Sweet Soul Music: 1962 [PA]

Performer: Various Artists
Producer: Dave Booth (Reissue)
Distributor: Infinity Entertainment Gr

Notes: Liner Note Authors: Colin Escott; Bill Dahl. 31 SCORCHING CLASSICS FROM 1962, the second entry in the Bear Family's lovingly assembled 10-volume history of `60s soul, offers listeners a vivid portrait of the rapidly developing early-`60s soul scene. Every cut here is a soul classic, from the late era Chicago Doo-Wop of Gene Chandler's "Duke of Earl," to the simmering down-home sounds of Don Covay's "See-Saw". This historical treasure trove contains some of the finest sounds of the soul era. The soul music of the 1960s has been reissued, repackaged, and reevaluated so many times that it seems impossible to believe yet another overview might offer any new insight. But what separates Bear Family's ten-volume Sweet Soul Music is the sheer breadth of the endeavor: each entry spans across all of the major U.S. R&B labels, negotiating the licensing snafus that undermine these types of anthologies to offer a true panoramic overview of soul's epic scope and scale. Listening to Sweet Soul Music: 28 Scorching Classics from 1962 suggests what it might have been like listening to the radio that year and experiencing the transformation of the rough-and-ready R&B sound of the previous decade as it gives way to the smooth, sophisticated approach heralded by pioneers like Sam Cooke and Smokey Robinson -- classics like Marvin Gaye's "Stubborn Kind of Fellow," Solomon Burke's "Cry to Me," and the Isley Brothers' "Twist and Shout" are unmistakable products of their time, yet utterly timeless. And it's packaged with Bear Family's usual attention to detail -- the mastering is pristine (better than has ever been heard on even the major artists) and the accompanying booklets are authoritative (averaging 60 pages in length, stuffed with color photos, track-by-track commentary, and related recording data). The result is an anthology series that's as educational as it is entertaining. ~ Jason Ankeny

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