https://www.amazon.co.uk/Soul-Harmony-Sweet-Vocals-1961-1984/dp/B0DQ5X98W7?crid=30E3BPNA2X4O7&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.fkh1L0GHvbH97OBiiV8HEA.K3Y4al9t4thQHmNem0BC4P3dT_Ot0_wsOG8KCYX1534&dib_tag=se&keywords=029667111126&qid=1737992721&sprefix=029667111126%2Caps%2C76&sr=8-1&linkCode=ll1&tag=mabasreofcdbl-21&linkId=5131b333e8217d9aae1b403d72ff3145&language=en_GB&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
RATINGS:
Overall: *** to ****
Audio: ****
Presentation: *****
"…For The Love Of You…"
Probably not the prettiest or the most eye-catching artwork in the long history of CD Soul Compilations it must be said - and four or more were left in the can for obvious reasons too - no matter how much the liner notes may enthuse. But (in the main) this last day of January 2025 CD release from our archival pals over at Ace Records is still a lovely listen – and sees many rarities making their debut on CD. Kent Soul is shimmering for collectors once again.
Ace are celebrating the tradition of Balladry and Harmony Soul here – 24-Tracks scattered across more than two decades (1961 to 1984) – many from rare and deleted CDs of old, 2024 vinyl-only releases and at least a third of the haul – brand new.
Mucho smooching to be done then and extra bottles of Talcum Powder to be lined up on the drinks trolly by the dancefloor just a backfield motion left of the telly. To the broken hearts and men who may not necessarily be true…
UK released Friday, 31 January 2025 - "Soul Harmony: Sweet Soul Vocals 1961-1984" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Ace/Kent Soul CDKEND 513 (Barcode 029667111126) is a 24-Track CD Compilation of Remasters. It includes Six Previously Unreleased for 2025, Four UK 45-Single issues initially only on Vinyl in 2024 and other Rarities first time on CD - it plays out as follows (73:37 minutes):
1. I've Never Found A Girl – THE MAD LADS (from the August 1969 US LP "The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Lads" on Volt Records VOS-6005 in Stereo – an Eddie Floyd cover version)
2. Instant Replay – 87th OFF BROADWAY (an April 1972 recording first issued on Ace's new reissue label Soul Harmony – the A-side "Instant Replay" is their inaugural release for 25 October 2024 on SH 01 with Larry Sanders and his "I'm In Love" on the flipside – first issue here on CD)
3. Just Because He Wants To Make Love (Doesn't Mean He Loves You) - MOMENTS (July 1972, US 45-single on Stang ST 5041, A-side – also as The Moments in the UK, 45-single released September 1972 on London HLU 10389, A-side)
4. I'll Be Gone – LEE WILLIAMS & THE CYMBALS (April 1966, US 45-single on Carnival Records CAR-521, B-side of "I Love You More")
5. Let It All Out – JIMMY CONWELL (Mid 1967, US 45-single on Gemini 1003, B-side of "Too Much")
6. Mr. Lover Supreme – RAMONA KING (an Alex Palao mix of a Previously Unreleased 1970 Golden State Recording – Previously Unreleased)
7. The Wind Is My Only Friend – THE FOUR TEES (a Previously Unissued 1970 Kent recording – Previously Unreleased)
8. For The Love Of You – NATURAL RESOURCES (a Previously Unissued 1969 Bobby Swayne recording – Previously Unreleased)
9. I Still Love You – THE EXCLUSIVE (1970s Eddie Singleton recording – first issued 25 October 2024 in the UK on 45-single on Soul Harmony SH 02, A-side - first time on CD)
10. My Friend Heartaches – THE SOUL INTERIORS (a 1972 GSF Records written by Thomas Crawford first issued September 2024 in the UK on a 45-single, Kent CITY 096, A-side – first time on CD here)
11. Ooh, Baby, Baby – THE SAN FRANCISCO T.K.O.'s (1972 US 45-single on Golden Soul GS 7112, B-side of "Herm" – Lead Vocalist is Penny Lewis – a cover of The Miracles Tamla song of 1965 with Smokey Robinson)
12. Forever – THE DIPLOMATS (a 1963 recording for Arock Records, recorded by Van McCoy and written by Paul Griffin and Willie Denson – first appears as an unreleased track on the June 2004 Diplomats UK CD compilation "Greatest Recordings" on Ace/Kent CDKEND 232)
13. Moon Out There – THE PUFFS (February 1966, US 45-single on Doré 757, B-side of "I Only Cry Once A Day Now" – Female Vocal Group consisting of Joyce Pinkney, Rose Bell and Mary White - arranged by Gene Page)
14. Ain't That Kinda Sad – THE QUESTION MARKS (1964 US 45-single on Money 105, A-side – A.R.D. Production arranged by Hank Jacobs – Thomas Calhoun song)
15. The Greatest Love – THE FOUR SONICS (May 1968, US 45-single on Sport 111, A-side – featuring Anita Watson)
16. You Still Need Me – JOHNNY WESLEY And THE FOUR TEES (April 1966, US 45-single on Melic Records 4170, B-side of "It's The Talk Of The Town" – Arranged by Arthur Wright)
17. Something In My Eye – THE MUSIC CITY SOUL BROTHERS (1964 US 45-single on Music City 855, A-side – featuring Jimmy Norman on Lead with Freddie Hughes and Ken Pleasants on Backing Vocals)
18. Take Me Back – THE THREE REASONS (1971 US 45-single on Carnival CAR-551, B-side of "Just A Groove In "G"" by Wilbur Bascomb And The Zodiac – written by Kenneth Ruffin)
19. Girl I Tried – THE PERFORMERS (originally a 1973 recording first issued in the USA on the August 2011 Various Artists VINYL LP "The Music City Sessions Volume 3: Soul Show" on Omnivore Recordings OVLP- 38 – an Edit is presented here and is first time on CD in 2025)
20. Love Don't Let Me Down – NIGHTCHILL (Previously Unissued Dave Hamilton recording from 1980 – a Nick Robbins Mix)
21. You Look Like A Flower – RICHARD CAITON (September 1964, US 45-single on GNP Crescendo GNP 327, A-side)
22. Palms Of Paradise – RAY & BOB (September 1961, US 45-single on Ledo 1151, B-side of "Air Travel" – Ray Swayne and Bob Appleberry)
23. Who Do You Love – THE IMPERIALITES (Previously Unissued 1964 George Semper recording – first time on CD)
24. The Story Says – THE TOKAYS (Previously Unissued Dave Hamilton recording)
NOTES:
All Tracks in STEREO except Tracks 5, 10, 12 to 18, 22 to 24 in MONO
All Tracks in STEREO except Tracks 5, 10, 12 to 18, 22 to 24 in MONO
The 20-page booklet is the usual Ace Records dream-fest crammed with knowledgeable and well-researched liner notes from Soul aficionado TONY OUNCE – each artist represented by publicity photos if available (The Moments, Ramona King and The Diplomats get whole pages – 5, 8 and 12). There are label repros of hard-to-find US singles in Stock or Demo form and even Trade Adverts alongside the occasional archival Tape Box. Rounce goes deep on facts – names you have never heard of – singers remembered and rightly so.
The Audio is half-and-half – 12 in STEREO with most of the 45s not surprisingly in MONO. Long-standing Audio Engineer DUNCAN COWELL has once again done a sterling job with the Remasters – only one of two betraying their demo-ish origins. When for instance you are playing the unreleased 1970 cut by The Four Tees – great STEREO Audio – same goes for the 1964 MONO of The Music City Soul Brothers - pleading for you to disregard their tears (singers Ken Hughes and Ken Pleasants are pictured in a Trade Advert for an upcoming gig on Page 15). Great stuff. To the tunes…
"Soul Harmony…" opens on a hip-swaying high – The Mad Lads doing a 1969 cover version the Eddie Floyd Stax hit "I've Never Found A Girl" – an LP deep cut – it hears our harmonizing boys giving it some microphone shuffles while smooth guitar soloing and brass punctuate that lovely song. First issued as an Alec Palao Mix on UK 45 in 2024 on Ace's own label imprint Soul Harmony (their debut release) – 87th Off Broadway smooch the eight-piece voices across your speakers – very, very pretty. Falsetto voices akin to The Stylistics and Chi-Lites – The Moments ad a huge chart history and in 1972 their warning ballad "Just Because He Wants To Make Love (Doesn't Mean He Loves You" was typical of their sound.
Clever choice and top pick (for me) comes in the shape of the arm-shuffling "I'll Be Gone" by Lee Williams & The Cymbals (misspelled as Symbols on original 1966 US 45s) – a fabulous winner and surefire inclusion on Soul Ballads CD-Rs of future home entertainment (the obscure US 45 goes for serious dosh).
The goodies continue with "Let It All Out" – not the greatest audio for Jimmy Conwell – but man what an emotional punch its 1967 oohs and sways pack (you're gonna stay, a shoulder to cry on). The Ramona King track may be unreleased, but unfortunately you can hear why its weakness and her cloying delivery of it was canned - "Mr Lover Supreme" is more irritating than good and with lyrics that have not worn well. Full-on Brass and String Arrangements threaten to overwhelm "For The Love Of You" but the classy Harmony Vocals of Nature Resources keep you listening and swaying.
Time for some serious smooching – a low Bass eases in the foolish-man oohs of The Exclusives who are glad (nonetheless) that they held onto her. A fabulous find with a disarmingly lovely trumpet solo amidst the pleading vocal pyro-techniques – it was issued as 45-release number two on Ace's Soul Harmony label in October 2024 (this is its first time on CD and will be a welcome addition to digital). The Soul Interiors cut seems to feature an unknown vocalist on "My Friend Heartaches" – but what a voice – might be the song-writer Thomas Mitchell. Speaking of great singers - I would swear that Linda Ronstadt zapped right into the feel of The San Francisco TKOs cover of The Miracles Tamla hit "Ooh, Baby, Baby" for her version in 1978 on Elektra Records – Ronstadt slowing it down to the same funerial pace which in some way enhances the Soulfulness even more.
Not that enamoured with The Diplomats cut "Forever" and despite serious effort - The Puffs US 45 flipside "Moon Out There" is let down by muffled and worn audio. Better is The Question Marks who go back to 1964 and feature a very Four Tops Motown vibe with their lovely "Ain't That Kinda Sad". Neither hurt nor humiliation will keep Johnny Wesley & The Four Tees away – their "You Still Need Me" a great weepy. I mentioned the haw-haw melodrama of The Soul Brothers earlier as they crawl from the emotional wreckage of "Something In My Eye" (give that lucky guy a hello from the boys). Much going on with "Take Me Back" – the lead vocalist practically shredding his pipes as his backing singers sway and pray.
The later sound of Nightchill feels out of place and even with Dave Hamilton involvement is not that good to my ears. We head home with Richard Caiton comparing his lady to a flower – but like Ray & Bob song that follow (the oldest cut here from 1961) – the lyrics are weedy and the Vocal Group tradition is more in evidence rather than Soul (and not in a good way). The Imperialites mix up Doo Wop and Soul with their should-we-raise-a-family smoocher "Who Do You Love" while the compilation ends on the weirdly eerie "The Story Says" – a Tokays demo with a Tambourine and Piano and Voices. I can see why it is included, but that doesn't mean I'm going to be playing it again any time soon.
So, to sum up - 31 January 2025's "Soul Harmony: Sweet Soul Vocals 1961-1984" CD has some gems for sure - plus Rarities on Digital that are welcome too. But a lot of these out-of-work chunes were chancing their arms in the first place and haven't weathered well since – so four stars at the most. But the good stuff in-between – oh yes – and the reason why we love Kent Soul compilations to the max...