To say this album is Stax-drenched would be an understatement.
The first 30 seconds, building from the strident beat through the driving rhythm and surging chords to the horn section working their way upwards to the perfect riff, is a textbook example of how to set up the archetypal Stax single.
Now you’re just waiting for the singer to strut his stuff. It’s the same for the ballads: the shimmering guitar notes, the slow rhythmic emphasis, the horn section working their way downwards.
Reuben James Richards may be unfamiliar, but his voice is close to Eddie Floyd, and he revels in the spirit of it. The songs, written by producer Dave Williams in what must have been a labour of love, are good enough to have enticed some of the original horn section and back-up singers over to participate in this wonderful pastiche.
