Kind of Deep

There are so many vintage soul compilations released in the UK that few (if any) of them qualify as an "event" but the fourth volume of Dave Godin's Deep Soul Treasures probably is. The incredible first volume became Kent Records biggest-selling compilation ever and subsequent installments in the series have only added to the reputation of Godin as the go-to guy for the very best in emotionally-charged, gut-wrenching, heart-stopping soul music. Volume 4 features a wider range of styles than before, there are even a few uptempo numbers like "Just Loving You" by Ruby Andrews which is peppy enough to actually be - gasp! - danceable, but Andrews' vocal is soulful as hell, proving Godin's theory that Deep Soul doesn't have to be slow and miserable to be, well, Deep. "The Day After Forever" is pretty sweet sounding too and Paul Kelly turns in a gently moving performance that tugs at the heart like a bucket full of kittens. This is a real beaut of a song, hard to believe it was just a b-side.

Godin has given himself a hard act to follow and Volume 4 doesn't quite scale the Olympian heights of previous volumes - there's nothing on it quite as earth-shattering as Zerban Hicks' "Light's Out" from Vol. 1 - but there's still plenty of unheard gems and enough soul power on it to light up several major cities.

[Download]
Just Loving You - Ruby Andrews
The Day After Forever - Paul Kelly