"Never Like This Before: The Complete 'Blue' Stax Singles 1961-1968" by WILLIAM BELL featuring Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Isaac Hayes and David Porter (27 May 2022 UK Ace/Kent Soul 28-Track CD Compilation - The MONO A&B-sides of Fourteen Singles Remastered - First Time on CD) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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"...Formula Of Love..."

 

Now here's a humdinger. Using their Kent-Soul label imprint - this is the first of two CD compilations England's Ace Records are doing for William Bells' entire Southern Soul, R 'n' B and Funk output on Stax Records from 1961 up the label giant's crude and undignified crash in 1975.

 

Bell was one of only a handful of artists where much of his entire career encompassed that legendary Soul label (26 releases with them in total). He broke the chain for two years of enforced military service - but otherwise, over a 14-year period, stuck with the circular blues and yellows through thick and thin (he would move on to Mercury Records in 1976 and 1977).

 

This first volume from May 2022 offers you 28-tracks - the A&B-sides of fourteen American 45-singles issued between November 1961 and March 1968 (Bell wouldn't have his first 7" single in Blighty until January 1967 with "Never Like This Before" b/w "Soldier's Good-Bye" put out on Atlantic Records - see list below). 

 

The second volume (released at some later date) will undoubtedly cover the 'Yellow' label period from July 1968 onwards beginning with "Private Number" - his duet hit with Judy Clay on Stax STA-0005. 

 

Beautifully Remastered by Audio Engineer supremo DUNCAN COWELL (at Sound Mastering) - a man who has been with Ace for decades and did many of the mucho-praised Sony/Blue Horizon CD Reissues in the 2000s - this is an audio and presentation winner. I own and have reviewed in detail the four giant STAX Box Sets covering their entire singles output and these MONO variants are just better - punchy and clear and in 2022, benefiting from decades of Audio Engineering experience. 

 

Besides, just one look at the cover, the title and the contents and I'm getting itchy in the Talcum Powder area. Talk about a formula of love. To the details...

UK released Friday, 27 May 2022 - "Never Like This Before: The Complete 'Blue' Stax Singles 1961-1968" by WILLIAM BELL on Ace/Kent Soul CDTOP 510 (Barcode 029667105620) is a 28-Track CD Compilation (all tracks in MONO) that plays out as follows (75:42 minutes): 

1. You Don't Miss Your Water 

2. Formula Of Love

Tracks 1 and 2 are his US debut 45-single released November 1961 on Stax S-116

 

3. Any Other Love

4. Please Help Me I'm Falling 

Tracks 3 and 4 are his second US 45-single released August 1962 on Stax S-128

5. I Told You So 

6. What'cha Gonna' Do 

Tracks 5 and 6 are his third US 45-single released January 1963 on Stax S-132

 

7. Just As I Thought 

8. I'm Waiting On You 

Tracks 7 and 8 are his fourth US 45-single released April 1963 on Stax S-135

 

9. What Can I Do (To Forget) 

10. Somebody Mentioned Your Name 

Tracks 9 and 10 are his fifth US 45-single released July 1963 on Stax S-138

 

11. I'll Show You 

12. Monkeying Around 

Tracks 11 and 12 are his sixth US 45-single released October 1963 on Stax S-141

 

13. Don't Make Something Out Of Nothing 

14. Who Will It Be Tomorrow 

Tracks 13 and 14 are his seventh US 45-single released February 1964 on Stax S-146

 

15. Crying All By Myself 

16. Don't Stop Now 

Tracks 15 and 16 are his eight US 45-single released July 1965 on Stax S-174

 

17. Share What You Got (But Keep What You Need)

18. Marching Off To War 

Tracks 17 and 18 are his ninth US 45-single released May 1966 on Stax 45-191

19. Never Like This Before 

20. Soldier's Good-Bye 

Tracks 19 and 20 are his tenth US 45-single released September 1966 on Stax 45-199

21. Everybody Loves A Winner

22. You're Such A Sweet Thang 

Tracks 21 and 22 are his eleventh US 45-single released March 1967 on Stax 45-212

 

23. Eloise (Hang On in There)

24. One Plus One 

Tracks 23 and 24 are his twelfth US 45-single released July 1967 on Stax 45-227

 

25. Everyday Will Be Like A Holiday 

26. Ain't Got No Girl 

Tracks 25 and 26 are his thirteenth US 45-single released November 1967 on Stax 45-237

27. A Tribute To A King 

28. Every Man Oughta Have A Woman 

Tracks 27 and 28 are his fourteenth US 45-single released March 1968 on Stax 45-248 - the last of his releases with the Stax Records 'blue' label design 

This compilation will also allow British fans to sequence his first three 45-single releases in the UK as follows:

 

"Never Like This Before" b/w "Soldier's Good-Bye"

January 1967 UK debut 45-single n Atlantic 584076

 

"Eloise (Hang On In There)" b/w "One Plus One" 

September 1967 UK second 45-single on Stax 601019

 

"A Tribute To A King" b/w "Every Man Oughta Have A Woman" 

May 1968 UK third 45-single on Stax 601038

The 16-page booklet kicks off with typically brilliant and in-depth liner notes from genre aficionado TONY ROUNCE - a writer whose knowledge and love for Soul Music has been gracing Ace liner notes for years (references seven different articles on the back-page credits). Memphis-born William Yarborough (adopted his grandmother's non-mouthful surname of Bell for career purposes) has his lengthy stay at Stax Records picked apart. 

 

The info is aided and abetted by photos of every American 7" single label (demos too when possible), US trade adverts, Billboard press reviews ("What'cha Gonna' Do" is described as a thump-a-weeper - love it) and a couple of classy promo photos from the period (much of the memorabilia is provided by Roger Armstrong and Liz Buckley from their own collections - pals of Ace Records). His British releases are here too - the Atlantic 45 pictured in the booklet with the two blue Stax UK 7" singles used as the rear inlay backing photo beneath the see-through CD tray (see pictures provided). To the tunes...

This is without doubt the best I've heard these Mono Sides sound - tracks like the rare B-side dancer "Just As I Thought", the brass-bopper A-side "I'm Waiting For You" or the funeral-march of "Somebody Mentioned Your Name" with its pleading girly background are all remastered back to life. I'd forgotten just how lovely the semi ballad of "Any Other Way" is - or the sheer smooch of the rare flipside "I'll Show You" where William asks the young lady to trust him (now William) - great audio coming off both. 

 

Organ notes lurch in the pleader "Don't Make Something Out Of Nothing" - Bell urging his fine lady to ignore the malicious gossip of a million girls (it's B-side "Who Will It Be Tomorrow" is a far better dancer side with fabulous audio as a guitar shimmers in front of punchy horns). Southern Soul weepies were never far from William Bell's lips and it doesn't come much better than the sensuous "Crying All By Myself" - the kind of gorgeous melodious slowy where you can just visualize dedicated Northern Soul types mooching about the dancefloor in a two a.m. trance - lost in the magic of it all.

 

Otis Redding's arrival and musical style is felt on the flip-side "Don't Stop Now" - a properly cool shuffler (hardly any wonder that Stax S-174 is so sought after with "Crying All By Myself" on the A). Can't quite get into "Share What You Got (But Keep What You Need)" - a begging letter to other men to leave his baby alone. And for the first time, Bell shows his political teeth on the Vietnam flipside "Marching Off To War" - field pack on his back waving off his tearful sweetheart. 

Up next comes the compilation's title track "Never Like This Before" - a great Sam & Dave-like energizer - mash up my mind baby with your love whilst I dig that guitar vs. horns battle over there. His voice is in full-on excellence mode for another Vietnam slowie - the brilliant "Soldier's Good-Bye". Hardly surprising that Atlantic Records UK chose this duo of winners for his debut British 45 - and I think its Steve Cropper playing the brilliant guitar throughout. Speaking of missed opportunities - how did a double-whammy combo like the pleading "Everybody Loves A Winner" paired with the brass-bopper "You're Such A Sweet Thing" not tear people's hearts out and thereafter tear up the savvy British charts. When you lose, you lose alone, he sang on the A-side - so true it seems. 

 

Rounding it all up - the hugely popular dancer "Eloise (Hang On In There)" is a big Northern Soul go-getter - a co-write (like so many of these Stax sides) with Booker T. Jones of Booker T. & The MG's. Isaac Hayes and David Porter provided the big love smooch of "One Plus One" for the B-side - Bell sounding comfortable on this deceptively simply song. There's a mixture of Sam & Dave, Otis Redding and even Clarence Carter in the so-very-Stax shuffler "Everyday Will Be Like A Holiday" - another winner from Bell and Booker T. Jones (never have to worry about sitting by the phone - oh yeah). Bell joined writing forces with Steve Cropper, David Porter and Isaac Hayes for the manly problems presented in "Ain't Got No Girl" (money in a fruit jar ain't gonna help). It all comes to a dignified end with the 1968 listen-people ache of "A Tribute To A King" - Bell's moving memorial to Otis Redding and his horrible loss to a plane crash. And I had completely forgotten its flipside "Every Man Oughta Have A Woman" - a gorgeous ballad where both William Bell and Booker T. Jones create a seriously sexy vibe. 

CD compilations like "Never Like This Before: The Complete 'Blue' Stax Singles 1961-1968" by William Bell is a very real reason why genre fans look to Ace Records of the UK with a heart that beats just a little bit faster. Nailed it once again boys and girls and big-time kudos to all involved...