Funk my Soul

Mr.Moo is back with an Excellent Atlantic soul LP from Don Covay!

Don was one of the label’s biggest soul talents in the mid 60s and he not only cut some great work on his own, but also penned some tunes that have become some of the most enduring soul numbers of his generation, like the cuts “Mercy, Mercy”, “Sookie, Sookie”, and “See Saw” - all of which are on this LP!

After the first handful of listens, See-Saw gives the impression of being a top-loaded LP with the fun songs like “Everything Gonna Be Everything,” “See-Saw,” “The Boomerang,” and “Fat Man” being the early favourites.  Given a wee bit of time, See-Saw reveals itself as the total package.  The aforementioned fun songs (include the album’s closer, “Sookie Skookie,” in that list) teaming up with the slowburners like “Precious You” and “Iron Out The Rough Spots,” and the midtempo chillouts like “The Usual Place” makes for a flat-out cool groove.  There’s a reason Mik Jagger took it upon himself to emulate Don Covay’s up-front delivery, and the weird-falscetto backing vocals pre-date Tom Waits’ stab at it by about 20 years.

This is a @320 vinyl rip (supplied by Mr.Moo) of the original Atlantic LP including covers.

Tracks
A1 See-Saw 3:00
A2 The Boomerang 2:03
A3 Everything’s Gonna Be Everything 2:33
A4 Fat Man 2:35
A5 Precious You 2:43
A6 Iron Out the Rough Spots 2:56
B1 Please Do Something 2:51
B2 I Never Get Enough of Your Love 2:46
B3 The Usual Place 2:08
B4 A Woman’s Love 2:37
B5 Sookie Sookie 2:45
B6 Mercy, Mercy 2:26

Review by Soulmakossa

Don Covay… the man who was being funky when funk still was a bad word. The pleasantly crazy Wildman of Soul, the inventor of dozens of the genre’s classics and an ecclectic, spellbinding guitarist who recorded some of the rawest, least polished slabs of down and dirty Soul. No matching suits here, nor synchronized dance steps.

The Don’s second Atlantic LP, ‘See Saw‘, is a masterpiece pure and simple. While not a huge hit upon its release, the LP has rightfully been reappraised since.

Wacky as ever, Covay struts through “See-Saw” providing his own - hilarious, full-throttled, turky-like - backing vocals. Aretha Franklin’s cover, recorded two years later, may have been the big hit, but it’s Covay’s original version that you’ll want to check out first.

The title-track is followed by the sped-up, fastpaced dance hall favorite “The Boomerang“, another perky ‘n’ quirky Covay original that starts out with the ‘is it a bird, is it a plane?’ catchline and is gradually immersed in thick layers of Chi-sounding brassy goodness (also, two verses of Martha & the Vandellas huge “Dancing in the Street” are snuck in, heh!)…

Maintaining a mid-tempo, loping beat on the funky and fierce “Everything’s Gonna Be Everything” (that tambourine is hittin’ something nasty), Covay launches into another high-energy soul romp with “Fat Man“, namechecking one of his heroes, Fats Domino, in mid-song.

Donning the balladeer’s hat, Covay gets sweet ‘n’ sensitive Percy Sledge-style on the slow-grinding “Precious You”, featuring his snappy guitar pluckings, only to put the mood into a decidedly bossa-nova by way of Stax Studios groove with the smouldering “Iron Out the Rough Spots”.

Hard sockin’ tambourines, punishing horns and a relentless backbeat provide another funky background for the Don on “Please Do Something“, after which he dips into one of his most beautiful ballads, “I Never Get Enough of Your Love“, co-written with Steve Cropper, whose inimitable guitar style is all over the tune.

Country-esque guitar noodling accompany Covay next on the all-out belter “The Usual Place”, while “A Woman’s Love” probably is the most sophisticated ballad here.

The Don goes out on a rawkus, however… Aside the “Mercy, Mercy” classic, his first hit that was added here for good measure, it’s the fiery, stompin’ gutbucket proto-funk of “Sookie Sookie” that musta raised quite a few eyebrows back in ‘66. I mean seriously, that tune is just outta there…

Don Covay Came, See-Saw and Conquered with this peerless collection of rougher-than-rough, earthy and sweaty Southern Soul.

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Biography and discography on Wikipedia and Allmusic.

Buy the reissue LP from Ebay or Dusty Groove and the CD from Cduniverse.

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Bonus Album

You asked for more Don Covay and Mr. Moo kindly offer us another classic.

The killer first album from Don Covay, working here with his classic Goodtimers combo in a nicely gritty groove! The record really stands out from other Atlantic soul of the time, as Covay keeps things tight, and fresh, providing most of the tunes himself, and working in a style that has echoes of southern soul, but which comes off with a bit more of an east coast sort of groove!
Lots of tracks are upbeat, party soul type numbers - and the backings by the Goodtimers are totally great - just the sort of rollicking backdrops you’d expect to hear Don singing with on any of his well-travelled live dates of the time. Titles include the hit “Mercy Mercy” — plus “Daddy Loves Baby”, “Take This Hurt Off Me”, “I’ll Be Satisfied”, “Can’t Stay Away”, and “Come On In”.

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Extremely RARE and Collectable Jazz Funk !!!!

Absolutely ridiculously hard to find ORIGINAL of this second album by the group Newban on the legendary and desirable tax scam label Guinness Records. The last one sold on Ebay for 365$ here. Check for more prices here.

Their debut was a certified classic,  a monster from beginning to end, encompassing ensemble funk (”Father Time”) to the shades of jazz on the closing track “Home With You.”

For their final release, Newban serves up more of the tight groove established on their debut.  If there is a difference between the two, it is a more pronounced jazz sensibility. Songs like “If I Could” and “Rhythm and Rhyme” feature some lyrical woodwind and horn playing, sort of like a smoother James Mason.

This is a @320 vinyl rip of the original Guiness Records LP including covers

Tracks
A1 Greenburgh 3:16
A2 Rhythm & Rhyme 4:14
A3 Find a Place 4:32
A4 If I Could (Make You Mine) 2:37
B1 Fine Woman 6:10
B2 Easin’ Through 4:33
B3 Free Your Mind 3:53

Creators of two extremely rare funk/rare groove LPs, not much was initially known about Newban, but it is now acknowledged that the group was an early incarnation of Atlantic Starr. The members included future Starr members Sharon Bryant, Jonathan Lewis, Porter Carroll and Joseph Phillips alongside Mark Slifstein, Keith Johnson, Albert Jones and Gregory Press.  Newban was produced by mentor Malcolm Addey, and they recorded their two albums for the tiny Guinness label.  Both were released in 1977, and the first Atlantic Starr album came out in 1978, leading one to speculate they recorded these albums quickly to get out of their obligations and rush over to A&M.

This lot were an earlier edition of Atlantic Star, but don’t be too harsh, this is one of the most amazing jazzy soul albums I own.  It contains tracks “If I Could (Make You Mine)” & “Greenburgh” which have beautiful vocal performances.  Plus “Fine Woman” which is 6 a minute glorious flute groove.

Problem is this album is ultra, ultra rare, and there are no plans to reissue it.  If you’re into soul, jazz and groove and you ever see this album, buy it.  It’ll cost you a few bob, but you won’t be disappointed.

Newban’s first album was recently reissued, so there is hope that the same kind people may reissue Newban 2. This album is the far superior of the two Newban albums, and really should be available for all to hear.

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Hi everyone. To those of you who have only recently joined us and to those who have followed us since the move from Lost-in-Tyme.

IT’S BEEN TWO YEARS

Yes folks, that’s how long Nikos and the gang have been collating this glorious homage to the best of funk and soul from the 60s, 70s (and occasionally the 80s) to provide what we would like to consider one of the best of its kind. And without your continued support for what we are trying to do, it would have finished long ago - so an incredibly important thank you to all of you who have taken time to leave a comment. We would also like to give whole-hearted blessings to all the artists and their loved ones who have contacted us over the years and provided invaluable insight into their world. I think it really proves we are doing something right and I know we would all like to show our appreciation to our heros with a huge cyber round of applause.

And to our contributors who have been so instrumental in maintaining the high standard and expectancy of the posts, a humungous warm thank you to Groovy Emmanuel, Mr Moo, Trakbuv, Raphy, MsMerising, and to many others we have omitted here - ta very much for your time and commitment. And of course to the man with the masterplan, give a great big hand to the Greek Soul Daddy, brother Nikos.

So a gracious Happy Second Anniversary to us and long may FunkMySoul continue to promote, educate, satiate, and proliferate. Thank you all and God bless you all.

To celebrate this prestigious occasion, we have a real rarity for you this week, provided over a month ago from one of our dear readers. We are proud to present Ike Noble’s debut LP “Fresh Start” from 1981. Heavily sought after for the crowd pleaser ‘I’m gonna miss you’, but also a wonderful LP in its own right.

This is a @320 vinyl rip of the original Connowil LP

Tracks
A1.Another Star 4.28
A2.Your Love 4.51
A3.Everybody Get Up And Boogie On Down (Y’All) 4.42
A4.I promise you 2.59
B1.Never Get Enough Of Your Love 4.39
B2.Love To Be Loved 5.28
B3.I’m Gonna Miss Your Love 4.36
B4.I’ll Love Only You 4.21

Review by Trakbuv

Mr Ike Noble - I regret to say I could find no personal information about this guy, which surprises me considering how respected a singer he is. The earliest recordings of his voice would appear to be a pair of live takes for the Ohio-based label Alley Records during the sixties, where he was backed by The Uptights. I’m guessing that The Uptights may be the same outfit that later backed Marvin Holmes on the fabulous ‘Ooh ooh the Dragon’ Northern Soul goodie, among others. The smouldering ‘She’s got to be loved’ (a great rendition of the Tyrone Davis classic ‘A woman needs to be loved’) and the spritely ‘That’s what I get’ are both welcome introductions to his slightly gruff, soulful tenor. The latter provided the b-side to his first official recording, ‘It’s bad’, an absolute storming midtempo beauty (1967, Alley Records) - check this one out ! I also managed to cite a single by Noble and the Uptights entitled ‘Don’t worry about it’ on Action Records (written by Izear Noble - the one and same ?).

In the seventies, 1976 to be exact, he released a single out on Smoke Records entitled ‘She’s all I need’ that reminds me of Tyrone Davis around this period. The b-side is also memorable with some intriguing synth injections. So far so good, for sure. Well someone sure thought so at Connowil Records on signing him for his debut long player, “Fresh Start”. For me, this is one of the first great LPs that came out of the dawn of indie soul that went on to dominate the eighties with their limited, economic use of musicians. Having said that, the musical integrity of this LP is top notch with real horns and strings, and a girl chorus still finding a place in the ever downsizing studio. The big hip track that DJ’s were leaping on to be the first to air was “I’m gonna miss your love”, a first rate rare groover that really shows off his undoubted soulfulness over a delightful arrangement. The uptempo tracks are less memorable for me, with respectable versions of Stevie’s “Another Star” and LTD’s “Never get enough of your love”. For me, the LP is wisely biased towards slower material where we really are treated some delicious retrofied delights. “I promise you” is faultless - a meticulously constructed throwback to, say, The Independents - a beautiful blend of Southern and Sweet Soul topped with a creamy girl chorus. His voice has a lovely smoothness on the wonderful “Your love”, this time reminding me of a Leroy Hutson ballad in texture. “Love to be loved” is another goodie, and on “I love only you” there is even a little of Tyrone Davis in his voice accompanied by some great harmonies.

He followed up this mighty fine LP with “Lonely People” in 1982 which combined several of the ballads on here with some more stunners, and with just two straight uptempo numbers, it had an even more mellow flavour. He released a solitary 7in funker in 1985 entitled “It’s a party”. The excellent UK-based outlet Timeless Records re-released “Lonely People” on CD and LP in 1987, but “Fresh Start” has never had a CD release. Or so I thought. There is an obscure CD release from as recent as 2008 released on the Connowil subsidiary Reppiks Records (available here). The title is “Hotter Than Heat” by The d’ Kalendars, featuring a mix of some of the key tracks from “Fresh Start”, a few nice unreleased uptempo tracks and some instrumental fillers. They also followed it up with a CD entitled “Ike Noble and friends” (available here) featuring 6 tracks by the man including the more uptempo numbers from “Fresh Start”. Some wily marketing strategies at work here, methinks.

You must be very lucky to buy this vinyl under 250$, check for the prices of the latest vinyl sold, here.  There are 2 vinyl copies available on Groove Collector from 450$. Imagine that the single “Another Star/Your Love” is on sale now on Ebay for 250$. Since there’s no CD release yet, listen to the wonderful groover “I’m gonna miss your love” and enjoy the whole album.

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Sweet Salvation is another one of those rare albums from the early 1970s that has grown in popularity over the years.

Mr. Moo’s new contribution to FMS is another classic!!!

Sweet Salvation, a righteous little soul group with a hip early 70s crossover vibe! There’s a mix of gospel, soul, and funk going down here -  almost with a rootsy Swamp Dogg style at times, but a bit more put together too - yet thankfully not nearly as slick or polished as some other major label efforts of this nature from the time. We know very little about the group, but they’ve got a feel that would be right at home with the cultural mixing of the Bay Area scene of the early 70s.

This is a @320 vinyl rip (supplied by Mr.Moo) of the original Elektra LP including covers.

Tracks
A1 Do a Number 3:35
A2 Ain’t Nobody’s Fault But Your Own 4:18
A3 I Just Find Myself Falling 3:28
A4 Who’s a Blue 3:52
A5 Sail Away 5:31
B1 Carry Me Home 1:58
B2 Have You Ever Had the Blues 2:22
B3 Stick With Me 2:49
B4 Keep on Pushin’ 2:50
B5 Rock Steady 8:21

Led by long-established New Orleans musicians drummer “Big John” John Thomassie, keyboard player Wayne DeVillier and guitarist Don Normand, Sweet Salvation could have been one of the all-time great r&b/funk/rock/gospel bands. Unfortunately due to business mis-steps and bad timing it was not meant to be. Also featuring 2 great women singers, DeEtta Little and Fritz Basket, and Alex Smith on bass, Sweet Salvation covered ground that includes New Orleans second line, blues, r&b, rock and 70’s funk. They were very much connected to Allen Toussaint and the Meters, but maybe heavier in sound and style, closer to rock.
The album “Sweet Salvation” also features 2 great cover tracks, very elaborate and creative arrangements of Randy Newman’s “Sail Away” and Aretha Franklin’s “Rock Steady“. “Sweet Salvation” also delivers some first-rate original tunes in what could have led to a powerful and unique style. It’s great to hear rock-solid r & b and second line grooves combined with Devillier’s brilliant and virtuosic piano playing, which is beautifully recorded (loud and thick sounding, not too bright) and is the backbone of the band’s sound. I know this record from the original vinyl, and I am glad to see that it has finally came out on CD!

(Review by Adam Holzman from Amazon)

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There’s hardly any other concrete info about this group as such available, except for Dan Phillips’ excellent review of ‘I Just Find Myself Falling‘, through his “Home of the Groove” blog here

Buy the vinyl from Groove Collector and Discogs. Much to my surprise this album was reissued on CD last year on Wounded Bird label. You can easily get it from Amazon or MusicStack.

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Since there’s no video clip of the group available, your only chance to hear it, is to press one of the two buttons below! Don’t sleep!

Finally please don’t hesitate to say your opinion on the album or at least to thank Mr.Moo for another great contribution.

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On the occasion of today’s post, I would like to thank you for your donations. Without them, I couldn’t share albums like this one.

Rare Beautiful Deep Soul LP by this great singer. Listen to Freddie North and you will realize he has been magnificently blessed.”Love to Hate”,”Sun Comes Up” and the definitive redition of “Rainy Night in Georgia”.

This is a @320 vinyl rip of the original Mankind LP including covers

Tracks
A1 Cuss the Wind 3:26
A2 My Whole World Ended 5:22
A3 Love to Hate 3:39
A4 Sun Comes Up 2:31
B1 Gotta Go Get Your Mommy 3:26
B2 I Loved Another Woman 3:00
B3 Oh Lord What Are You Doing 3:10
B4 Rainy Night in Georgia 4:37

Review by  Soulmakossa

Although known to most for his smash hit “She’s All I Got”, Freddie North is - or should be - a household name for those into authentic Southern Soul.

After the majestic ‘Friend’ LP (1971), North recorded this follow-up in 1975, again with Jerry ‘Swamp Dogg‘ Williams manning the board. And, as with the output of contemporaries such as Z.Z. Hill and Jimmy Lewis, ‘Cuss the Wind’ proved to be another one of those very last true Southern Soul albums, steeped in the gospelfied tradition of gut bucket testifyin’ that, commercially, was rapidly going ‘out of style’ come ‘75.

The greasy, plodding title track opens this now rare and acclaimed album, and as soon as North opens his mouth, hearing his rich baritone is like catching up with a long lost but very dear friend. Freddie then gets right down to business with the album’s centrepiece, the devastating “My Whole World Ended“, a soul staple, but to me, this blazing, horn heavy work out - complete with funk-rock freak out bridge - is the defitinive version. Count your goosebumps when North sinks his teeth into the last chorus…

The menacing, funky vehicle “Love to Hate“, a North original, features some snappy wah wah guitars and soft, shimmering strings. Folksy wisdom set to the traditional Blues pattern, funked up to the extent that it could well have come from a blaxpo-movie.

Sweet, country-tinged soul is up next with the smouldering, teasing “Sun Comes Up“; more down home philosophy put to a shakin’, earthy groove. Dig the harpsichord here!

There’s an excruciating fraility to the beautiful, low-key ballad “Gotta Go Get Your Mommy“, a sparsely arranged soulful lament featuring Freddie as the archetypical deserted, mourning lover. And believe it or not, there’s an actual red beans ‘n’ rice old time Blues shakedown here! The to-the-point “I Loved Another Woman” is dirty, dirty delta wailin’, somewhat reminiscent of B.B. King’s “You Upset Me Baby”.

“Lord, What Are You Doing” is sweetly orchestrated, mid-tempo soul at its finest; a remarkable, dreamy tune that fully demonstrates the range of pain, anguish and passion Freddie put in his vocal delivery.

Finally, there’s “Rainy Night in Georgia“… What’s to say about this one? A forgotten masterpiece… a soothing, harrowingly beautiful rendition of the Brook Benton original. I can’t say which version I like better… I do know that this is one masterful way of ending a splendid, deep, SOUL-ful album.

Freddie North should have been huge… The man was brilliant, and his two records for Swamp Dogg are all the evidence you need of that notion.

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Never released on CD. Buy the vinyl from Ebay or Groove Collector

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I know you’ve been waiting for this for a long time. Believe me it was worth it.

We have some great organic rhythm and blues for you. High Voltage may not be well known to many of you, but they are an outfit that incorporated key members from the bands ‘Rufus‘ and ‘Maxayn‘. And with Lalomie Washburn on vocals, I think you can begin to familiarise yourself with this important LP. Their sound is raw and funky - just like we know you likes it. So plug yourself in and sample some of that environmentally-friendly energy.

This is a @320 vinyl rip of the original CBS LP (supplied by Nikos) including covers.

Tracks
A1 Country Road 3:35
A2 Love Hate 2:57
A3  What Can We Do 3:03
A4  Save Me 3:36
A5  Crazy 7:25
B1  Limbo 3:00
B2 Be 3:05
B3  Crumbs Off The Table 3:47
B4  Everybody Is An Only Child 4:17
B5  Roller 3:08
B6  Let Me Ride 2:37

Review by Trakbuv

I must admit to being a little concerned this week. I had no idea who High Voltage were and I was struggling to find any information at the usual drinking holes. I was even beginning to ponder on submitting an article about how high voltage transmission using DC current over long distances saves on energy loss due to the lower current, but has a trade off of having to be converted back to AC for domestic use with higher potential maintenance costs. And while this may have been an engrossing article in these times of energy efficiencies and fossil fuel alternatives, I feel that it may have transgressed the boundaries that Nikos would normally allow me.

Fortunately, I discovered that among the band members of High Voltage were Lalomie Washburn, Tony Maiden and Bobby Watson. Which has given me an excuse to talk about a band I do know something about - Rufus. Yes folks, what we have here is a important link with Rufus minus the Ron Stockert influence. As mentioned here, after ‘Rags To Rufus’, the band lost three members, two of whom were replaced by - you guessed it - the bassist (Bobby) and guitarist/vocalist (Tony) from High Voltage. And to secure the link, Lalomie Washburn also wrote several songs for Rufus (with Tony Maiden), including the hit ‘At Midnight’, ‘I’m a woman’, and the gorgeous ballad ‘Your smile’. Of course, Lalomie Washburn released a solo effort in 1977 (‘My music is hot‘) that has become a sought-after funk goodie in recent times.

Hidden away on background vocals is Maxayn Lewis who was not shy of taking the spotlight with three early seventies releases with a band under her own name, Maxayn (her debut can be found here). Her husband, Andre Lewis, also an important member of Maxayn, plays organ with High Voltage. His keyboard skills can be truly appreciated when Maxayn metamorphosed under the weight of disco to the spacey funk-disco act Mandre (see their debut here) where Ms Lewis continued to write and perform vocals. To continue the link, the well-established session guitarist Marlo Henderson appears on both the Maxayn and High Voltage LPs. In addition, we have Fred Hall on drums and a tight horn section of Billy McPherson (sax, flute), Mark Williams (sax), Chuck Findlay (trumpet) and Chuck Garnett (trumpet).

So, although there is huge blank web-page with “High Voltage” as the heading, this is an immensely important find littered with cross references to better-known acts. In essence, we have a very strong old-fashioned rhythm and blues affair somewhat reminiscent of the debut by Rufus. A great band, great vocals, although the production feels uninspired in places. The brisk opener “Country Road” is a well-developed brassy bumper that serves Lalomie well. Tony shares the mike with her on the bright, uplifting “Love hate” with some great horn arrangements. “What can we do” keeps the tempo skipping with Tony holding his own. “Save me” is more my funk bag, a little less formula and a little more spice - a definite groove in the right direction. The exquisite “Crazy” slows the pace to an ethereal glow with mellifluous flute injections trading curiously with Lalomie’s slightly off key vocals - but somehow it all seems to work. “Limbo” is a lovely latin-flavoured gem, a credit to all concerned. Both “Be” and “Crumbs” are complex, guitar lead creditable funkers that are a little messy for my sterile ears. “Everybody is an only child” is an ambitious opus with great sentiments that really does put Tony’s vocal ability to the test. “Roller” is a decent instrumental track that has enough happening to merit its inclusion. The closer “Let me ride” reminds me a little of Rufus’s “Swing down chariot” - great, great track ! Considering the calibre of personnel, I can’t help wonder what could have happened if the production had been a little more adventurous on several tracks. However, there is an undoubted raw energy here that many of you would prefer to be left alone.

Fate determined that High Voltage was a one-off venture, with the various constituent members sprouting their wings further on other projects. Lalomie Washburn sadly passed away in 2004. However, she did release several singles in the nineties including a CD in 1997 (entitled ‘Lalomie Washburn‘). Rounding up this link-infested post, Lalomie also performed on Brigette McWilliams great CD ‘Too much woman’ of 1997. Brigette is the daughter of Paulette McWilliams, herself a respected soul singer who was the original vocalist with……you guessed it - Rufus, prior to Chaka taking the helm. You will all be pleased to know that I’ve now entangled myself in a link web of my own making that will take me a few weeks to unravel.

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Never released on CD. I can only find 2 vinyl copies on Groove Collector and Ebay. So hurry up to put your hands on the treasure.

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Mad props to Trakbuv who (once more) spent a whole week in researching and writing for this post.

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A Masterpiece..

..which I discovered thanks to the following comment on the post of his debut album here:

“I saw an interview recently where Allen Toussaint was asked to name a favorite song that he wrote for another artist. After naming a few he wrote for Irma Thomas & Lee Dorsey, he said ‘If I was to think of a song that I think the most of in my life, it wasn’t heard by anyone but me and the artist, and that was Lou Johnson, a song called “Transition”… it was on his album [1971’s With You In Mind], of course, but it wouldn’t be one that would be remembered or even heard by most. But that happens.’”

And then I realized I had this LP (lou’s 2nd and final) in my collection. I started played the album and  was amazed by the 8.18 “Transition” and the whole album.

Don’t miss this superb album from one of the best soul singer I have ever heard!!

This is a @320 vinyl rip of the original Stax/Volt LP including covers

Tracks
A1 There Were Times 3:21
A2 Transition 8:19
A3 The Loving Way 3:12
A4 Nearer 2:55
A5 The Beat 2:50
B1 Who Am I 3:57
B2 Frisco Here I Come 2:51
B3 Wrong Number 3:08
B4 Crazy About You 2:59
B5 Living Without You 4:00

Review by Soulmakossa

Produced by New-Orleans wizard Allen Toussaint, ‘With You in Mind’ was Lou Johnson’s last recording effort. And while it would have made sense for him to go bubblegum pop in a last attempt to break out into the big league, Johnson instead created an album that is nothing short of amazing. A ruthlessly creative, haunting, cynical LP, with music and vocals firmly rooted in the Southern Soul tradition, but augmented with a certain je ne sais quoi that makes it a dark, depressing masterpiece.
It aptly opens with the quirky “There Were Times“, a rollicking, gospelfide country church beater sweetened with the slightest amount of strings and backing vocals. Lou Johnson already sounds mighty despondent, here.
But it’s “Transition” that should have sky-rocketed ‘With You in Mind’ to legendary heights. An 8-minute + opus of longing, with Johnson belting out a distraught vocal that evokes visions of a lovesick man steadily going insane. The tune is divided in several musical segments, creating a musical soundscape that features sassy, fatback groove-filled episodes and wistful, lamenting, teary-eyed moments of quiet contemplation - the latter immersed in a dark, brooding stew of sitars, piano, plodding drums and far-off sounding brass. This is, in fact, the ‘A Day in the Life’ of Soul: a mind-expanding audiovisual trip sporting a crazy, Dantesque finale with off-key blasts of horns, that jangling sitar, Johnson’s other-worldly scatting and an acid-drenched orchestra working its way up to a climaxing crescendo.
It’s tough to follow a track as “Transition”, but the album remains steadfast in its addictive, dark quality. “The Loving Way” sounds a trifle more upbeat, with the happy, chirping backing vocals and its persistent groove, but Lou remains in a self-doubting, moody bag all the same. Even more so on the lilting, low-fi “Nearer“, which has Lou singing “…I hope I’m not a nuisance to you”. Beautiful chord progressions here and a devastatingly intense vocal.
Up next is the ominous, dangerous funk vibe of “The Beat“, a ferocious jam that starts off with a short monologue by Allen Toussaint and is infested with super catchy stops and starts. An irreverent track that smells of reclaiming ‘the beat’ for those who set it in motion. “It goes on and on”, Lou wails.
“Who Am I” is set to a strange, but ultra funky little groove, while the omnipresent piano and vibes clothe the song in a plaintive warmth. Check out Lou prolonging the ‘I’ in the title, again evoking the sound of “A Day in the Life”, and marvel over the sweaty gospelfide finale that just struts on.
The only single from this album, “Frisco Here I Come“, also is the most hard rocking. Featuring Duane Allman-styled guitar and a throbbing, deep in the pocket groove, Johnson’s gruffy vocal is especially on the money when that low-down, dirty, descending bass riff comes a’ thundering through.
Toussaint’s delicious piano plunkin’, engulfed by another greasy, gutbucket funk rhythm, opens the lamenting “Wrong Number“. Lou sounds both resolute and supremely cynical here, as if he’s single-handedly pushing the locomotive that propels the groove of this smokin’, sizzling slice of Southern funk. And then, out of nowhere, the rhythm slows down and transforms into a waltzing, delicate, lullabye-esque groove, with Lou adlibbing all the way through. Terrific…
The struttin’ continues on the lazy, relaxed, laidback funk of “Crazy About You“, sporting another ridiculously ingenious bridge. The infectious horn-infested finale needs to be heard to be believed.
Finally, there’s the downhome testifyin’ of “Living Without You“, with Johnson churning out one more pain-riddled vocal. The drums keep crashing on behind him, while angelic backing vocals and staccato strings create a wonderfully dreamy vibe that nevertheless remains desperate in its feel.
What’s more to say about this one… The album cover is spot on, as far as I’m concerned. ‘With You in Mind‘ is one of the darkest, most appealing, beautifully executed soundtracks on heartbreak, longing and despair I have ever heard.

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Biography

Extremely rare. Never released on CD. The only available vinyl copy is on Ebay for 50$. I hope someone finally put this amazing album back in print. There’s no video clip on You-tube. So enjoy Lou Johnson’s biggest hit,  Unsatisfied.

Rapidshare

Zshare

I’d like to thank Raphy who cleaned this vinyl rip perfectly.

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