Northern Soul from a surprising source – and a killer batch of rare material from the mighty Memphis powerhouse of soul! Goldwax is probably best known for its deep soul work – most famously with James Carr – but in the mid 60s, the label cut some killer groovers that really match the vibe that was coming out of Detroit or Philly at the time – upbeat, uptempo singles that bristle with energy, yet also have some of the deeper tones you might expect from the label! Some tunes have a bit of a Memphis sound – depending on the singer – but the rhythms and production mostly recall modes from up north, and offer up a really surprising new chapter of this label that already won our deep respect many years ago. The folks at Kent have put together the package with some really wonderful notes – and the CD features two dozen numbers that will really open up your ears – tracks that include "Let's Talk It Over" by Spencer Wiggins, "Call On Me" by Percy Milem, "They Say" by The Ovations, "So Hard To Get Along" by The Lyrics, "What'Cha Gonna Do" by Phillip & The Faithfuls, "You Gotta Have Soul" by George Jackson, "A Man Is A Mean Thing" by Barbara Perry, "The Well's Gone Dry" by Dorothy Williams, "That's What I Want To Know" by James Carr, "I Slipped A Little" by Percy Milem, "Now Girl" by The Lyrics, "It's My Life" by Timmy Thomas, "Qualifications" by The Ovations, "To Me It's Storming" by George & Greer, "I Ain't Gonna Cheat On You No More" by Wee Willie Walker, and "If You Love Her" by Phillip & The Faithfuls. CD

Legendary work from Goldwax Records – pulled from a stretch when the Memphis imprint was really going strong! By the time of these tracks, Goldwax was really coming into their own – picking up some of the best soul currents of the Memphis scene – and rivaling the Stax/Volt powerhouse in terms of quality – especially on the deep soul tracks that Goldwax seemed to do better than anyone else! This 2CD package is a wonderful overview of these golden years for the label – and it features every single single, both a and b-sides intact – presented with detailed notes on each release. Some of the work is the stuff of Memphis soul legend – mixed in with some more unusual, lesser-known bits from the scene – including a few rock, blues, and country numbers as well. 54 tracks in all – with titles that include "Anything You Do Is Alright" by Spencer Wiggins, "Don't You Believe Him" by Ivory Joe Hunter, "Cry Me A Hand Full" by The Terrys, "Say You Need It" by Barbara Perry, "Lovable Girl" by James Carr, "When You Look In The Mirror" by Eddie Jefferson, "What Time Ye Got" by Gene Bowlegs Miller, "Little Things" by Jeannie Newman, "Forgetting You" by James Carr, "Hello Daughter" by Leroy Daniel, "I Can't Forget You" by The Yo Yos, "Good Times" by George & Greer, "Walking Out On You" by Spencer Wiggins, "Qualifications" by The Ovations, "Liquid Mood" by Timmy Thomas, "Call On Me" by Percy Milem, "Me & My Imagination" by The Ovations, and "The Wife Of The Life Of The Party" by Kathy Davis. CD

A beautiful collection of work from the legendary James Carr – a singer that those in the know place at the same level as Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, or any of the deep soul greats of the 60s! Like Otis, James recorded heavily on the Memphis scene at the time – not for Stax or Atlantic, but for the smaller Goldwax label – who really hit magic with the sounds you'll hear on this set – a perfect blend of the richness of James' voice with the kind of slow-burning soul sounds that the scene was really hitting during its golden years! The songwriters alone here are enough to sell the set to any fan of classic southern soul – as tunes include contributions from Chips Moman, Dan Penn, Quinton Claunch, William Bell, and Spooner Oldham – writers who maybe never had a better interpreter of their work than Carr – who knocks it out of the park here on tunes that include "Love Attack", "Dark End Of The Street", "Freedom Train", "Pouring Water On A Drowning Man", "You've Got My Mind Messed Up", "A Man Needs A Woman", "Let's Face Facts", "You Hurt So Good", "I Don't Want To Be Hurt Anymore", "I'm A Fool For You", "Your Love Made A U-Turn", and "Let It Happen". CD

Hard and heavy Memphis soul from Don Bryant – a great singer who recorded for Hi Records in its early years, but who was never as well-remembered as Al Green or Ann Peebles, because the label wasn't cutting full LPs on many of its soul acts in the 60s. Don's got a rough style that's part Memphis, part New Orleans, with nice bluesy touches, and a slightly rough style that reminds us of James Carr or other singers on the Goldwax label. The set's got a total of 15 tracks in all – all recorded between 1964 and 1969 – with titles that include "I'll Go Crazy", "Doing The Mustang", "What Are You Doing To My World", "There Is Something On Your Mind (part 1)", "The Call Of Distress", "Is That Asking Too Much", "Clear Days & Stormy Nights", and "Can't Hide The Hurt". CD