / It Ain’t No Laughing Matter / The Nightingales - You’re Movin’ Much Too Fast / Justa  Little Overcome / I Don’t Want To Be Like My Daddy

Clydie King - The Imperial & Minit Years - Stateside 509950958122

Three Imperial singles, and four Minit singles, A and B sides, plus another eight previously unreleased Minit recordings mean that this is another superb release from Stateside. The combination of David Cole (From ‘In The Basement’ magazine) and Bob Fisher is currently producing excellent results. Not only are the CDs immaculately researched, but the quality is superb as well. Don’t miss this one, it’s packed full of top quality Sixties Soul.

The Thrill Is Gone / If You Were My Man / Missin’ My Baby / My Love Grows Deeper / He Always Comes Back To Me / Soft And Gentle Ways / Ready Willing And Able (With Jimmy Holiday) / We Got A Good Thing Going (With Jimmy Holiday) / One Of Those Good For Crying Over You Days / My Mistakes Of Yesterday / I’ll Never Stop Loving You / Shing-A-Ling / One Part, Two Part / Love Now, Pay Later / Good Kind Of Hurt / I’m Glad I’m A Woman / If You Love Me Like You Say / Ode To Billy Joe / Something To Remember You By / The Way I Love My Man / When In Rome /  You Can’t Make Me Love You

Derek Martin - Take Me Like I Am, the Roulette Recordings - Stateside 50999 509535 2 3

So what have we got here ? Both sides of Derek Martin’s four singles for roulette, both sides of his two singles for Buttercup, and a further thirteen previously unreleased tracks that were recorded for Roulette in the Sixties. Reading the liner notes it becomes clear that some of these tracks were recorded for a scheduled album release that never happened, and some were possibly recorded for a second scheduled album release that didn’t happen either. Tell you what though; There are several tracks amongst the unreleased stuff that are good enough to make an appearance on the playlists of some of the top Northern DJs. Keep your ears open.

You Better Go / You Know / Your Daddy Wants His Baby Back / I Won’t Cry Anymore / Bumper To Bumper / Don’t Resist / Breakaway / Take Me Like I Am / Hold Onto Someone / I Can’t Take It No More / Baby What Changed Your Mind / Come On In / After All Is Said And Done / We Have Lived Before / What Greater Love / On A Magic Carpet Ride / Grow Grow Grow / Just One More Time / Flashback / Hold On / Where There’s Smoke There’s Fire / You Blew It Baby / Moving Hands Of Time / Your Love Made A Man Out Of Me / I Got To Chase That Dream

Various Artists - The Northern Soul Story Vol. 2 The Golden Torch - Sony 88697106852

The second of the series compiled by Ian Dewhirst, and drawn primarily from the Okeh, Date, and Columbia labels (although not exclusively). Reflecting the period when the tempo was 100 MPH dancers all night, almost all of these tracks career along at a frantic pace. But there are some absolute classic Northern Soul tunes here, and they have stood the test of time as well. My only criticism of this CD is the fact that the sound quality seems a little poor on some of the tracks (Particularly Major Lance - Investigate), other than that, it’s a worthwhile purchase.

Lou Johnson - Unsatisfied / The Virginia Wolves - Stay / Major Lance - Investigate / Roy Hamilton - Crackin’ Up Over You / The Ovations - They Say / Bobbi Lynn - Earthquake / Phillip Mitchell - Free For All (Winner Takes All) / Little Richard - I Don’t Want To Discuss It / The Triumphs - I’m Coming To Your Rescue / The Exciters - Blowing Up My Mind / Robert Knight - Love On A Mountain Top / The Carstairs - He Who Picks A Rose / Willie Kendrick - Change Your Ways / The Glories - I Worship You Baby / Major Lance - You Don’t Want Me No More / The Cavaliers - Hold Onto My Baby / Herb Ward - Honest To Goodness / George Carrow - Angel Baby (Don’t You Ever Leave Me) / The Vibrations - Gonna Get Along Without You Now / Larry Williams & Johnny Watson - Too Late / The Sweet Things - I’m In A World Of Trouble / Johnny Moore - Walk Like A Man / The Nite-Liters - K-Jee / The Lorelei - S.T.O.P. / The Trammps - Scrub Board

Various Artists - The Northern Soul Story Vol. 3 - Blackpool Mecca - Sony 88697106862

Thankfully (From my point of view) Ian Dewhirst has concentrated more on the Sixties discoveries of Ian Levine and Colin Curtis rather than the New York Disco, later, years. So it’s a collection that reflects the absolute monster sounds that were discovered and played at Blackpool Mecca during it’s heyday as a Northern Soul venue. Sound quality on this disc is fine, so I’m beginning to wonder if it was just me with Volume 2 !

Morris Chestnut - Too Darn Soulful / Lorraine Chandler - I Can’t Hold On / Lee David - Temptation Is Calling My Name / Bernie Williams - Ever Again / Tony Middleton - Paris Blues / Lynn Randell - Stranger In My Arms / The Van Dykes - Saving My Love For A Rainy Day / Lou Courtney - Trying To Find My Woman / Susan Barrett - What’s It Gonna Be / Shane Martin - I Need You / The M.V.P.S - Turning My Heartbeat Up / Robert Knight - Branded / Laura Greene - Moonlight Music And You / T D Valentine - Love Trap / Lou Ragland - I Travel Alone / The Uptights - Shy Guy / Bobby Lester - Hang Up Your Hang-Ups / Oatti Austin - Didn’t Say A Word / Lou Edwards & Today’s People - Talking ‘Bout Poor Folks Thinking ‘Bout My Folks / Van Mccoy - Soul Improvisation Part 2 / The Tramps - Hold Back The Night / The Brothers - Are You Ready For This / The Philly Devotions - I Just Can’t Say Goodbye / Earth Wind & Fire - Happy Feelin’ / Aquarian Dream - Phoenix

Various Artists - Soul Allnighter, Don’t Stop Now - 25Records 250 00 3-2

A German import CD which reflects how much their home grown scene has developed. As you would expect with a German CD, all the liner info is in German, but I would hazard a guess that this CD has been compiled by some of the Hamburg crowd. Mostly featuring Crossover and Seventies tracks it makes a pleasant way to pass an hour, even so, I’m still not convince about the inclusion of the Matt Monro track (Which incidentally is track 18 on the CD, not track 19 as it’s listed on the tracklisting)

Maxine Brown - Just Give Me One Good Reason / Mary Wells - Use Your Head / Bottom & Company - Gonna Find A True Love / The Originals - Don’t Stop Now / Eloise Laws - Love Factory / Martha Reeves And The Vandellas - The Hurt Is Over / Gino Parks - For This I Thank You / Tommy Tucker - Oh ! What A Feeling / Srevie Wonder - Monkey Talk / The Miracles - That’s The Way I Feel / The Chosen Few - Birth Of A Play Boy / Gloria Scott - (A Case Of) Too Much Lovemaking / Laura Lee - (Don’t Be Sorry) Be Careful If You Can’t Be Good / The 5^th Dimension - Feelin’ Allright ? / Clara Ward - Dead End Street / Mitty Collier - My Babe / Herbie Goins - Thirty Six-Twenty Two-Thirty Six / Claus Ogerman & His Orchestra - Cuchy Frito Man / Matt Monro - Honey On The Vine / Hearts Of Stone - What Does It Take To Win Your Love

Various Artists - Southern Soul, Warm And Tender Love - Prism Platcd 1267

A 2004 release that I picked up for one whole English pound ! So I’m including it here so that you can go and have a look yourself round Poundland to see if they have copies in your local branch. I was a little concerned that it had the dreaded words ‘Some tracks re-recorded or live versions’ on the back cover, but to be honest, even the re-recorded versions are pretty good. Well worth a pound anyway

Ann Sexton - Come Back Home / Big John Hamilton - How Much Can A Man Take / Bobby Bland - I Can Take You To Heaven / Charles Smith - My Great Loss / Percy Sledge - Warm And Tender Love / Clarence Murray - One More Chance / Doris Duke - To The Other Woman / Earl Gaines - I’ll Take Good Care Of You / Nolan Struck - Fallin’ In Love With You / Sam Baker - That’s All I Want From You / Bettye Lavette - He Made A Woman Out Of Me / Joe Simon - The Chocking Kind / Joe Tex - Hold What You’ve Got / Johnny Adams - Kiss The Hurt Away / Roscoe Shelton - I’m In Way Too Deep / Ruby Winters - Guess Who / Dorothy Moore - Misty Blue / McKinley Mitchell - The End Of A Rainbow / Latimore - I Need A Good Woman Bad / Ray Charles - I Got A Woman / Denise LaSalle - A Lady In The Street / Johnny Taylor - This Is Your Night

Various Artists - Southern Soul, Tell It Like It Is - Prism Platcd 1268

Of course, having found one, I searched the racks until I found this as well. Clive Richardson is responsible for the choice of songs, so you know there are going to be some quality Southern Soul tracks on show, and even though several tracks were new to me, they didn’t disappoint. Again, well worth a pound of anyone’s money !

Joe Tex - SYSLJFM The Letter Song / Denise LaSalle - My Tu Tu / The Notations - It’s Alright (This Feeling) / James Brown - It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World / Lattimore Brown - Every Day I Have To Cry / Bobby Womack - I’m A Midnight Mover / Sam & Dave - Soul Man / Jimmy Hughes - Neighbour Neighbour / Chis Kenner - Land Of 1000 Dances / Johnny Adams - Release Me / Luther Ingram - If Loving You Is Wrong / Fern Kinney - Together We Are Beautiful /Mickey Murray - Shout Bamalama / Peggy Scot & Jo Jo Benson - Lover’s Holiday / Lour Awls - You’ll Never Find Another Love / Brook Benton - Rainy Night In Georgia / Warren Lee - Star Revue / Benny Spellman - Fortune Teller / Aaron Neville - Tell It Like It Is / The Fiestas - Gonna Hate Myself / Ruby Wilson - Seeing You Again / Denise LaSalle & Latimore - Right Place Right Time

Ray Charles - Soul & Blues - Forever Gold FG321

The third of my CDs for a pound was this Ray Charles set. I’ve never really had much interest in Ray Charles, I just don’t like the jazzy influence a lot of his recordings have, so was not surprised to find that most of these tracks weren’t to my taste either. It’s probably unlikely that I’ll ever play this CD again, but it only cost me a pound, so was worth the money just to confirm my dislike for Ray Charles’ music.

Baby Won’t You Please Come Back Home / The Sun’s Gonna Shine Again / Ain’t That Fine / Roll With Me Baby / Blues Before Sunrise / Some Day / The Ego Song / You’ll Never Miss The Water / I’ve Had My Fun / What Have I Done / See See Rider / The Snow Is Falling / Hey Now / The Midnight Hour / Late In The Evening / Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand / Honey Honey