I cannot WAIT for this new Lee Fields and the Expressions record, My World, to come out on June 2nd. Consider the tip on this one a gift, as this funk/soul masterpiece looks to be a guaranteed winner, but has a good chance of ending up a sleeper for a while unless the promotional machine behind it is still to come. I haven’t heard too much about it (kind of stumbled across it), but Stones Throw is hyping it up a bit, so we’ll have to see. The session musicians on the record worked on tracks from the Dap-Kings, Amy Winehouse, etc. as well, so no worries about the quality and authenticity of the funk on this one.
Listen for yourself at Truth & Soul. Stones Throw has a download of “Ladies” available too here. The only thing I’m not terribly excited about is the re-recorded version of “Honey Dove” which originally appeared on Lee’s Soul Fire LP Problems. The original version is ultra-gritty, just how I like it, but it’s a great track either way. Even so, Truth & Soul has recently issued a 7″ version of the original, so no harm done. I think I’ll be placing a pre-order for the 2xLP of My World this week.
This is the first post in what is to become a series (no, not two years between posts) of postings of not-necessarily-rare but definitely out-of-print and relatively obscure vinyl. Today, it’s the solo debut from Ray Parker Jr, a long-time session musician/songwriter, frontman from ’70s funk group Raydio, and best known for the mega-hit theme from the 1984 film Ghostbusters.