"...Gettin' Back Into Circulation..."
The first volume in this
series "Dore L.A. Soul Sides" issued in April 2014 – caused a bit of
a stir amongst lovers of Sixties Soul (Ace/Kent Soul CDKEND 417). With a tasty
stew of 24 more cut from the same Soul cloth (2 Previously Unreleased) – Volume
2 is likely to elicit just as much affection and excitement (even if the audio
is not as sharp as one would have hoped for). Here are the elusive West Coast
details...
UK released June 2015 (July
2015 in the USA) – "Dore L.A. Soul Sides 2" on Ace/Kent Soul CDKEND
433 (Barcode 029667243322) is a 24-track CD compilation and fleshes out as
follows (65:03 minutes):
1. Getting’ Back Into
Circulation – THE ENTERTAINERS IV (2015 Previously Unreleased Remix of a 1965
USA 7” single on Dore 759, A)
2. I’m Givin’ You Notice
Baby – THE FIDELS (1966 USA 7” single on Dore 761, A)
3. What Did You Gain By
That? – KENARD (1970 USA 7” single on Dore 848, A)
4. Wind In My Sails – THE
SUPERBS (1972 USA 7” single on Dore 872, A)
5. Funny With my Stuff – THE
NATURAL RESOURCES UNPOLLUTED (1971 USA 7” single on Dore 854, A)
6. Pictures In My Window –
EDDIE WILLIAMS (1970 USA 7” single on Dore 839, A)
7. That’s What Love Will Do
– MILTON JAMES (1966 USA 7” single on Dore 767, A)
8. I Wanna Chance – THE VOWS
(1962 USA 7” single on Markay 103, A)
9. I Want You – DEE TORRES
(1966 USA 7” single on Dore 762, A)
10. My Pillow – THE DARLINGS
(1963 USA 7” single on Dore 677, A)
11. We Together Baby – SMOKY
& THE BEARS (1967 USA 7” single on Dore 790, A)
12. Keep On Movin’ – LITTLE
JOHNNY HAMILTON & THE CREATORS (1966 USA 7” single on Dore 760, A)
13. The Girl That I Loved –
BOBBY & EDDIE UNLIMITED (1968 USA 7” single on Dore 809, A)
14. Nitty Gritty City – THE
SWANS (1966 USA 7” single on Dore 777, A)
15. I Only Cry Once A Day
Now – THE PUFFS (1966 USA 7” single on Dore 757, A)
16. Goddess Of Love – THE
SUPERBS (1965 USA 7” single on Dore 739, A)
17. Nothing Lasts Forever –
THE NATURAL RESOURCES (1969 USA 7” single on Dore 1003, A)
18. Just Ain’t My Day – THE
ENTERTAINERS IV (1968 USA 7” single on Dore 802, A)
19. Stuffin’ The Bird –
RAMLING WLLIE & THE EUOPHONICS (1976 USA 7” single on Dore 918, A)
20. Just A Little Ugly –
GAIL ANDERSON (1981 USA 7” single on Dore 973, A)
21. This Girl Is A Good Girl
– JOHNNY BRAFF (1975 USA 7” single on 904, A)
22. Saigon To San Francisco
– TOUSSAINT McCALL (2015 Previously Unreleased Dore Recording)
23. As I Sit Here – THE
WHISPERS (1965 USA 7” single on Dore 740, A)
24. I Look In The Mirror –
EDDIE KOOL (1968 USA 7” single on Dore 807, A)
Notes:
Tracks 1 and 22 are
Previously Unreleased – all tracks are MONO except 1, 19, 20 and 22 – which are
STEREO
The 16-page booklet by
long-standing Northern Soul expert and lover ADY CROASDELL and gives a
track-by-track history of what’s what and who slept with who...while NICK
ROBBINS has done the remasters. There are label repros of rare American 45s for
Dore, Nu-Sound, Mackay, Dee Dee Sounds
and Burn Records as well as publicity shots of Little Johnny Hamilton and
The Superbs as well as a Trade Advert for The Whispers from April 1968.
Tasteful and informative...
It opens with a devastating
one-two - both of which are likely to send Northern Soul aficionados (and
dancers in general) into something of a lather – an alternate mix of “Gettin’
Back Into Circulation” by The Entertainers IV and the Motown brass-belter “I’m
Givin’ You Notice Baby” by The Fidels. I can’t imagine what they cost as 45s
but I’m thinking there wouldn’t be much change from a month’s salary (each). We
then enter the realm of the genuinely strange – a Soul song that sounds more
like some bizarre socially conscious message tune sung by Kenard (lead singer
with The Entertainers). Many thought it was never released – it’s rougher than
the preceding tracks but is included for its £1000+ rarity value. The Superbs
have had their Kent-Soul “Best Of” CD compilation (CDKEND 417) and their “What
Did You Gain By That” is another talcum-powder shuffle.
The pace ups with the 1971
“Funky With My Stuff” which is very Shaft influenced (and in a good way).
Flicking back to 1966 “Pictures In My Window” by Eddie Williams feels epic too
but suffers from what seems to have an ever so slight pitch wobble. The Milton
James cut is worse sounding like it was mastered from a stretched tape. Things
pick audio-wise with the very Smokey Robinson vocal group feel to “I Wanna
Chance” – a lovely mixture of Girl-Group and Soul. That same feel continues
with “I Want You” by Dee Torres where the guitar almost feels like Hank Marvin
of The Shadows doing Soul with another vocalist at the mike. Identikit to “Louie Louie” – “We Together
Baby” by Smoky & The Bears is a great dancing instrumental that packs a
mean punch. Although it’s good – “Keep On Movin’” again sounds ever so slightly
bootleg – but I can hear why its been included (very Mayfield). Another winner
is “Nitty Gritty City” by The Swans as is the truly funky instrumental
“Stuffin’ The Bird”. Traditional Vocal Groups warmth wafts over you as The
Whispers do “As I Sit Here” – quite possibly the loveliest track on here.
It’s not all genius for sure
and unfortunately the Audio really dips on quite a few tracks – but the feel of
a 'discovery' hangs over so many of the more Soulful sides. Kent-Soul buyers
will love it...
