Juno Recommends Soul September 2018

Review: North Carolina's Brief Encounter were one of the bands to define the 70's US soul sound but, unlike many of their peers, the group remained in the sights of crate diggers and specialists, straying away from significant commercial success. This particular single, for instance, wasn't even released officially and has remained the stuff of legends until now, so it's thanks to the reliable Athens Of The North that we're able to give it a spin on our turntables. Put simply, "Where Will I Go" and "Always" are two unmissable soul ballads that are simply impossible not to appreciate and get excited by - they encapsulate a particular note of optimism and romance that represented the 1970s in America, taking us on a journey into the past. Don't miss it!

Review: One of Teddy's final hoorahs, "If You Believe In Love" saw the late great soul troubadour of love take on the thriving sound of new jack swing. Its emphatic gospel chorus and sentiment are timeless but if anything, the 25 years that have passed since the release have aged the track well. It's the Phat Phili remix, however, that most will swoon for. The gilded work of Def Jef, the Phat Phili mix gives Teddy's innate sensuality and authenticity much more room to really work its magic. Believe.

Review: Andy Stennett and Peter Maas' Freeez project was a pillar of both the pre-punk and punk scenes across the UK, with their infamous tracks surely having influenced a myriad of post-punkers thereafter. Aside from that, they also operated under the Pink Rhythm moniker, through which they released a limited selection of disco-not-disco and jazz-dance. Perfect for some reissue action right now. India was the second of the three EPs they released in 1985, now out through Be With, and the title track sounds like it hasn't aged a day since thanks to a subtly boogie approach filtered through a cold-wave stance. "Trust Me" a more sensual track, slower and more soulful, while the flipside's "More & More" storms through with a summery, blazed-out drum-machine anthem, followed by a sweet instrumental cut to "India". Ya need...

Review: Izipho Soul spoil us once again with this never before heard track from New Mexico troubadour Freddie Chavez. Best known for his thumping northern soul classic "They'll Never Know Why", "Cold Rainy Day" slides with a little more jazz funk and shinier production. Written with John Wagner a few years before his cult hit in the early 70s it criminally never saw the light of day. Until now. Flip for a rare country/rock affair from Chavez where the shades sit somewhere between Skynard and John. Only 250 pressed; only being long is wrong...

Review: George Brown (Vocals, Bass) Johnny Prejean (Drums), Charles Conrad Greenway (Vocals, Keyboards) Cliff Faldowski (Guitar) and Henry Boatright (Sax) made for quite the ensemble under their Soul Brothers Inc moniker, a project that ran from the late 60s through to the mid 70s and one which defined the Texas soul sound thanks to countless releases through the infamous S.B.I. Records. "Put It On Him" and "Go On & Have Your Fun" featured on one of the 7" singles that the band put out in 1971, and they still sound as fresh and as funky today as they did back then. Most importantly, both tunes have a very definite 'Texan' sound running through them, nodding to a country living that could not be matched by artists from Detroit or Philadelphia. It's their city, their vibe, their sound - and it sounds damn fine.

Review: If you haven't heard Gloria Taylor's "Deep Inside You", possibly 1973's best soul tune - and one of the best soul tunes ever made - you haven't lived life to the full. That's our honest opinion. And, if that is true, you are still in time to change that with this glorious little 7" reissue from Expansion. The title tune is a blissful segment of music, always cutting through deeply for us, but "World That's Not Real" is only less appealing by comparison. Relative to the huge amounts of soul music out in the public sphere, it is certainly still an absolutely winning B-side. Recommended.

Review: It truly is amazing that Candi Staton is still putting out albums in 2018. The 78 year-old singer is an absolute force of nature, never content with the status-quo and famed for reinventing herself on every LP. Her last appearance on vinyl was on 2008's Who's Hurting Now?, out through London's own Honest Jon's Records, and that was a much deeper, more sensual affair that touched upon many elements of soul. Here, on Unstoppable, Staton revisits her Alabama roots, coming through with ten tracks that add a little rock sensibility to the soulful aesthetic of her voice, making the whole LP a sort of modern rendition of blues. There is also a cover of Patti Smith's "People Have The Power", among other beauties which we're sure you'll enjoy.