Soul Spectrum
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I made three points about 'Modern Soul' in my article Impressions of a Prodigal Son. These were: that Modern Soul is more Jazz/Funk than R&B based, that Modern Soul does not utilise traditional soul techniques which were borrowed from gospel, that modern soul lacks the emotional content that is present in traditional soul. Reviewing this CD has done little, if anything, to change these views. There are twenty tracks on this album, the first ten of which were selected by Bob Jones, the second by Keb Darge. For me Bob's selection is far better and intrinsically more soulful than Keb's. Bob's choices are unquestionably funky, but they do have the saving grace in that most of them are based on traditional soul themes. They mainly deal with deserted men suffering because their women have left them. True to the modern idiom the singers neither wail nor shout, nor do they wear their hearts on their sleeves. They sing their dejection in a very matter of fact and emotionless fashion but none the less successfully convince their audience that they are genuinely suffering. For this reason they probably deserve their 'soulful' tag. The two exceptions to this theme are Kim Tamango's 'Not By Bread Alone' and Getto Kitty's 'Stand Up And be Counted'. Kim Tamango's message is rather confused, but it seems to be about looking for a spiritual rather than material way of living. The constant backing of 'Gotta be Free' is a definite throwback to the sixties, but given that this was produced in the eighties it is not clear what she wants to be free from exactly. The Getto Kitty track is infinitely better, in fact it is the best song on the album. If there is a criticism of it, it is that it tries to be all embracing in its demands to end all social ills. Kitty castigates everything that she considers bad from poverty to war, from lying to pollution. None the less her theme of 'If I must fight let the cause be right' just about justifies the breadth of her social comment. For me Keb's selection is much less soulful. Several of the tracks are heavy funk with male singers churning out testimonies to how much they worship their women. Hardly the mournful wailing of the broken hearted. One of the exceptions to this theme is 'Movin' On' by 'GD And The Big J' which is basically a song of optimism, i.e. keep your spirits up when life is against you. 'Watchin' Out' by the Spit decision Band is disco dross on which it was impossible to make the lyrics out. Worse still is 'Keep On Gettin' Down' by Le Frank'O which is basically an advert for a disco. This is hardly the material one would expect of a genuine soul record. Johnny Walker's 'Love at First Taste' is a heavily synthesised instrumental whilst 'Johnny King and the Fatback Band's, 'Peace, Love Not War' is another song so poorly enunciated it was impossible to decide what it was about. Possibly the most interesting track in Keb's selection is Tal Armstong's 'You've got So Much Feeling'. Again the message is to look for spiritual pleasures not material ones. He basically advocates the irrelevance of having a job as long as you've got funk music to listen to and dope to smoke. He tries to suggest that this is a meaningful existence. An interesting concept of how society should operate. Track Listing:- Don't Laugh In My Face And Steal My Man - Ronn Feaster Not By Bread Alone - Kim Tamango What's The Use - Tony Troutman Ain't No Love Lost - Patti Jo The Hardest Part - Curtis Anderson Stand Up And Be Counted - Getto Kitty I Was Born To Love You - Timeless Legend All Of A Sudden - Melvin Moore What's It All About - Veda Making New Friends - Jeanie Tracy Movin On - GD & The Big J Watchin' Out - Spilt Decision Band She's So Good - Solid Gold Revue Featuring Ray Crumley I Wanna Be With You - Winfield Parker Keep On getting Down - Le Frank'O You've Got So Much Feeling In Your Love - Tai Armstrong Music Slave - Jade Love At First Taste - Johnnie Walker Ain't Gonna Be No fool For You - The Fabulous Play Mates Peace, Love Not War - Johnny King And The Fatback Band
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Why Not visit the Authors other Website, 'The Alternative Blackpool Website' at http://www.localdial.com/users/jsyedu133/bpool This Site Last Updated 18/05/05
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