https://www.amazon.co.uk/Atlantic-Unearthed-Sisters-Various-Artists/dp/B000FA57QW?crid=2AFZX8X6TKX7&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.8Fju4JqcuE1bvpWhgzWWPQ.QsadT0z2vHFr1oQt5eEIh9GstVDuNK_NT9sjvPnXPNk&dib_tag=se&keywords=081227762629&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1737211133&sprefix=081227762629%2Caps%2C79&sr=8-1&linkCode=ll1&tag=mabasreofcdbl-21&linkId=6af9e2d5e92a0de0519996e03eda8607&language=en_GB&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
RATINGS:
Overall: **** to *****
Audio: ****
Presentation: ****
"…I Ain't That Easy To Lose..."
Like its literal Big Bro companion volume "Atlantic Unearthed: Soul Brothers" (also issued in the UK on 19 June 2006) – this "Atlantic Unearthed: Soul Sisters" girly variant offers up another 16-nuggets from the deep-dive vaults of Atlantic Records and its primo artist roster.
Stretching from recording and release dates of 1964 to 1973 – we get five of the sixteen as Previously Unreleased anywhere, eight rare 45-singles (six hard-to-find A's, Two Non-LP flipsides with some that are first-time on CD anywhere), one Previously Unissued in the USA, and finally two Sixties recordings only released on 1995 US CD compilations now long since deleted.
Something of a lost CD gem in a veritable sea of Soul Compilations - "Atlantic Unearthed: Soul Sisters" has gone largely unnoticed nineteen years after its British and US issue. But with a quietly brilliant winner hit rate of about 10 (maybe even 12) out of 16 - I'm going to argue that there are just too many goodies on here for fans to pass by. So let's get to the newly found discoveries…themselves now nearly two decades old…
UK released 19 June 2006 - "Atlantic Unearthed: Soul Sisters" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Atlantic/Rhino 8122-77626-2 (Barcode 081227762629) it plays out as follows (49:53 minutes):
1. My Way – ARETHA FRANKLIN (Recorded March 1970, outtake from the sessions for the "Spirit In The Dark" LP of August 1970 – this Frank Sinatra cover version apparently only ever appeared on an Italian LP and is Previously Unreleased in the USA)
2. It's Growing – MARGIE JOSEPH (Recorded September 1972, a Smokey Robinson cover version originally done by The Temptations in 1965, Previously Unreleased)
3. (1-2-3-4-5-6-7) Count The Days – PATTI LaBELLE and THE BLUE BELLES (Recorded January 1969, a Charlie & Inez Foxx cover version, Previously Unreleased)
4. Please Little Angel – DORIS TROY (February 1964 US 45-single on Atlantic 45-2222, A-side – written by Doris Troy in conjunction with Producer and Arranger Greg Carroll and in one of their earliest song-credits – Nicholas Ashford & Valerie Simpson)
5. Hands Off My Baby – MARY WELLS (Recorded August 1966, first appeared January 1995 on the US CD compilation "Dear Lover: The Atco Sessions" by Mary Wells on Ichiban/Soul Classics SCL 2509-2)
6. My Best Friend's Man – DEE DEE SHARP (October 1966 USA 7" single on Atco 45-6445, A-side – first time on a CD – written by Kenneth Gamble and Jimmy Bishop)
7. Rescue Me – DEE DEE WARWICK (Recorded October 1970, Fontella Bass cover version (original from 1965) – Previously Unreleased)
8. What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted – BABY WASHINGTON (November 1969 US 45-single on Cotillion 45-44055, B-side of "Breakfast In Bed" – is a Jimmy Ruffin cover)
9. Full Time Woman – IRMA THOMAS (December 1971 USA 7" single on Cotillion 45-44144, A-side – an Alice Stuart song)
10. I Got To Love Somebody's Baby – JUDY CLAY (Recorded May 1969, first appeared on the April 1995 US CD Compilation "Featuring Storybook Children & Greatest Love" by BILLY VERA and JUDY CLAY on Ichiban/Soul Classics SCL-2101-2)
11. Cheater Man – ESTHER PHILLIPS (July 1967 USA 7" single on Atlantic 45-2417, B-side of "I'm Sorry" – a Chips Moman and Dan Penn song)
12. What A Man – LAURA LEE (November 1969 USA 7" single on Cotillion 45-44054, B-side to "Separation Man" – a Dave Crawford song - "What A Man" was also covered by Jackie Moore in a 1972 Atlantic Records session. It first appeared as one of four Previously Unreleased Tracks on the 2005 UK CD and 2LP compilation "Crème De La Crème Two: More Philly Soul Classics And Rarities From The Vaults Of Atlantic, Atco And Warner Bros. Records" – for Jackie Moore see also Track 14
13. Ain't Nothing Gonna Change Me – THE SWEET INSPIRATIONS (Recorded June 1970 and Arranged by Wade Marcus, Previously Unreleased)
14. It Ain't Who You Know – JACKIE MOORE (August 1972 USA 7" single on Atlantic 45-2902, A-side - a Dave Crawford and Brad Shapiro song)
15. I Ain't That Easy To Lose – BETTYE SWANN (Recorded April 1973, Previously Unreleased – a Pam Sawyer and Gloria Jones song)
16. Thankful For What I Got – BARBARA LEWIS (February 1968 USA 7" single on Atlantic 45-2482, B-side of "Sho-Nuff (It's Got To Be Your Love)" – a Barbara Lewis song)
The compilation is produced by DAVID NATHAN who also does the informative and affectionate liner notes - with the remastering done by long-time tape maestro and Rhino associate DAN HERSCH. Being from differing time frames, the sound ranges from very good - a hissy but deeply Soulful Judy Clay doing "I Got To Love Somebody's Baby" in 1969 - to full on fantastic like Irma Thomas sounding mature and yet dignified for "Full Time Woman" or the sexy 1967 chug in Esther Phillips' "Cheater Man" channelling her inner Wilson Pickett.
I should also mention that this compilation feels like grown-up women - sophisticated Soul that may be emotionally down and out for a while but will soon be up again and back at. Nathan is to be praised for digging out these rarities from disparate years and sources. The audio in short is great even if it dips a tad in places - the listen offsetting any misgivings. Nathan also pours on the details in the four-faces fold-out inlay - but it might have been nice to have seen some of those 45-single labels or tape boxes. To the tunes...
No matter how hard David Nathan tries to convince in his excellent liner notes that her cover version of the ole blues eyes standard "My Way" is a gem (apparently it slipped onto an Italian LP sometime in 1970 but I could never find it) – Aretha has chosen smarter songs to wrap her fab lungs around. But after that slight false start (in my opinion) – we are hit with a double-whammy of period outtakes – a 1972 stunner from Margie Joseph covering Smokey Robinson while Patti LaBelle and her troupe of Blue Belles goes all Northern Soul with her Charlie & Inez Foxx cover from 1969. Both "It's Growing" and "(1-2-3-4-5-6-7) Count The Days" by Margie and Patti are stunning examples of great singers plying their skills on a great song – Patti especially letting it rip – cross-armed shuffle dancers are going to love this.
Those same UK Northern Soul fans are going to need to own two more crackers from Mary Wells and Dee Dee Sharp – classy singers giving us two slices of 1966 smoocher - "Hands Off My Baby" and "My Best Friend's Man". Poor Dee Dee could not help herself (are you sure Dee) when she looked at pal's beau and thought to herself – yup - he's mine. Irma Thomas and The Sweet Inspirations sing it like it is for their "Full Time Woman" and "Ain't Nothing Gonna Change Me" (my love runs deeper than that). Bring on the Chi-Lites type harmonica opening for "It Ain't Who You Know" - Jackie Moore trusting her man too much - unwelcome info for neighbours and friends cluttering her mind (gorgeous audio). The so feminine warble of Bettye Swann's voice carries the ever-so-pre-Disco feel to "I Ain't That Easy To Lose" - a trembling backbeat telling us of her man-tribulations. "...Soul Sisters" romps home with a hopeful Sixties stepper - the classy pipes of Barbara Lewis being "Thankful For What I Got". Northern Soul nutters will adore it. And there you have it.
On the downside - the playing time is a bit short - and as it is with the 'Soul Brothers' set - you can hear why some of the unearthed tracks were unreleased. But for fans and lovers of Atlantic Records Soul Music - "Atlantic Unearthed: Soul Sisters" is a little sweetheart of a CD compilation and after a few listens even the lesser tracks have grown on me.
To sum up – a tasty little set then – and I was so impressed I bought its 16-track companion "Atlantic Unearthed: Soul Brothers" straight after it...see separate review...