Disc of the day
The Meters - The Meters
Kings of Nawlins "fonk" go it alone. Cue incurable itch in sacroiliac.
Features Disc of the day
William Bell
The Soul Of A Bell
(Stax, 1967)
Outstanding Southern soul balladeer and songwriter's debut album came six years after his first smash hit single.
William Bell is almost too good at too many things. An emotionally convincing soul balladeer and exceptional songwriter, he has also run his own publishing and labels for roughly 30 years, evidence of an astuteness and acumen not often evident in artists of his era in any genre. That said, timing has not been his forte. In 1961 he had one of Stax's first big hits with the self-penned You Don't Miss Your Water, which helped draw the Southern soul blueprint. But it was six years before this, his debut album, was released, an interruption owed in some bulk to a stint with Uncle Sam's armed forces, albeit in Hawaii. After demob it took William a while to get a grip on the fast-changing soul scene, but he regrouped with Booker T. Jones, a co-writer since 1963, and with the moving and gently chastened storytelling of opening track Everybody Loves A Winner gave notice that he was right back on the money. . Soul Of A Bell continues with a stereo re-make of You Don't Miss... (the original was cut only in mono) and covers of well-known Southern soul classics Do Right Woman, Do Right Man and I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now). Even better are his measured readings of the lesser known Nothing Takes The Place Of You (Toussaint McCall) and Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye, (John D Loudermilk), completing a run of six quite beautifully judged ballads that together build a mood of profound contemplation about the vagaries of life and love. The rest of the album is markedly more uptempo with Eloise (Hang On In There), a Stax romp with William using distinct Levi Stubbs-style phrasing to drive the chorus. Also re-cut from earlier mono days, Any Other Way is a midtempo message of defiance to an old flame, and he gives good Sam & Dave soul on Never Like This Before. All this, and Bell, who will be a sprightly 70 on July 16, had yet to record his own stunning I Forgot To Be Your Lover, the pop smash duet Private Number, with Judy Clay, or kickstart Albert King's Stax career with the bluestastic Born Under A Bad Sign.
Geoff Brown
Posted by Ross_Bennett at 6:00 AM GMT 22/06/2009
Further Listening
Toussaint McCall – Nothing Takes The Place Of You (Fuel)
Judy Clay - Bluesoul Belles Vol 4: The Scepter & Musicor Recordings (Westside, with Marie Knight);
Albert King – Born Under A Bad Sign (Stax)
Previous Disc of the day
-
The Meters - The Meters
Kings of Nawlins "fonk" go it alone. Cue incurable itch in sacroiliac.
6:00 AM GMT 06/11/2009
-
Blur - Blur
Sun sets on Damon Albarn's Little England. "Look inside America," he urges. "She's alright."
6:00 AM GMT 05/11/2009
-
The Congos - Heart Of The Congos
Roots reggae's Lee Perry-produced Pet Sounds!
6:00 AM GMT 04/11/2009
-
-
-
end of body content back to top
Footer
Join us on:
© Copyright Bauer - all
rights reserved.
Reproduction of this
website, in whole or in
part, in any form or
medium without express
written permission from
Bauer is prohibited. All
use is subject to our
Terms of Use
|
|
Comments
Comment on this post
Comment on this post