Various Artists
REVIEWS
- Metropolitan Soul Presents Soul Allnighter
Metropolitan Soul Presents Soul Allnighter,
2002
Overall Rating: 9.5*
Best Song: Err..too many to choose from
Worst Song: None
Written by Neal Grosvenor
O my soul, my sweet beloved classic soul music, how I adore
thee! I clutch thy precious double c.d. to my heart and shake my polyester bell
bottom trousers and admire my triangular sideburns in the mirror! The Metropolitan
is apparently a club in London which plays soul, or more specifically "Northern
Soul". To me, the term Northern Soul could mean various things: classic motown,
Philly soul or Stax, but mostly I know that what these deejays look for is very
obscure soul from the 60's and 70's, and usually on 45 vinyl. The "Northern
Soul Phenomenom" is very much a British thing I think, at least the collection
and acquisition of these rare 45 singles is. The music for the most part is
American. Clubs in North America do have their soul nights, but are usually
splintered up and share space with old school funk nights mixed with new "neo
soul" and modern r&b nights. Some Northern Soul nights here run with a more
"mod" theme, mixing in 60's garage and psych rock, as well as 90's britpop.
Mr Fatboy Slim himself Norman Cook apparently has a gigantic collection of soul
rarities, as does everyone's favourite "modfather" Paul Weller. Either of those
gentlemen would be welcome to show me their collections, although I'd probably
never leave their houses and they'd probably sick the rotweillers on me. I can
just see it now: I'd be running away from Weller's mansion yelling over my shoulder
"oi Paul, c'mon mate..just do 'Going Underground' once..please??", all the while
clutching some of his prized 45s under my arm.
The sheer love with which these deejays collect their valuable soul gems is
fascinating, if not somewhat obsessive. D.J. and club promoter Kevin Johansen
is responsible for compiling this two disc collection released last year. The
liner notes document the process through which he acquired all of these songs,
provide a little info about each artist, and are sometimes shocking as he reveals
the amount of coin he dropped down for a single 45 album. He estimates the value
of these records from anywhere ranging from 10 to 600 pounds. When I read the
liner notes, I was so glad that everything on this two disc set cost me about
20 dollars. I love old soul, and adore the music on these discs, but I couldn't
give a rat's ass that a particular pressing of a particular artist's record
is worth 600 pounds. I'm not that much of a geek.
So just as Shakespeare had many lesser known but equally talented contemporaries
in the Elizabethan age, so did Stax, Motown and Philly during the 60s and 70s.
There were young (and old) soul bands all over the States, but some just had
more trouble having their music marketed, promoted and released than others.
I'm pretty sure many of these singles were one hit wonders, but had fabulous
songwriting and production values. Some veered towards funk, others mimicked
the early Holland-Dozier-Holland Motown formula of the mid-sixties, but most
interesting and quite bizarre is the involuntary anticipation of disco, heard
in many of the tracks from the early to mid 70s. On disc one for example Debra
Anderson's track from 1974 "Funny How We've Changed Places" has a real disco
feel to it, complete with a fab string section and chicken scratch guitars.
Donna Summer was probably taking notes at this point, as were the Bee Gees when
they probably heard a band simply called S.O.U.L do a 1973 number entitled "This
Time Around". Yep, the Bee Gees were ready to shed their early Beatleisms and
don those wretched sequined suits. Twats.
There's a great pop feel throughout both discs too. Marie Knight delivers a
very bouncy number with a great hook called "You Lie So Well" and Melba Moore's
unabashedly upbeat "Don't Cry Sing Along With The Music" reminds me of the terminally
flowery Petula Clark. Further highlights on disc one include the cocky but swave
Billy T Soul simply imploring the ladies to "Call On Billy", and a kickass rhythm
section accompanies Porgy And The Monarchs "That Girl".
Disc Two keeps the grooves going, but not without a little cheesiness, as found
on Stemmons Express' "Woman, Love, Thief". Christ, what a song title. Sounds
like something Ween would do on a soul parody album. A band simply titled Just
Brothers perform a fabulously melodic piece called "Carlena", which D.J. Johansen
proudly notes is worth 800 pounds. My god, for that money you could buy tons
of these rare collections on c.d. But then again, guys like Johansen are the
guys who find this stuff for collections in the first place, so god bless 'em.
More highlights on disc two include the James Brown funk of Padded Cell's "Mr
Misery" and Betty Moorer's "Speed Up", another proto-disco rump shaker.
This is a great collection and a true testament as to how compilations should
be. The people who pack clubs for this rare soul clearly love the stuff, and
collectors and deejays are definitely orgasmic when they finally find that one
brilliant obscure track. I'm sure these songs were either on top 40 or r&b radio
during their brief heyday, but quickly faded into obscurity. Don't ask me if
I remember hearing them though...I was probably too busy watching Sesame Street.