Album:
Soul'd
Size: 96,0 MB
Time: 41:35
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2001
Styles: Blues Soul, Memphis Blues, R&B
Art: Full
01. I'll Love You No Less (3:47)
02. I'm Broken Hearted (3:11)
03. Rather Go Blind (4:57)
04. Stranger Than My Flame (4:48)
05. Look At Granny Run Run (2:27)
06. I Won't Be Around (4:32)
07. Little Brother (4:52)
08. First And Last Thing On My Mind (4:27)
09. Take It Like A Man (4:11)
10. Midnight In Memphis (4:18)
The third release from singer Earl Thomas seems like it emerged out of a mid- to late-'60s Muscle Shoals session. Jerry Wexler, producer of R&B legends like Etta James, Wilson Pickett, and Solomon Burke, is a fan and supporter of the vocalist. He contributes liner notes comparing Thomas to some of the greats, reinforcing the connection. But after one spin, anyone who loves great soul music will instantly appreciate this terrific album. It's as if Thomas has tapped into the spirit that created the classic R&B/soul sound. Not only is the production free of almost all contemporary flourishes (a synthesizer sneaks in unobtrusively on a few cuts), but the songwriting and playing -- especially the horn section -- is so authentic you'll be checking the credits for the recording date. Thomas wrote or co-wrote six of the ten songs, and they are nearly as good as the recognizable covers of "I'd Rather Go Blind," Ragovoy/Shuman's "Look at Granny Run Run," and Tony Johnson's "Midnight in Memphis." The singer's voice -- smooth but gutsy -- nails these tracks, but he never hogs the show or the arrangements, which are crisp and tight. Guitars and horns solo, then retreat to make room for Thomas' emotive vocals. A gospel-infused chorus helps bring religion to "I Won't Be Around," adding even more authenticity to the sound. "Stronger Than My Flame" fuses organ, snappy drums, punchy horns, and a searing performance from Thomas to make the tune fire on all cylinders. Those who have lost faith in the ability of contemporary soul music (circa 2003) to capture the warmth, inspiration, and intensity of the '60s need to add this, as well as the previous two Earl Thomas albums, to their collections. ~Review by Hal Horowitz
Soul'd
Album:
Intersection
Size: 102,8 MB
Time: 44:29
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2005
Styles: Blues Soul, Memphis Blues, R&B
Art: Full
01. Workin' Together (4:19)
02. The Higher Ground (Everything Is Alright) (4:34)
03. The Bright Side Of You (Let Me See) (4:33)
04. Bang A Gong (4:59)
05. Sweet Like Sugar (3:59)
06. The Lucky One (4:42)
07. Life Of My Broken Heart (4:41)
08. No Two Wrongs (4:24)
09. Your Daddy's Eyes (4:27)
10. Brown Sugar (3:48)
Although Earl Thomas was initially marketed as a blues artist, he is really more of a soul singer in the classic 1970s Al Green mold, and nothing on Intersection, his third album (and second on the Memphis International label) falls very close to the blues camp. Recorded at Ardent Studios in Memphis, Intersection mixes soul with rock and funk (and even some light Europop elements), and while Thomas isn't quite yet the honeyed singer that Green is, neither is he full of the kind of overdramatic melismatic keening that passes for contemporary soul these days. Retro it is, full of Stax-like horns and the kind of Hammond B3 organ sound that Hi Records specialized in, and Thomas holds his own here, finding interesting new corners in versions of Ike Turner's "Workin' Together" and a funked-up "Bang a Gong" (yep, the T. Rex song). The clear highlight on Intersection, though, is the final cut, a churning version of the Rolling Stones' "Brown Sugar" that brings out more of the story and history inherent in the song, mostly because Thomas clearly enunciates the lyrics. We really haven't seen all that Thomas is capable of yet, and while Intersection is a solid album, even more than that, in spots it still feels transitional, and one gets the feeling that it might be the next one he records that will really put it all together. ~Review by Steve Leggett
Intersection