"This Is Lowrider Soul Vol. 2" by VARIOUS ARTISTS – 24-Tracks of Sumptuous 60ts and 70ts American Soul in the Torch-Song Ballad Tradition featuring The Ethics, Barbara Mason, The Sparkels, The Larks, Darrow Fletcher, Brothers Of Soul, The Perfectionists and more (November 2021 UK Ace/Kent Soul CD Compilation of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Sad Story..."

 

I loved Volume 1 of "This is Lowrider Soul..." issued by the UK's Ace Records on their legendary Kent Soul label imprint back in early February 2019 and promptly awarded its sexy sashaying contents five-stars.

 

I'm pleased to say that even though it falls on a few across 24-tunes (one previously unissued cut), installment number two lives up to the same high standards as its predecessor. There are some truly gorgeous swish 'n' sway smoochers on this 2021 CD compilation – sumptuous soul (as the rear inlay states) that puts the Torch Song and Ballad Tradition of the 60ts and early 70ts to the fore every time. I've honestly enjoyed more titles on here than I've reached for the skip button. Lots to discuss - to the dreamers and the tear-stained faces of our sad story fools in love...

 

UK released 26 November 2021 - "This Is Lowrider Soul Vol. 2" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Ace Records/Kent Soul CDKEND 497 (Barcode 029667104524) is a 24-track CD compilation of Remasters that plays out as follows (70:12 minutes):

 

1. So Much in Love - THE EXCEPTIONS (1969 GWP Records recording first issued September 2009 on the UK CD compilation "GWP NYC TLC Volume 2" by Various Artists on Ace/Kent Soul CDKEND 326)

 

2. Please Say It Isn't So - LEE WILLIAMS & THE CYMBALS (August 1968 US 45-single on Carnival CAR-537, A-side)

 

3. Somebody Please - THE VANGUARDS (August 1969 US 45-single on Whiz 612, A-side)

 

4. Yes I'm Ready - THE HESITATIONS (April 1969 US 45-single on GWP Records 504, B-side of "Is This The Way To Treat A Girl (You Bet It Is)")

 

5. You Never Loved Me (At All) - BARBARA MASON (March 1969 US 45-single on Arctic 148, B-side of "Take It Easy")

 

6. Sad, Sad, Story - THE ETHICS (February 1969 US 45-single on Vent V-1004, A-side)

 

7. Try Love (One More Time) - THE SPARKELS (March 1964 US 45-single on Old Town 1160, A-side)

 

8. Follow Your Heart - THE MANHATTANS (September 1965 US 45-single on Carnival CAR-512, A-side)

 

9. Someone - THE LOVERS (December 1965 US 45-single on Gate Records 501, B-side of "Do This For Me")

 

10. Little Girl - DARROW FLETCHER (1965 US 45-single on Jacklyn Records 1003, B-side of "Infatuation")

 

11. I Want You - DEE TORRES (1966 US 45-single on Dore 762, B-side of "Let The Little Girl Dance")

 

12. It Hurts So Much - THE SUPERBS (June 1965 US 45-single on Dore 736, A-side)

 

13. I Want You (Back) - THE LARKS (March 1972 US 45-single on Money 601, A-side)

 

14. Trust In Me - THE MAGICIANS (1966 Villa recording first issued on the March 2007 UK Various Artists CD compilation "Hitsville West: San Francisco's Uptown Soul" on Ace Records/Kent Soul CDKEND 271)

 

15. Believe In Me - THE HYPERIONS (March 1965 US 45-single on Chattahoochee 669, B-side of "Why You Wanna Treat Me Like You Do")

 

16. Here It Comes - THE PERSIANS (June 1969 US 45-single on GWP Records 509, B-side of I Don't Know How (To Fall Out Of Love)")

 

17. Can't Nobody - BROTHERS OF SOUL (2021, PREVIOUSLY UNISSUED 1969 Galaxy recording)

 

18. That's The Way Our Love Is - THE RADIATORS (Originally unissued 1970s Dave Blake recording first released January 2009 on the UK Various Artists CD compilation "Masterpieces Of Modern Soul Volume 2" on Ace Records/Kent Soul CDKEND 310)

 

19. My Sweet Baby – THE MARK-KEYS (1969 US 45-single on TCB Records 1447,B-side of "Heavenly Thing")

 

20. Don't Take Your Love Away From Me – THE PERFECTIONS (1968 US 45-single on Drumhead 100, A-side)

 

21. (I'm Not Ready To) Settle Down – (LITTLE BEN &) THE CHEERS (November 1966 US 45-single on Penny 101, B-side of "Mighty, Mighty, Lover")

 

22. You Can't Blame Me – JOHNSON, HAWKINS, TATUM & DURR (March 1971 US 45-single on Capsoul CS 22, A-side)

 

23. What Am I Going To Do – HOUSTON OUTLAWS (November 1972 US 45-single on Westbound 211, A-side)

 

24. A Man That Is Not Free – SOUL SENSATIONS (1973 US 45-single on Music City 892, A-side)

 

NOTES: 

Tracks 4, 8 and 13 in STEREO, all others in MONO

Track 17 is PREVIOUSLY UNISSUED

 

With fantastically detailed liner notes by SEAN HAMPSEY, the 24-page colour booklet is the usual feast of US 45-labels you rarely see (many are heavy auction pieces) and amazingly they even have a Japanese picture sleeve 45 for The Hesitations doing "Yes I'm Ready" in 1969 on the rear page. While you’d expect snaps of heavyweights like Barbara Mason and The Manhattans on the Lowrider scene, there are also quality black and white publicity photos of rarely heard artists like The Ethics, Darrow Fletcher and The Superbs. Someone has located a Carnival Records (of New Jersey) trade advert and Page 4 features notes and thanks to Ady Croasdell and Sean Hampsey from scene-supporter RUBEN MOLINA for putting this lovely music on the world stage. Typical quality from Ace then, backed up by NICK ROBBINS CD Remasters that jump off the speakers with feeling and sweat. Slow Soul can often fail to hide hiss in-between the croons, the oohs and the aahs – but here these tracks are breathing just lovely and the three in Stereo sound sensational. To the tunes...

 

Volume 2 of Lowrider Soul opens with a couple of classy doosies – the easy on the ear Exceptions with a 1969 song called "So Much In Love" that languished in the vaults for four decades until CD resurrection in 2009, followed by a gorgeous 1968 group-harmony side called "Please Say It Isn't So" from The Royals fronted by Lead Vocalist Lee Williams. Whilst most of the cuts (not surprisingly) concentrate on the astonishing productivity of the 60ts – the four from the 70ts impress too especially the foursome of Johnson, Hawkins, Tatum & Durr (initially known locally as The Revelations) and the beautiful "I Want You (Back)" by The Larks – a band and tune that sounds as tasty as their respective titles promise. I wasn't too enamored with some of the cuts that sounded more girl-group teeny-angst than I would have liked, but I loved The Hesitations "Yes I'm Ready" and the Brothers Of Soul unreleased track is a genuinely cool addition to the annuals of the genre.

 

Part of the joy of listening to a smartly put together compilation like this is discovery - lovers of the music getting stuff out there that deserves our weary ears. I dug "This Is Lowrider Soul Volume 2". 

 

Ace Records have a hard-won rep for CD compilations and a quietly cool little winner like this only shows why...