Dec 26, 2015

RhoDeo 1551 Grooves

Hello, it's X'mas and the stresses from buying gifts and preparing the food extravaganza is over, but the family get together is already showing the faultlines again, time to play some inter-generational music and dance with the grandparents, good thing it's all at hand here.


This seven cd set (4 last week, 3 today) should be a part of any collection that presumes to take American music -- not just rock & roll or rhythm & blues -- seriously. Atlantic Records was one of dozens of independent labels started up after the war by neophyte executives and producers, but it was different from most of the others in that the guys who ran it were honest and genuinely loved music. Coupled with a lot of luck and some good judgment, the results trace a good chunk of the history of American music and popular culture.. ... N'joy

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Atlantic Rhythm and Blues 1947-1974

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Unlike its immediate predecessor, Atlantic Rhythm & Blues 1947-1974, Vol. 5 (1962-1966) isn't dominated by a handful of major artists. Instead, it offers a selection of singles from one-hit wonders, journeymen, soul men, and major artists. Atlantic entered a distribution deal with Stax/Volt early in the '60s, and Stax artists are found all over this collection, including Otis Redding ("These Arms of Mine," "Mr. Pitiful"), the Mar-Keys ("Last Night"), Booker T. & the MG's ("Green Onions") and Rufus Thomas ("Walkin' the Dog"). They function as an excellent counterpoint to Atlantic's artists, which began to lean toward sophisticated, string-laden uptown soul. Of course, there were exceptions to the rule -- the Ikettes' "I'm Blue" was hot and sexy, the Falcons' "I Found Love" was as gritty as a roadhouse, Chris Kenner's "Land of 1000 Dances" was a stomper, and Joe Tex's "Hold What You've Got" simply stormed -- but hits by the Drifters ("Up on the Roof," "Under the Boardwalk," "On Broadway"), Doris Troy ("Just One Look"), Ben E. King ("Don't Play That Song (You Lied)") and Barbra Lewis ("Baby I'm Yours") brilliantly embody the uptown aesthetic. By featuring both sides of '60s soul, Vol. 5 accurately captures the era, and offers a generous portion of timeless music as well.



Atlantic Rhythm and Blues 1962-1966  (flac 376mb)

01 The Drifters - Up On The Roof 2:33
02 La Vern Baker - See See Rider 2:32
03 Ben E. King - I (Who Have Nothing) 2:31
04 Solomon Burke - If You Need Me 2:25
05 Otis Redding - These Arms Of Mine 2:30
06 Barbara Lewis - Hello Stranger 2:39
07 The Drifters - On Broadway 2:57
08 Doris Troy - Just One Look 2:28
09 Chris Kenner - Land Of 1000 Dances 2:26
10 Rufus Thomas - Walkin' The Dog 2:30
11 Esther Phillips - Release Me 3:15
12 Don Covay - Mercy Mercy 2:21
13 The Drifters - Under The Boardwalk 2:37
14 Esther Phillips - And I Love Him 2:38
15 Joe Tex - Hold What You've Got 3:05
16 Otis Redding - Mr. Pitiful 2:35
17 Barbara Lewis - Baby I'm Yours 2:30
18 Willie Tee - Teasin' You 2:42
19 Otis Redding - I've Been Loving You Too Long 3:09
20 Wilson Pickett - In The Midnight Hour 2:26
21 Don Covay - See-Saw 2:58
22 Otis Redding - Respect 2:05
23 Sam & Dave - You Don't Know Like I Know 2:37
24 Percy Sledge - When A Man Loves A Woman 2:50
25 Sam & Dave - Hold On, I'm Comin' 2:38
26 The Capitols - Cool Jerk 2:35
27 Jimmy Hughes -Neighbor, Neighbor 2:35

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In the mid-'60s, Atlantic signed Aretha Franklin, who proved to be every bit as soulful and seminal as Otis Redding, the main star on their Stax subsidiary. Reprsented by such hits as "I've Been Loving You Too Long," "Respect," "Try a Little Tenderness," "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" and "Do Right Woman -- Do Right Man," Franklin and Redding certainly play a major role on Atlantic Rhythm & Blues 1947-1974, Vol. 6 (1966-1969), but they don't dominate the proceedings. There's an abundance of classic singles from major artists like Sam & Dave ("You Don't Know Like I Know," "Hold On, I"m Comin'," "When Something is Wrong with My Baby," "Soul Man"), Don Covay ("See-Saw"), Joe Tex ("A Sweet Woman Like You," "Show Me"), Wilson Pickett ("Funky Broadway," "In the Midnight Hour," "Land of 1000 Dances," "Mustang Sally"), Booker T. & the MG's ("Hip Hug-Her") and Percy Sledge "When a Man Loves a Woman"), as well as one-hit wonders like Eddie Floyd ("Knock On Wood"), the Capitols ("Cool Jerk") and Arthur Conley ("Sweet Soul Muisc"). There's a wonderful balance of deep Southern soul, smooth uptown crooning and soul-pop, demonstrating the richness of not only Atlantic/Stax's roster, but of late-'60s soul. Not only that, but Vol. 6 contains so many great singles, it's startling to think that one label released them all.



Atlantic Rhythm and Blues 1966-1969  (flac 389mb)

01 Wilson Pickett - Land Of 10000 Dances 2:25
02 Eddie Floyd - Knock On Wood 3:02
03 Otis Redding - Try A Little Tenderness 3:49
04 Wilson Pickett - Mustang Sally 3:05
05 Sam & Dave - When Something Is Wrong With My Baby 3:15
06 Arthur Conley - Sweet Soul Music 2:20
07 Sam & Dave - Soul Man 2:34
08 Aretha Franklin - I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You) 2:41
09 Aretha Franklin - Do Right Woman - Do Right Man 3:16
10 Joe Tex - Show Me 2:53
11 Wilson Pickett - Funky Broadway 2:33
12 Aretha Franklin - Respect 2:27
13 Aretha Franklin - (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman 2:40
14 Aretha Franklin - Baby I Love You 2:36
15 Joe Tex - Skinny Legs And All 3:09
16 Aretha Franklin - Chain Of Fools 2:42
17 Wilson Pickett -I'm In Love 2:29
18 King Curtis - Memphis Soul Stew 2:55
19 Otis Redding - (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay 2:38
20 Archie Bell & The Drells - Tighten Up 3:07
21 Clarence Carter - Slip Away 2:30
22 Aretha Franklin - Think 2:14
23 Roberta Flack - The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face 4:18
24 R.B. Greaves - Take A Letter, Maria 2:40
25 Brook Benton - Rainy Night In Georgia 3:52

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With the notable exception of Aretha Franklin, who stayed true to gospel-inflected deep soul into the early '70s, Atlantic's R&B/soul roster began to smooth out as they entered the '70s, as evidenced by Atlantic Rhythm & Blues 1947-1974, Vol. 7 (1969-1974). There are a few holdovers from the Stax label who continued to play deep soul, but most everything here is smooth -- it's soul, not R&B. That may bother fans of the early volumes of the series, which was devoted to down-and-dirty R&B, but there are still a number of classic singles here from Archie Bell ("Tighten Up"), Clarence Carter ("Slip Away"), Roberta Flack ("The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"), R.B. Greaves ("Take A Letter, Maria"), Brook Benton ("Rainy Night in Georgia"), Tyrone Davis ("Turn Back the Hands of Time"), King Floyd ("Groove Me"), the Persuaders ("Thin Line Between Love and Hate"), Betty Wright ("Clean Up Woman") and the Spinners ("Could It Be I'm Falling In Love," "I'll Be Around," "Mighty Love"), as well as Aretha ("Think," "Baby I Love You"). If you listen hard enough and study the absence of major stars outside of Franklin, the Spinners, Flack and Benton, it's possible to see the end of Atlantic's reign as an R&B/soul powerhouse, but if music this good represents the death throes of a label, then that indicates how great Atlantic really was.



Atlantic Rhythm and Blues 1969-1974  (flac 395mb)

01 Donny Hathaway - The Ghetto 8:47
02 Tyrone Davis - Turn Back The Hands Of Time 2:58
03 Les McCann & Eddie Harris - Compared To What 8:31
04 Aretha Franklin - Don't Play That Song (You Lied) 2:57
05 King Floyd - Groove Me 3:01
06 Clarence Carter - Patches 3:09
07 Beginning Of The End - Funky Nassau (Part 1) 5:10
08 The Persuaders - Thin Line Between Love And Hate 3:23
09 Aretha Franklin - Rock Steady 3:12
10 Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway - You've Got A Friend 3:13
11 Betty Wright - Clean Up Woman 2:47
12 The Spinners - Could It Be I'm Falling In Love 4:13
13 Roberta Flack - Killing Me Softly With His Song 4:46
14 Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway - Where Is The Love? 2:40
15 The Spinners - I'll Be Around 3:08
16 Roberta Flack - Feel Like Makin' Love 2:53
17 The Spinners - Mighty Love 4:55
18 Major Harris - Love Won't Let Me Wait 5:29

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3 comments:

bobbysu said...

thank you so much

Noah said...

Would love a re-up of these too when you get a chance.

Thanks!

Anonymous said...

The '1962-1966' & '1966-1969' sets contain so many of the songs I listened to on the radio in my teens that I've got to hear them again. Not the kind of music that I soon actively began to listen to and buy but still songs that stir a certain happy nostalgia. Many thanks!

-Brian