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Detroit Soul – Thirty Rare Gems From The Vaults Of La Beat Records

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Key proof that Detroit was easily one of the most fertile cities for soul music back in the 60s – because even in an obscure collection like this, nearly every track is a winner! The La Beat label flourished briefly in the Motor City in the last half of the 60s, and although the company never charted big, it recorded some incredible work by lesser-knowns – often in a style that's a fair bit different than the Detroit hits of the period! There's a grittier feel to many of the sides here – a style that seems to borrow a bit of influence from southern soul, especially in the way that the vocals are allowed plenty of space to open up with lots of raspy, crackly notes that really give a nice edge to the tunes. Instrumentation is tight, but often a bit raunchy – with a funky undercurrent to the soul that creates a real difference from sweeter Detroit 60s singles. As with other Grapevine collections, the package is wonderful – filled with 30 tracks that barely saw the light of day in the 60s, supported by detailed thoughtful notes on both the label and the artists! Titles include "Take It From Me" by Clifford Binns, "Try Them" by Al Williams, "I'm Gonna Love You" by Edward Hamilton, "Be Happy For Me" by The Masqueraders, "Tired Of Being Your Fool" by Nelson Sanders, "I Can Make It" by Don Hart, "I Am Nothing (inst)" by The LPTs, "Modern Day Woman" by James Shorter, "This Won't Change" by Lester Tipton, "My Darling Baby" by Edward Hamilton & The Natural Looks, "It's In My Mind" by Don Hart & James Shorter, "I Got The Power" by The Masqueraders, "A Wet Pillow" by Lou Beatty, and "Long Cool Summer" by The LPTs.  © 1996-2013, Dusty Groove, Inc.