Customer Reviews

Hard to Find 45's on CD: Sweet Soul Sounds

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Chances are that if you own any of the tunes included in this latest release from Eric Records they are on 45's. The fact of the matter is that very few of these songs ever made it on to an LP. Eric has done a tremendous service to collectors by assembling an eclectic variety of "Hard-to-Find" 1960's soul songs from some of the "hot spots" all over the U.S. From legendary recording studios in smaller towns like Muscle Shoals, New Orleans and Memphis to the funky and soulful sounds emminating from the turbulant urban scene in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, New York and Detroit--this collection covers it all!
Since Eric Records reinvented itself several years ago, it has issued nothing but the highest quality collections. The remastering is consistently outstanding and the liner notes always informative and helpful. Such is the case with "Sweet Soul Sounds". Some of my very favorite 60's soul sounds appear here including The Parliaments 1967 smash "(I Wanna) Testify" and one-hit wonder Darrell Banks with "Open The Door To Your Heart" from the previous year. The fidelity on the original single releases left much to be desired so hearing these remastered songs on CD is really like hearing them for the very first time. I was also pleased to find Johnny Adams' incredible "Reconsider Me" which in my opinion qualifies as one of the most underrated soul tunes of all time. Also included are a pair of songs that just barely missed making Billboard's "Top Pop Singles" chart that I had never even heard before. I particularly liked Little Jerry Williams recording of "I'm The Lover Man" and "She's Looking Good" by Rodger Collins is a nice tune as well. It's always hard to figure why some songs make it and others don't.
Other tunes I was tickled to find on this collection were Archie Bell and the Drells 1968 hit "(There's Gonna Be A)Showdown", "Expressway To Your Heart" by the blue-eyed soul outfit Soul Survivors and a song you just never hear on the radio, 1970's "Loveland" by Charles Wright and the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band. Love that tune! Look closely at the 20 tracks on this disc and any serious collector is bound to find at least a couple of songs they have been looking for. Kudos to Eric for yet another outstanding offering! Most highly recommended!

I have a very extensive collection of R&B music from this era and I fully agree with the reviews so far. So I'll try not to be too redundant and give you my top 10 reasons to buy this CD.

10)Most selections really are hard to find, but most made it to the top 10 of the R&B chart.

9)If you were born too late to buy the 45's or your 45's are missing in action, here is your chance to get this great music.

8)The front cover art is nothing special but the surprise is in the A+ info on the back case and the A+ information by Randy Poe in the booklet.

7) If you want a good explantion about the "confusion" around Johnnie Taylor and Little Johnny Taylor. Page 6.

6) If you want to see a sexy picture of Betty Harris. Page 4.

5) If you have too many holes in your soul collection.

4) If you want to get the rare long ending of Expressway To Your Heart.

3) If you want to get the party started with Arthur Conley.

2) If you long to hear the complete version of You're The One.

1) If you think you might like that "groovy" 45 art on the cd, complete with the optical glare effect....nice!

This is a first-rate collection of 20 rare-or-never-on-CD soul hits from 1963-1971. Highlights is the first-time appearance of the monster hit "You're The One" by Little Sister - written and produced by Sly Stone in 1970 (got to #4 on R&B charts; #22 on the Pop charts). Hopefully Amazon will list all of the tracks.

The sound quality is absolutely first-rate and 14 of the 20 tracks are in stereo.

If you love Soul from the 1960's...get this immediately!

Over a year ago, I was a prerelease advance-order customer of this Classis Soul CD, and anxiously awaited "Mr. Postman" for delivery. "MAN"...was it ever worth the wait! Since then, "Sweet Soul Sounds" has become one of the most coveted single-CDs in my collection. As a fan who appreciates that black music lived well beyond just "Motown" in the 60s-70s--I firmly "second" all the positive preceding reviews here. This collection of elusive Old School Soul is an absolute MUST HAVE for fans of this genre and era. It's a filet-O-soulful memories that charted Top-10 R&B/Top-30 Pop--but somehow were forgotten by the business wing of the modern music industry. Enter Eric-that awesome little reissue label to the rescue.

This 20-track CD is loaded with "juice" that jets one back to the pinnacle of Pop music pleasure. In addition to the sorely-missed Sly Stone-inspired Little Sister tracks mentioned in an earlier review, Eric has snagged several other nearly impossible-to-find tracks/versions and presented them in pristine CD format. HOOREY...I can finally retire my 35+ year-old 45s (and a well-worn LP) including yet-to-be-digitized gems like "Funky Street" by Arthur Conley, the extended STEREO version of "Expressway to Your Heart" by the Soul Survivors, and the breakthrough Top-20 1967 George Clinton hit-"I Wanna Testify" by The Parliaments--first in a string of cross-charting hits that would notably contribute to the "Funk" genre in the 70s. Considering the age of these recordings--EVERY track on this disc is state of the art in audio quality...but such has become the trademark of the Eric label.

Many of the songs included in this compilation were culled from recordings destined only for "single" release--and not in all locals. Only a few made their way onto an album--and that was in an era when younger listeners rarely would consider purchasing an LP. Most were well-elevated on the Pop charts, and played on Top-40 radio--but, again, not in all markets. So "Sweet Soul Sounds" adds up to an impressive collection of sometimes-obscure, but instantly-recognizable "Oh Wows".

BTW...Eric simultaneously released an equally-enjoyable offering, "Dick Bartley Presents: Classic Oldies 1965-1969", which includes many elusive tracks from the MGM-Fontana-Mercury and Universal catalog. Classic Pop fans will discover a treasure trove of impossible-to-find Top 40 tunes on that collection. You should check out BOTH of these releases from the "gold diggers" at Eric Records. They definitely deserve our "THANKS"--and a nice return on their investment too!

Hard to Find 45's on CD: Sweet Soul Sounds has great soul music that is great even though it has been unfairly overlooked with the passage of time. The quality of the sound is excellent and I love that artwork, too!

Barbara Pennington opens up the album with a fantastic hit, "Twenty Four Hours A Day." I love it! This has that classic early soul flavor mixed with a great beat that really gets you moving on that dance floor! Barbara Pennington really delves into this song to make it her own and she sings it with lots of positive energy, too. Evelyn Thomas sings "Weak Spot" with lots of energy, too--and those guitars really fits in well as the percussion helps to mark the beat. Evelyn Thomas could sing right alongside the bets of them--too bad she isn't remembered properly today. There's another hit when L.J. Johnson performs "Your Magic Put A Spell On Me;" "Your Magic Put A Spell On Me" has an awesome beat that is great for dancing even today and this is truly anything but elevator music. Edwin Starr also makes good with his hit tune called "Breaking Down The Walls Of Heartache;" Edwin Starr always sang well and just one listen proves it! The female backup vocalists enhance the number even further.

The Fantastic Four sing and play "Ain't No Soul Left In Old Shoes;" this tune has a great beat that mixes soul with a type of `60s rock and roll beat that electrifies this tune! Richard "Popcorn" Wylie also does a great job on "With This Ring;" it's terrific! James Wells also does great on "Baby I'm Still The Same Man;" James sings this really well and his excellent diction makes his performance all the better. "Baby I'm Still The Same Man" is easily a major highlight of this album. Barbara McNair also does a wonderful job on "You're Gonna Love My Baby;" this is one fine tune that Barbara really does up right!

The Valadiers do "What's Wrong With Me Baby" with all their hearts and souls; this is a huge highlight of this CD and I think you're going to really like "What's Wrong With Me Baby." Frances Nero contributes her hit "Out On The Floor" to this album; and "Out On The Floor" will get you dancing if nothing else does! Frances Nero sure could sing well.

Saundra Edwards scores a hit with her number entitled "There's Nothing Else To Say;" "There's Nothing Else To Say" is good, classic soul and it fits in well on this CD. The album also ends well with The Elgins performing "Nothings Worse Than Being Alone." "Nothings Worse Than Being Alone" also has that classic soul sound to it and it leaves you wanting more!

Overall, this CD has some incredible soul music and fans of soul music will love this album.

THIS DISC CONTAINS SOME REALLY WONDERFUL TRACKS.YOU DONT HEAR THESE SONGS DUPLCATED ON OTHER ALBUMS. NO OVER-PLAYED HITS OF THE SEVENTIES.JUST GOOD SWEET SOUL MUSIC,LIKE THE COVER SAYS.I OWN THIS CD AND I RECOMMEND IT. A FOUR STAR RATING.

This is the 1st old school compilation I've purchased.I keep saying to myself,"WHAT THE HELL TOOK YOU SO LONG".Walk Right On In was one of my Mother's favorite songs and an absolute classic.Arthur Conley,Clarence Carter,Archie Bell & The Drells, you name it this CD has it. It is ABSOLUTELY GREAT.Thanks to Amazon for helping us to be able to make sure all of this great music is NEVER forgotten.

Thank God for sets like these. Not your everyday music. Not repeats of the same old same old that most compilations seem to have. This goes beyond the top ten. Music of sweet memories. Keep up the good work.

When I saw this CD, I had to have it. I ordered it and have been jamming ever since. There are many good hard to find cuts that I have on wax but putting them on one CD was the selling point for me. There's even a cut that I have been looking for for several years that I am thrilled to have found. I really am satisfied with the purchase and contents.

I was very impressed with not only the titles on the CD, but the quality of the cuts. Some of these songs I have on 45rpm's from back in the day, but hearing them in stereo with tweaked audio was to die for. I love soul music...always will...this collection is one of the best single disk volumes that I've come across.
BE BIG!
Big Jay Sorensen
Radio Record Pig