High Infidelity

Shirley Brown has gotten a lot of mileage out of the theme of cheating men. Her first (and only, actually) hit "Woman To Woman" released on Stax in 1975, was a love-triangle tale fit for a soap opera and since then she's recorded songs called "Three Way Love Affair" "Don't Go Looking For My Man" and "You Left A Good Woman For A Good Time."

When Stax folded she recorded albums for a variety of labels (including the minor classic "Intimate Storm" in 1985 which unfortunately isn't in print anymore) without any major success. These days she's putting out records on the Malaco label and from her 1997 album "The Soul of A Woman" comes another sordid saga of adultery with the memorable title "I Caught You With Your Pants Down." This is what the kids call a slow jam, it has that modern R&B electronic beat with the skippy high-hat sound but what lifts it above cheesy bump 'n' grind is Shirley's vocal. She's a Southern Soul belle from the old school with some real grit and experience in her voice. Another part of Shirley's schtick that she's carried on from "Woman To Woman" is that she often does a talking bit on her records and her little lecture on this is a classic, with the brilliant line "I saw you and some tacky, blonde-weave-wearing, tall, no-booty-having chick." Ooh, bitch.

[Download]
I Caught You With Your Pants Down - Shirley Brown

Young, Gifted, and Donny

Chicago soul legend Donny Hathaway's solo career only lasted three studio albums and he had his main success singing sweet duets with Roberta Flack but he was still one of the most influential soul artists of the 70s; fusing gospel, jazz and even classical into some amazing records. Unfortunately he also suffered from depression and threw himself out of a window to his death in 1979. He was only 33.

His 1970 debut album "Everything Is Everything" brought a new level of musical and thematic sophistication to the soul album (it came out the year before "What's Going On.") The most famous track is the funk classic "The Ghetto" but I think Hathway is at his best on more heavenly fare like this wonderful cover of Nina Simone's "To Be Young, Gifted and Black" as it really shows off his incredible voice. The original of this song was a celebration of black pride but Donny's slow, mournful version turns in into a lament for black youth trapped by lack of opportunity (that's what the album's sleevenotes say anyway). With his beautiful organ playing and the gospel choir the track is just overflowing with spirituality.

You can also find this on A Donny Hathaway Collection and I highly, highly recommend "Donny Hathaway Live" which is one of the best live albums ever.

[Download]
To Be Young, Gifted and Black - Donny Hathaway

Random Thanksgiving Tune

It's the holidays and I'm on a deadline at work so here's a quickie random tune accompanied by an equally random photo.

From the opening piano and tambourine you just know that "What You're Putting Me Through" is going to be great. And it is - brilliant, swinging female soul that makes you want to shake and shimmy. This has long been a massive tune on the Northern Soul scene and I hate to say things like "they don't make 'em like this anymore" but they really don't make 'em like this anymore. Harumph. It came out on the Kapp label in 1965 which is about all I can tell you about it, of Diane Newby I know absolutely nada. This doesn't appear to crop up on any CD compilations either. Sorry.

Enjoy, and have a happy Thanksgiving, and to all my non-American readers have a, um...Happy Thursday.

[Download]
What You're Putting Me Through - Diane Newby

Harvest For The Isleys

It occured to me the other day that in the year and a half I've been doing this blog I've only featured one track by The Isley Brothers which a shocking omission on my part as I think they're one of the greatest groups ever to walk the earth. So here's a couple of tracks from their great 1976 album "Harvest For The World" to make up for it. "So You Wanna Stay Down" is a driving, soul-pop-rock number powered by acoustic guitar that makes it funky as hell but light-footed too. Just hearing Ronald Isley's sweet. sweet voice makes me feel good all over. "(At Your Best) You Are Love" is a gentle ballad that's about as good as late-night bedroom soul gets, so warm and tender it's like someone running their fingers through your hair. This was covered by Aaliyah apparently, never heard her version though. I've left some vinyl crackles in the file as I think they give it a certain warm ambience. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

"Harvest For The World" isn't quite as great as their masterpiece "3+3" (every home should have one) but it's pretty damn good and nearly all their 70s albums are worth getting. Another great thing about The Isley's albums from that era is the outlandish outfits they wear on the covers. My friends and I used to joke about going to the pub dressed in silver jumps suits with tassled sleeves like the one O'Kelly Isley is wearing above. Well, it was funny at the time. You had to be there I guess.

[Download]
So You Wanna Stay Down - The Isley Brothers
(At Your Best) You Are Love - The Isley Brothers

Boogie Friday

I never had a good word to say about Ronald Reagan when he was alive and I didn't have a good word to say about him when he died either. But one thing I will give the old bastard is that he did inspire some damn great records like The Valentine Brothers' "Money's Too Tight Too Mention," Gil Scott-Heron's "Re-Ron," and this funky cut by Donald Banks that came out of Washington DC in 1985.

"Status Quo" sounds like a slowed-down Go-Go record with a rap over the top. The words run through a litany of Reagan-era problems and issues: unemployment, welfare, homelessness, addiction - it's a regular laugh riot! - and the groove is suitably dark and urban. It's like a DC version of "The Message" (but not as great). I'm surprised at how little information I've been able to find out about this though, ie: bugger all. Donald Banks doesn't seem to have done anything else, it was produced by Natures Creation and mixed by Bob Blanks if that means anything to anyone. It was originally released on the Kapital Sity label in DC and then on 4th & Broadway in the UK where it became an underground club hit danced to by Soho hipsters in ripped 501s trying to be edgy and "street" (yes, I was one of them).

Sorry about the slightly poor sound quality on this, I had a hard time getting a good copy off the vinyl. You can get a pristine digital version on Washington Go-Go Second Attack, Vol. 2.

(Note to the kids: The "Bush" they're referring to in the song was Reagan's Vice President. He went on to become President himself and is the father of the current occupant of the White House. So when your teachers tell you America doesn't have an aristocracy you know they're bullshitting you.)

[Download]
Status Quo - Donald Banks

On The Corner

I'm a big fan of harmony soul, for me it doesn't get much better than the sound of a bunch of guys with beautiful voices all crooning a love song together, especially when it's covered in swooning strings. Last year I posted a couple of tunes from the fabulous Kent Records compilation In Perfect Harmony: Sweet Soul Groups 1968-1977 and now they've come out with a second volume entitled More Perfect Harmony. This set goes beyond the usual smooth (and male) 70s style normally associated with the genre and features deep soul, blue-eyed soul, and female harmony groups. It even has some Latin Soul with this beautiful cut by the great Joe Bataan.

Growing up in Spanish Harlem, Bataan was exposed to R&B and Afro-Cuban music which he synthesized into a style that became known as Latin Soul and produced socko hits like "Subway Joe" and "Gypsy Woman." He then went on to pioneer Latin Disco (Salsoul to you and me) with his jazzy cover of Gil Scott-Heron's "The Bottle". His 1969 single "Under The Street Lamp" is a wonderful track which harks back to harmony soul's roots in 1950s street-corner Doo Wop. Everything about this is just perfect, from the floating groove to the soaring vocals and the way it paints an evocative picture of friends hanging out in the neighborhood.

Obviously I highly recommend "More Perfect Harmony" even if it isn't quite as stunning as the first volume. If you want to go directly to the source for Joe Batann, the excellent compilation Young, Gifted & Brown has some of the best of his Latin Soul recordings.

[Download]
Under The Street Lamp - Joe Bataan with Group

Funky Monday

Bill Coday is one of those old soul troopers who has been performing for decades in clubs and juke joints. He was born in Arkansas but first made a name for himself singing in Chicago clubs in the 60s under the name Chicago Willie (smirk). He was spotted singing at the famous Black Orchid Club by "Queen of The Blues" Denise Lasalle who signed him up to her Crajon record label. His third Crajon single "Get Your Lie Straight" (available on an excellent compilation album of the same name) is probably his best-known recording, that made the R&B Top 20 in 1971 and is a favourite on the Northern and rare funk scenes.

His 1973 single "I'm Back To Collect" is terrific slice of gritty Southern funk with a fat, rump-shaking beat and a sweaty, pleading vocal. This was arranged by someone called Bow Legs Miller which makes it even more brilliant, you have to wonder how a guy gets a nickname like that. This was only a regional hit and Coday cut one more single ("I Don't Want to Play This Game" in 1975) and didn't record again until 1995 when he signed with Ecko Records and released the album "Sneakin' Back." He's still recording for Ecko and has made several albums of modern blues and soul for them which I must admit I haven't heard but with song titles like "Her Love Is Good Enough To Put In Collard Greens" and "If I Can't Cut The Mustard (I Can Still Lick Around The Jar)" they could be good for a laugh if nothing else.

[Download]
I'm Back To Collect - Bill Coday

Boogie Friday

You couldn't swing a cat in England in the 1980s without hitting a white soul/funk band. Aside from mainstream acts like Level 42, Spandau Ballet, Wham! and Scritti Politti there was a whole bunch of lesser-known combos on indie labels like The Kane Gang. The group was formed in Newcastle in 1982 by singers Martin Brammer and Paul Woods with instrumentalist Dave Brewis and signed with local label Kitchenware (also the home of indie pop legends Prefab Sprout and The Daintees.)

Their debut single "Brother Brother" is a shuffling funk tune vaguely about Martin Luther King. The vocals are a bit flat at times but the groove is chunky and tight and wouldn't sound too out of place on a Slave album or something. For white boy funk made by three blokes from Newcastle (I think it's Brewis playing most of the instruments) on an indie label it's not too shabby at all, the scratchy funk guitar work is especially good. This is the 12" version.

They had a big hit on the UK charts in 1984 with their third single, the lovely Hall & Oates-ish ballad "The Closest Thing To Heaven" from their first album "The Bad & Lowdown World of The Kane Gang" which isn't in print anymore unfortunately. Their second, slicker album "Miracle" didn't do very well (though it did produce a minor US hit with "Motortown") and far as I can tell they must have broken up pretty soon after that - they didn't make any more records anyway.

[Download]
Brother Brother - The Kane Gang

A Diva

Adeva burst onto the dance music scene in 1988 with blazing House tracks like her radical re-working of "Respect" and the titanic "Musical Freedom" the following year. While she had the paint-peeling tonsil power of the best House Divas and an image that made Grace Jones look shy and retiring she had her sensitive side and the soul chops to sing gorgeous ballads like this one. "Beautiful Love" was a single in 1989 that was only a minor hit, her previous singles had all made the UK Top 20 (she did far better in Europe than the States) but this one didn't do as well. I've always loved it though, especially in this 12" extended version remixed by Frankie Knuckles. This has that classic 80s slow jam sound, electronic but warm and smooth as butter, the backing vocals are especially nice.

The original version of this is on her debut album Adeva! (love the exclamation mark) which seems to be out of print now as is most of the rest of her catalogue, unfortunately including the compilation Ultimate Adeva.

[Download]
Beautiful Love - Adeva

Mystery Songs

99% of the work of this blog is trying to dig up facts about singers and recordings but sometimes I just hit a dead end. Even with the wonders of the internet to help me, information about both Sam E. Solo and Jackie Montre El was impossible to find. What I do know though is that these are both terrific records. "Tears Keep Falling" is a wonderful midtempo weepie with a heartbreaking, pleading vocal from Mr. Solo. This was released on the Imperial label in 1966 as the b-side of the single "Love Is Not A Game." Jackie Montre El is another mystery woman (with a strange surname), "Doomed By Jealousy" is a haunting ballad with a beautiful arrangement and production by "the Creole Beethoven" Wardell Quezergue. Amazingly this stunning record was also a b-side, to the ABC single "I Worship The Ground You Walk On" released in 1967.

The other mystery is why neither of these tracks appear to be available on CD anywhere. But I guess that's where I come in with my free downloads magic. Enjoy.

[Download]
Tears Keep Falling - Sam E. Solo
Doomed By Jealousy - Jackie Montre El

Boogie Friday

The swinging, slamming, percussive funk music called Go-Go came out of Washington DC in the late 70s and early 80s. Go-Go was basically a throwback to early 70s funk style with big groups playing long, jamming party grooves, but with more horns and lots and lots of percussion (very heavy on the cowbell). The father of Go-Go was Chuck Brown but Trouble Funk were the heavy hitters of the scene and the ones tipped to break out to wider success, they were the first Go-Go act to release a record outside of DC when their debut album "Drop The Bomb" came out on the Sugarhill label in 1982. But though it emerged at the same time as Hip-Hop and came from the same block party culture Go-Go never made the same commercial breakthrough, probably because this sort of loose and raw funk works better in a live or club setting than on Top 40 radio.

"Let's Get Small" is one of Trouble Funk's earlier singles released on the Washington DETT label and shows off all that was great about the band and Go-Go in general: a dynamic and punchy funk workout with big beats and shouty call-and-response vocals. If this doesn't get you moving nothing will. I have no idea what getting small involves but count me in whatever it is.

I took this from the brilliant compilation album "Go-Go Crankin" which came out in England in 1985 and did a lot to spread the Go-Go gospel in that country (and had a fantastic sleeve as you can see above). Sadly it's not in print anymore but the more recent "Meet Me At The Go-Go" fills that hole nicely. If you want some more Trouble Funk (and you do) grab a copy of Droppin' Bombs: The Definitive Trouble Funk when you can.

[Download]
Let's Get Small - Trouble Funk

Housekeeping

Didn't have time to finish my epic post on the oeuvre of Michael Bolton today, so instead I've added a few new links to other mps blogs over on the left. The list is getting so long I've thought about categorizing them all somehow but I hate putting things in boxes so you'll just have to click on them to find out what they're all about.

Pussycat Patrice

I had a real "blimey, I never knew that" moment when looking up some facts about Patrice Holloway for this post. I already knew that she was Brenda Holloway's little sister but I never knew that her biggest claim to fame was being the singing voice of the character Valerie in the early 70s cartoon series Josie and The Pussycats. Not having ever seen the show (I don't think it was shown in England) I can't comment on the aesthetic merits of that gig but apparently Valerie was the first black cartoon character to be a TV series regular which is something in itself to be proud of.

Before being immortalised in cartoon form Patrice cut some tracks for Motown which have never been released and recorded a few singles for Capitol in the mid-60s, one of which was the terrific double whammy of "Love And Desire" with the flipside "Ecstasy" from 1967. These are 100% prime, bright and bouncy female soul tracks that have long been top tunes on the Northern Soul scene (they weren't hits in the real world though.) Both songs are about the thrill of love and Patrice gives an appropriately joyful vocal performance, sounding as if she's burtsing at the seams with love and, um, desire. She's a really great singer and should have been famous beyond the cartoon universe. Though it was the b-side I think "Ecstacy" is the better track and there's a risqué undertone to the lyrics so you know she's not singing about just holding hands.

Patrice's discography doesn't contain much solo work so there isn't an album of her on her own, but you can get these on Talcum Soul Volume One and Volume Two.

PS: If you think the blonde girl at the front above looks familiar, that's because it's future Charlie's Angel Cheryl Ladd who was the singing voice of Cherie in the series.

[Download]
Love and Desire - Patrice Holloway
Ecstasy - Patrice Holloway