Big Crown US Schallplatten & CDs

Review: 1970s soul survivor Lee Fields has struck up a pretty special relationship with The Expressions, the house band of Truth & Soul writer/arranger/producer Leon Michels. The veteran vocalist has now released a trio of brilliant albums with the combo, as well as some killer singles. "Coming Home", a sweet-natured slab of '60s soul complete with brilliant musicianship and authentically fuzzy production, is another must-have. B-side "Precious Love", a torch song with a backing track that sits somewhere between punchy Southern Soul and laidback funk, is also superb. In other words, if you love soul, you need this in your life.

Review: Veteran soul man Lee Fields has been touring and releasing music almost constantly since the late 1960s. In recent years, he's struck up a great partnership with the Truth & Soul label's house band, The Expressions. Their latest collaborative single, "Special Night", is something of a cinematic soul treat, with Fields wringing every bit of emotion out of his cracking, heartfelt vocal. The sumptuous A-side (subtitled 'Part 1') is joined on the flip by a sparser, stripped back version ('Part 2') that somehow manages to further emphasize the brilliance of Fields' lyrics and vocal. Both versions feel like future end-of-night classics.

Review: Veteran singer Lee Fields - a survivor from the early '70s soul scene - has been revitalized in recent years thanks to a successful partnership with Truth & Soul Records house band, The Expressions. Special Night is his second full-length with the combo, and sees him run through a string of classic sounding - think fuzzy, '60s style production and authentic instrumentation - soul gems. Highlights are plentiful, from the sensual, heartfelt "Special Night" and riotous funk workout "Work To Do", to the stripped-back, break-driven "How I Like It" and heart-breaking "Where Did Our Love Go". This edition of the album comes bundled with a second disc containing The Expressions' superb instrumental versions.

Review: North Carolina's Lee Fields has had a long career with some dramatic pauses, but the last few years have seen him stronger than ever with LPs on Truth & Soul and now Big Crown Records. "It Rains Love" is his second LP with The Expressions, and it strikes a classic Motown note that sounds utterly timeless in its execution. The production definitely has some of the warmth and grit of Motor City classics from back in the day, but Fields' conviction and power in his delivery sounds bang up to date. For fans of Mayfield, Redding et al, this is an unmissable set of rough-edged soul.