Soul Time!

Description

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings have developed an international reputation as the #1 group on todays soul scene. Soul Time! is an exploration of the full range of their dynamic sound through twelve songs handpicked by the Daptone Records gang, each one a precious exclusive.

The needle drops on Genuine Pts. 1 & 2, a supercharged funk arrangement that evokes the late Godfather not only with the spirited syncopation of the Dap-Kings rhythms, but also with the raw power of Jones voice. It is performances such as these that have earned her the moniker the Female James Brown. Though it has long been one of their best-selling singles, it makes its album debut here. Longer and Stronger, written for her 50th birthday, is a deep mid-tempo soul celebration of the strength and determination with which Sharon Jones has earned her long overdue success. It is heard here for the first time, but will undoubtedly join other Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings songs in the canon of great soul music.

The theme of empowerment pushes on through He Said I Can, an energetic stomper belted over an arrangement reminiscent of the Isley Brothers early-seventies heyday, and Im Not Gonna Cry brings us back to the raw funk intensity of Genuine with a squealing tenor solo and a fiery vocal. Side one wraps with a scorching studio performance of When I Come Home, long a highlight of the bands live show but rearing its head on album here for the first time as well.

What If We All Stopped Paying Taxes? kicks the second side off with a bang. A strong anti-war message pours over a revolutionary mid-tempo groove, accentuated by the conga work of the legendary Johnny Griggs of JBs fame, while Settling In is a greasy rhythm and blues grinder. And who says Christmas cant be soulful? Jones et al. make it so over their sought after holiday exclusive, Aint No Chimneys in the Projects. Next is an energetic romp into Motown intensity with New Shoes, a walking-out-the door belter that picks up where These Boots Were Made For Walking left off. Without A Trace shows yet another dimension of the band, stretching a dreamy mid-tempo groove down the road to Memphis and back. The record winds up with a deep laid back cover of Shuggie Otis psychedelic soul jam Inspiration Information. From the first note to the last, Soul Time! confirms this bands place at the head of the table as the worlds greatest funk and soul showband. Whether youre a lifetime fan, or just getting turned on, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings have yet again made a record that will blow your mind. Get ready world, because Its Soul Time!