Kent's Cellar of Soul, Vol. 2

Liner Note Author: Ady Croasdell.
Arrangers: Leon Mitchell; Andrew "Mike" Terry; Ed Bland; Horace Ott; Bobby Martin ; Reggie Obrecht; J.J. Jackson; George McGregor; Larry Fallon; Leon Haywood; Richard Rome; Thom Bell; Riley Hampton.
Even by the standards of catch-all 1960s soul rarities compilations, the guiding concept behind this collection is rather vague. Basically, the intent seems to be to showcase American soul singles that made their primary impression through nightclub play. Even that notion, however, is undercut by a comment in the liner notes indicating that one of the better-known tracks, Al Green's "Back Up Train," "wasn't particularly appealing" to the mods who were the main audience for this kind of stuff. It's better, then, to just treat this as a general '60s soul rarity anthology than search for a theme. As such things go (and there are many of them on the Kent/Ace label alone), it's okay, but not special. The usual formula for such collections applies: no big hits, a few stars or at least relatively familiar names (J.J. Jackson, Dee Dee Warwick, Joe Tex, the Olympics, James & Bobby Purify), and a whole lotta artists and songs you'll have never heard if you haven't been collecting this stuff for decades. Few of the tracks are striking; Warwick's typically tuneful, penetratingly sung soul-pop (on her 1965 single "We're Doing Fine") is about the best. Following on its heels in the quality department are the very Impressions-like "I Can't Work No Longer" by Billy Butler (brother of Jerry Butler) and Tex's "You Better Believe It, Baby" (which boasts a memorably insistent riff). Much of the rest is pleasantly derivative of major '60s soul trends, particularly Motown (Bobbi Lynn's "Earthquake" combines parts of the Supremes and Martha & the Vandellas, while Leon Haywood's "It's Got to Be Mellow" is very much like Marvin Gaye) and, again, the Impressions (the Carltons' "Can't You Hear the Beat" and the Spidells' "Hmmm, with Feeling, Darling"). The accent's very much on danceable-but-not-frenetic upbeat soul, and while there's nothing wrong with that, what's here is specialist rather than general interest territory. ~ Richie Unterberger