Kent(CDTOP 510) - William Bell - Never Like This Before - The Complete 'Blue' Stax Singles 1961-1968 Plus Booklet (2022) FLAC

Seeing as AMM is away and i,m getting withdrawal symptoms perhaps like some of you lads i thought i,d bang up 2 great albums from the legend that is William Bell. William Bell has been in the business of making records for 60 + years, and was with Memphis label Stax for virtually its entire 15-year existence (1960-1975). In that time, he composed and recorded many songs that are rightly regarded as classics, from his Stax debut ‘You Don’t Miss Your Water’ to the classic blues song ‘Born Under A Bad Sign’ to his hit duet with Judy Clay, ‘Private Number’. Ace Records has represented William’s Stax catalogue in the UK for longer than the label originally existed, and they have issued a number of CDs over the years, including original albums and “Best Of” packages, but this sees the release of the first of two CD sets that will, between them, anthologise the A and B-sides all of William’s solo singles for Stax. “Never Like This Before” covers the first seven years of William’s Stax catalogue, and rounds up all 14 of the singles that came out on Stax’s original blue label design with the ‘Stack Of Records’ logo. Among the classics featured are ‘You Don’t Miss Your Water’, William’s holiday perennial ‘Every Day Will Be Like A Holiday’ and his heartfelt salute to his then deceased Stax labelmate Otis Redding, ‘A Tribute To A King’. William is, of course, backed on all tracks by members of the legendary Stax ‘house band’ Booker T & the MGs and the Memphis Horns. Arranged in sequence of release and with a booklet featuring extensive info and illustration, “Never Like This Before” lives up to its title and offers premium quality Southern soul in a package worthy of the man who, at the age of 83, is still singing many of these songs in live shows, and singing them as well as he ever did! The second of kentsr two packages, covering the ‘Yellow’ Stax years of 1968 to 1974, will follow after this review. PLEASE NOTE THAT REVIEWS WILL BE SENT OUT ON AMM,s RETURN. COMMENTS ARE TURNED BACK ON...

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