| [2011-07-20]
The Decoys:
"Shot from the Saddle"
"Formed by veteran record producer Johnny Sandlin,
the Decoys features Scott Boyer, David
Hood, Kelvin Holly and NC
Thurman, who have worked with top artists that
include Eric Clapton, Aretha Franklin, Little Richard
and Percy Sledge. This CD from Muscle Shoals'
legendary Fame Records features powerhouse
R&B from these top-notch players, plus guest spots
from Spooner Oldham, Bobby
Whitlock and Donnie Fritts."
"Thus if you're guessing that SHOT FROM THE SADDLE
is a beguiling blend of blues, country-influenced southern
rock and straight-ahead Muscle Shoals Soul you'll be
guessing right. The singing is soulful, the solos are
brief and tasteful and the songs are generally pretty
splendid (would you expect anything less from a set
that revives Oscar Toney Jr's Down In Texas or Jimmy
Hughes' Neighbor, Neighbor as well as Professor Longhair's
Her Mind Is Gone, and blends them seamlessly with great
Decoys originals like 24-7-365?)." ~ www.jpc.de |
|
Clarence
Carter: "The Platinum Collection"
"Of the soul stars who emerged from the
Atlantic Records roster in the '60s, Clarence Carter was
the one with the closest stylistic ties to the gritty,
emotionally raw sounds of Chicago blues; Carter was not
afraid to plead for love on tunes like "Slip Away"
and "Too Weak to Fight" while sounding just
short of lascivious on "Tell Daddy" and "Back
Door Santa," and his gruff but expressive voice matched
the material on both ends of the scale.
Carter was also one of the last of Atlantic's stars to
rise to fame -- his biggest hit "Patches" didn't
make the charts until 1969 -- and in 1971 he left for
the seemingly greener pastures of ABC Records, and as
a consequence his installment in Warner Platinum's Platinum
Collection series draws from a smaller body of work than
most of the others. But what's here ranks with Carter's
best and most lasting work; most of these sides were cut
with producer Rick Hall and boasted either
his Fame Studios crew or the Muscle
Shoals Rhythm Section backing Carter, and the
tight, forceful funk that was second nature to them was
the ideal match for Carter's potent vocals, matching him
for emotional force at every turn. " ~ www.allmusic.com |
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