r&b Archive
01 Sep 2018
Album Review: Taylor James — Insane
For me, the use of numbers and capital letters in place of, y’know, actual words is a red flag: it was kinda dumb when Prince did it, and it’s wholly […]
17 Aug 2018
Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ Out-of-print 1990s Recordings Get a Reissue (Part Two)
Continued from Part One… Several of the songs feature a female voice in the mix, engaging in a sort of vocal sparring with Jay. What’s the story on that? He […]
16 Aug 2018
Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ Out-of-print 1990s Recordings Get a Reissue (Part One)
Screamin’ Jay Hawkins (born Jalacy Hawkins in 1929) is one of those artists whose influence would far outpace his commercial success. Trained as a classical pianist and singer with an […]
25 Jun 2018
The Fire Still Burns for the Animals’ Eric Burdon
Many of the bands considered part of the “British invasion” of the mid-sixties drew from American rhythm & blues or soul. Some, like the Beatles, filtered those influences through their […]
21 Jun 2018
Album Review: Little Willie John — Fever
Little Willie John’s time in the spotlight was relatively brief; his album-making career on King Records lasted only from 1956 to ‘62. His debut LP, Fever, founding him roaring out […]
19 Jun 2018
Album Review: Johnny “Guitar” Watson – s/t
When one thinks of the bluesy masters of the electric guitar, the name Johnny “Guitar” Watson is sure to be mentioned. Watson’s second guitar LP mines a variety of styles; […]
08 Jun 2018
Album Review: Battleground Korea: Songs and Sounds of America’s Forgotten War
Readers old enough to remember the long-running and beloved television sitcom M*A*S*H likely know that according to its creators, even though the show was set in wartime Korea, it was […]
17 Apr 2018
Album Reviews: Two Various-Artists RSD Releases
The Other Side of Sun, Part 2 Sun Records had seen its heyday come and go by the time Shelby Singleton bought the label in the late 1960s. But purchase […]
13 Apr 2018
Soul Stalwart: Sidney Barnes (Part 4)
Continued from Part Three… Barnes went on the road with Deniece Williams, too, and sang the male part of the Williams-Johnny Mathis duet, “Too Much, Too Little, Too Late.” Initially, […]
12 Apr 2018
Soul Stalwart: Sidney Barnes (Part 3)
Continued from Part Two… Jackson got a deal that saw him relocating briefly to London, so he and Barnes parted ways. Around that time Barnes got a call from George […]