{"product_id":"era-records-northern-soul","title":"Era Records: Northern Soul","description":"Liner Note Author: Ady Croasdell.\u003cbr\u003ePhotographers: Gilles Pétard; Alec Palao; Jimmy Russell .\u003cbr\u003eThe Los Angeles-based label Era didn't specialize in soul but in the late '50s, co-owners and cousins Lew Bedell and Herb Newman made a conscious decision to strengthen their R\u0026amp;B roster. This move paid off in 1962, when Jewel Akens' \"The Birds and the Bees\" turned into a major hit, ushering in era where Era recorded a lot of pop-oriented soul. A lot of this didn't hit the charts, and even more of it was never released, which makes Ace\/Kent's 2014 compilation Era Records: Northern Soul a bit of a godsend for collectors, as it unearths a ton of rarities recorded between 1962 and 1968. Eight of the 24 songs see their first release here, but the rest are hardly well-known, with Akens and future Motown star Brenda Holloway being the only recognizable stars here. Even if the names aren't familiar, the sound certainly is: it's the slick, cool pop-soul called Northern soul in the U.K., a sound that relies heavily on the uptown strut of the Windy City and the propulsion of the Motor City. Era had a slightly splashier spin on this sound, and there are plenty of moments here that deliver pleasure, including Othello Robertson's effervescent \"So in Luv,\" the swinging minor-key groove of Steve Flanagan's \"I've Arrived\" (he also has a brighter, sunnier single in \"I Need to Be Loved So Bad\"), the funkier attack of Jimmy Lewis on \"What Can I Do Now?\" and the Impressions-styled harmonies of the Turn Arounds. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine","brand":"MovieMars","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47783637713183,"sku":"029667240529","price":18.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0679\/7833\/0399\/files\/8b7ae7b9e9655f53ea96ed5a2cd7ce0c.jpg?v=1777835137","url":"https:\/\/www.moviemars.com\/products\/era-records-northern-soul","provider":"MovieMars","version":"1.0","type":"link"}