If you aren't one of the folks who already knew to check out the new An Album A Day blog, then let me suggest you do. Why? Well, because this random, wonderfully written daily review of albums (every day!) based on whatever happens to hit this blogger's fancy will make you want to revisit classics, pick up something new you haven't heard about, or remind you of albums you should pick up but you haven't. And that is the case for me with Wes' review of Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings third album, 100 Days, 100 Nights.
Bottom line here is that this is a wonderful take on Stax-era soul. I will only add a couple things to Wes' review. First, I appreciate the tempo of this album. The DK's resist any temptation to speed up the music to the quicker hip-hop tempos of contemporary music and keep the tunes at that wonderful tempo of early soul. And second, while there are great horn parts here, it is all mixed wonderfully behind Jones' vocal--it is afterall Sharon Jones and the DK's and not the other way round.
So while we have been busy the last few days with this and that, there has been plenty of dancing to these tunes as we cooked up a storm of food. If you are a fan of Otis, Booker, Wilson, early Aretha, or any others of that era and you haven't picked this one up, then send a word of thanks to Wes, pick up the disc, and get ready for some swingin and rockin. Here are a couple to get ya started.
Nobody's Baby
Be Easy
2 comments:
1. I am sorry to be so behind in responding to your excellent blog posts of late.
2. This album is the bomb.
3. I love the Jesus (answer me, sweet Jesus/ don't you hear me calling?/ I need you, Lord) one so much. I sing it aloud to myself, actually a disturbing amount.
4. The only recording that I can think of that gets at some of this same territory is that Mavis Staples one--We'll Never Turn Back. Give that one a listen if you haven't already.
Oh sure--just when I was in one of my, I don't have time to keep this thing going, you offer words of encouragement! (-;
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