Brewery Town Beats US Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Before making it big with Maze, Frankie Beverly was the man behind Raw Soul, a heavyweight, politically conscious band whose fuzzy, full-throttle sound sat somewhere between the J.B's and Sly & The Family Stone. The band's most famous moment was 1975 single 'Color Blind', which was originally recorded as 'What's The Color?' Here that never-before-heard recording is finally issued. Rich in fuzz-soaked horns, crunchy drum-breaks, weighty bass and clipped funk guitar licks, the track features some superb, James Brown style lead vocals from Beverly. Brilliantly, there's also a chance to savour the unheard Raw Soul instrumental version, which features an extended, DJ-friendly drum solo midway through. A slice of history that's well worth picking up. As played by DJ Koco....

Review: The year is 1971 and The Ultimates are a vocal trio who record only two tunes. Lead by Monica Thornton, they reform in 1976 to record another two, and they they vanish. It's hard to know why given the goodness of their only four recordings. They have all become sought after classics that light up Northern Soul parties whiners they get dropped. Here the Brewery Town Beats label reissue the group's first EP having remastered both tunes. 'Gotta Get Out' is the high speed, high impact opening track with smooth backing vocals and the up tempo lead next to tight drum work. 'Why I Love You' slows down to a more sentimental blue eyed soul sound.