This is the real deal, a soul singer who can hold her own against an entire Gospel choir. The backing band plays razor sharp and keeps the music from slipping into soul nostalgia mode.
If you have a soft spot for slow, scorching soul music, then every tune’s a winner on ‘100 Days 100 Nights’. This Brooklyn outfit know how to take the Soul formula and update it for 2008. More Stax than Motown, there’s a downhome earthyness to the rhythms and the brass section is tight and prominent.
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings have been around for a while. They record in their own studio, which they built over the years collecting vintage analogue equipment. Luckily, the band’s obsession with Soul doesn’t stop with getting a vintage sound but stretches into their songwriting.
The songs and Sharon’s sheer vocal power set this band apart from the current wave of Soul influenced acts. Take the two most popular acts in the BBC’s recent Sound of 2008 poll: Adele and Duffy. Both are labelled as Soul singers. Both, I am sure you’ll agree, lack in terms of grit and drama compared to Miss Jones.
Listen to ‘100 Days 100 Nights’ and download the album from iTunes.
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