Soul Express Album Review VARIOUS ARTISTS: UK Expansion, 2006 BEN E KING – We Got Love / EDDIE KENDRICK – It’s Not What You Got / BRENDA & THE TABULATIONS – Let’s Go All The Way (Down) / THE JONES – In Love Again / THE WHISPERS – Don’t Take Your Love / THE PERSUADERS – It’s Love / GATEWAY – Can’t Accept The Fact / ANGL-SAXON BROWN – Straighten It Out / DAVID MORRIS – Midnight Lady / THE TEMPREES – You Make Mne Feel So Good Baby – THE FOUR TOPS – Just In Time / JIMMY RUFFIN – Falling In Love With You / JACKIE MOORE – Walk Away From Love / THE PERSUADERS – Two Women / LITTLE ANTHONY & THE IMPERIALS – I Don’t Have Time To Worry / NEW YORK CITY – Do You Remember Yesterday / VINCENT MONTANA & THE PHILLY SOUND ORCHESTRA – That’s What Love Does ESSENTIAL. I could leave it there, but I won’t. Ralph Tee has dished up a platter of Philly Soul Soul Food so toothsome that you’ll be wanting many more helpings for a long time to come. I, as some others, have been pestering Ralph for Little Anthony & The Imperials’ "I Don’t Have Time To Worry" to be included for some time. And here it is! It’s a CLASSIC track produced by the legend who is Thom Bell. This superb song hails from the Avco label and was a single release in 1973 from their must-have "On A New Street" album (one side is completely Thom Bell, the other produced by Teddy Randazzo.) The swirling strings and tapping beat match Little Anthony perfectly, and make me wish that he had done more work with Thom Bell. Norman Harris’ Harris Machine is another sound that I cannot get enough of, and this was the dominating force on Eddie Kendricks’ "He’s A Friend" album for Motown on 1976. The whole album is great, and the inclusion of "It’s Not What You Got" is very welcome for me. Hopefully Hip-O in the States will get around to releasing all the rest of his albums on CD later this year, and should include both this and the excellent "Goin’ Up In Smoke" album. Brenda & The Tabulations had been on the scene some time prior to their 1977 effort with Bobby Eli on "Let’s Go All The Way (Down)". This uptempo slice of Philly Soul will sure to impress. The Whispers really suited the Philly sound as "Don’t Take Your Love" proves, and work their magic on this Ron Kersey, Allan Felder and Bunny Sigler penned stepper. Check the bassline – fantastic! We’ve a new album from these legends, and we also have a new set (already reviewed) by THESE legends, The Persuaders, who wade into the mix with 2 essential songs. "Its Love" and "Two Women" are songs I never heard before, and on the merit of these I want to check out the whole album! Another album I have been hunting is that of Anglo-Saxon Brown. Their addition here is "Straighten It Out". "Gonna Make You Mine" is available on Crème De La Crème" but I want the whole album! Until this set I was unaware of David Morris. David is a first-rate singer and is currently a one-man show in Las Vegas. His 1976 single for Buddah, "Midnight Lady" is included her, and great it is too. I can’t believe that my collection had survived without these awesome cuts! How many similar gems are awaiting release out there?! With The Temprees we mix the southern grit of Stax with the smooth soul of Philadelphia on the essential ballad "You Make Me Feel So Good Baby" which was released on the We Produce imprint of Stax. This is another song I have shuddered to be without, and it was not included on the Fantasy compilation a decade or so ago. The Four Tops are simply GIANTS. Their dalliance with Philly was too little for my liking; 1978 saw this lovely song, "Just In Time", penned by Norman Harris and future Tempation Ron Tyson. I wish their inclusion on the "Fish That Saved Pittsburgh" soundtrack in 1979, "Chance Of A Lifetime", would get a fresh airing on CD. Jimmy Ruffin is another soul great and his style was perfect for the galloping Philly sound. The horn filled Richie Rome effort "Falling In Love With You" does this great voice justice. Nice to see New York City’s "Do You Remember Yesterday" included. This 1973 gem on Chelsea is another Thom Bell classic. This man really should come back and get into the studio. Thom, we miss you! Just to show that the Philly Sound is not dead 2005 saw a MASSIVE club hit with the 12" from Vince Montana, "That’s What Love Does". This truly is an awesome stepper and renews our faith that great, classic soul music can still be produced today. The lead singer from The Ebony’s, William "Smoke" Howard, provides vocals amongst the strings and the vibes. Magical stuff. I cannot rate this album enough, but there again I am biased as I always have been and always will be Philly mad! -Barry Towler Other Fresh CD Reviews Albums of the Month in 2006 Albums of the Month in 2005 Albums of the Month in 2004 Albums of the Month in 2003 Albums of the Month in 2002 Albums of the Month in 2001 Albums of the Month in 2000 Albums of the Month in 1999 Albums of the Month in 1998 Albums of the Month in 1997 |