Kent 350 - The Contours - Dance with the Contours - (2011) + Booklet - Rare Soul (FLAC)

They may not have had the silky skills of some of my later Motown favourites, but their raucous invitations to dance remain as potent now as they did almost 50 years ago. This is Kent’s expanded version of their never issued 1964 Gordy album “Dance With The Contours” featuring the 12 originally-scheduled tracks and a further dozen from the vaults, all recorded during the same time frame. Of the 26 tracks, 24 have never been issued in any form until 2011. How great is that ? There’s nothing subtle about lead Contour Billy Gordon’s rough voice, and songs about the Uncle Willie, Crossfire, Limbo, See Saw and other fly by night dance crazes are hardly going to win Ivor Novello Awards, but factor in some agreeably rough and ready vocal harmonies and season with a bunch of cracking vintage Motown backing tracks and you have 66 minutes of dance floor magic that just won’t quit (although the tempo occasionally slows a bit, in order to let you and the group get your breath back). A few of these cuts have circulated as poor quality bootlegs and mp3s, but everything here is drawn from fresh transfers of original Motown mastertapes, even the two previously issued sides, ‘Can You Do It’ and ‘Can You Jerk Like Me’. “Dance With The Contours” was the first of 2 albums on kent officially approved Motown releases. All their classic northern dancers from their early years are here.The next is lined up for review.

AMM/Oldsoulrebel

                                                                     Oldsoulrebel

                                                                     The Tasters!