VA: Atlantic Unearthed - Soul Sisters (1966-73)

Atlantic Records (along with its Atco Records imprint) was pretty much the center of all things soul in the late '60s and early '70s, thanks in no small part to the label's recording and licensing agreements with Stax Records and the ever watchful eyes (and ears) of producer Jerry Wexler. This interesting set collects 16 recordings made for Atlantic by female soul and R&B artists between 1966 and 1973. The featured artists range from stars like Aretha Franklin and Patti LaBelle & The Blue Belles, to artists only familiar to soul aficionados, such as Margie Joseph (nicknamed “the next Aretha”) and Doris Troy. The collection of singers illustrates the interconnectedness of the soul and R&B industry in the '60s and beyond: Dee Dee Warwick, sister of Dionne Warwick, appears here, as do The Sweet Inspirations, a quintet that included Myrna Smith (Dionne Warwick’s cousin), Sylvia Shemwell (sister of Judy Clay, also represented on this album), and Cissy Houston (Whitney Houston's mother). Many of the songs on this compilation are unfamiliar, even if the singers are not. Some of them are covers of well-known hits, such as Aretha’s bluesy 'My Way,' which rivals both Sinatra’s and the Sex Pistols’ versions, as well as Dee Dee Warwick’s earthy rendition of 'Rescue Me.' Many of the tracks had only been released as singles, and consequently are rare treasures some thirty years later. Most valuable is the inclusion of several previously unreleased tracks: Margie Joseph’s 'It’s Growing,' Patti LaBelle & The Blue Belles’ '(1-2-3-4-5-6-7) Count the Days,' The Sweet Inspirations’ 'Ain’t Nothing Gonna Change Me,' and Bettye Swann’s 'I Ain’t That Easy to Lose'. Why any of these tracks sat so long in the can is a mystery, as each is a revelation, particularly Franklin's cut. Sounding a bit like an alternative version of the peak days of soul, Atlantic Unearthed: Soul Sisters makes a solid coda to anyone's vintage soul library and is a perfect complement to The Girls Got Soul. http://blackgrooves.org/, http://www.allmusic.com/
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