The fine funky fellows (and ladies) of Daptone Records are back with this 23 track compilation featuring some of their best-known tracks of the last 6 years alongside rare tracks scavenged from various 7″ singles and smaller releases.
Lee Fields and Sugarman & Co. – Stand Up
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The label is best known for its flagship artist, the Dapkings, and their work with Amy Winehouse and Sharon Jones, but it also fields a number of other fine rhythm-based artists like Antibalas, the Budos Brothers, and Lee Fields, all of whom are featured on this disc. Some argue that the Daptone sound is too derivative of the classic Stax and Motown work – that they copy rather than update the sound. To that, I say- who gives a shit? That music was good, and so is this! Just try to listen to “Stand Up” by Lee Fields and sit still. Blast “Make the Road by Walking” from the Menahan Street Band and I guarantee you’ll feel 120% more badass. A single Charles Bradley track has more emotion than a whole hour of modern R&B (along with the best recession lyric I’ve heard to date – “This world is going up in flames / and nobody wanna take the blame / don’t tell me how to live my life / when you never felt the pain”). Until James Brown and Otis Redding finally team up for that duet disc, this is the finest funk and soul around.
[...] debut release ‘Break Up’ (which I fortunately received as a Christmas gift) and the Daptone Gold compilation which includes a lively collection of classics from Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, [...]