Madeline Bell: Doin' Things (1968) ... plus

Doin' Things was the second Phillips LP from Madeline Bell, an American singer transplanted to the mod UK scene of the ‘60s, where she really flourished in a rich career of hit singles, endless session work, and later fame with the group Blue Mink. On this album she was given the chance to work with a virtual who's who of British pop production and musicianship, including Arthur Greenslade, Ian Green, and Keith Mansfield, and the result is a wonderful juxtaposition of sweet and smooth arrangements topped by deeper soul vocals. Madeline shines the most on the soulful Dusty Springfield styled tracks, but there is also some great Scott Walker orchestrated styled goodness here too. Things start out strongly with a version of ‘Help Yourself’ and a sweet candy coated soul sound. Van McCoy was a songwriting dynamo in the ‘60s, and two really great highlights on this collection are the album track ‘Doin' Things Together with You’, and the bonus non-LP single track, ‘We're So Much in Love’, which was Bell's last single for Philips. There are a handful of John Paul Jones related tracks too, including the John Paul Jones composed tune ‘Hold It’, along with ‘Gotta Get Away From Here’, ‘Ain't Gonna Cry Any More’ and ‘What'm I Supposed to Do’, which were all co-written by Madeline Bell and John Paul Jones. One of the coolest cuts here is ‘Go Ahead On’, a Madeline Bell/Dusty Springfield co-composed tune that is a special treat not only because it rocks, but also because an uncredited Dusty sings backing vocals (other session singers on the record are Lesley Duncan and Kay Garner). Finally, Bell covers a couple of popular songs with versions of Lulu's ‘To Sir with Love’, and the Lennon/McCartney tune ‘Step Inside Love’, originally recorded by Cilla Black. Other tracks include ‘After All Is Said & Done’, ‘For Your Pleasure’, ‘It's Up to You’, ‘Thinkin’’, and ‘How Much I Do Love You’. http://www.gullbuy.com/, http://www.dustygroove.com/

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Madeline Bell performing 'Don't Come Running to Me':

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Madeline singing 'Just to Know I've Made It In'. A historic event as it was probably the first black gospel concert ever in the Netherlands. Recorded in Utrecht, 1962:

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