Eddie Levert: Did I Make You Go Ooh

Soul Express CD of the Month - Autumn 2016

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  Eddie is one of the most powerful vocalists in soul music and his recording history goes back the amazing fifty-five years.  Did I Make You Go Ooh (Nayr Entertainment; www.eddiewlevert.com) is his second solo set after I Still Have It four years ago, and there’s also a new O’Jays CD in the pipeline.

  Rich and full orchestration is created by authentic rhythm section together with horns and strings, and on some of the six uptempo tracks the drive gets almost too wild for me like on the rocky and “banging” Bang the Walls. Say It Ain’t so is a lighter toe-tapper, while The Big Groove is a beater about stupid people and similarly Shit Starter can be considered as some sort of social commentary.  The mid-tempo My Heart Don’t Lie introduces lighter Caribbean elements.

  However, those pleading big ballads stand out for me.  The title song is a sensual love call and That’s the Way Love Is is a very melodic, slowly swaying number.  Two most emotive and impressive tracks are the sorrowful I Let Go and the cream cut, the beautiful and touching How Much More Love.  It took me three or four spins before the CD really sank in, but now it firmly sits up there among the top records of the year.