Friday, January 15, 2021

The Holmes Brothers - Righteous!: The Essential Collection

Size: 171.6 MB
Time: 74:20
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2002
Styles: Blues Gospel
Art: Full

01. Got Myself Together (4:54)
02. Promised Land (3:35)
03. When Something Is Wrong With My Baby (6:32)
04. Fannie Mae (3:19)
05. The New And Improved Me (3:55)
06. I Surrender All (4:44)
07. Train Song (2:56)
08. None But The Righteous (5:58)
09. Dashboard Bar (3:44)
10. Don't Spare Your Sword (6:09)
11. I've Been A Loser (3:21)
12. Please Don't Hurt Me (4:19)
13. The Final Round (2:51)
14. There Goes My Everything (5:55)
15. There's A Train (3:55)
16. And I Love Her (4:50)
17. Walk In The Light (3:15)

Andy Breslau described the Holmes Brothers' music as "gospel-infused doo wop funk," which pretty much captures the spirit and synthesis of their style. Combining old R&B, soul, and gospel, brothers Sherman and Wendell Holmes along with Popsy Dixon create a rich sound filled with lovely harmony. The intensity of the group's studio performances evokes a live feel, offering an inkling of what their performances at Lynch's in Manhattan must have sounded like during the '80s. Righteous! collects almost 75 minutes of material from the group's four Rounder albums, beginning with In the Spirit in 1990 and ending with Promised Land in 1997. The album kicks off with a bit of electric blues topped with a healthy dose of soul on "Got Myself Together," a song that jumps out of the gate at a gallop and holds to a steady gait for five minutes. Gospel-drenched pieces like "Promised Land," complete with electric guitar, will have non-believers singing along, while classics like "There Goes My Everything" combine classic soul with a touch of country. One also wouldn't want to miss the Holmes Brothers' takes on Tom Waits' "Train Song" and the Beatles' "And I Love Her." Breslau's liner notes, which travel back to the Holmes Brothers' residency at Lynch's, are both edifying and fun to read. While all of the albums the Holmes Brothers recorded for Rounder are worthy efforts, Righteous! offers a solid introduction to anyone who has missed out on their wonderful music.

Righteous!: The Essential Collection MP3
Righteous!: The Essential Collection FLAC

3 comments:

Motown Fats said...

Hey BT,

A little churchin' is good for the soul every once in a while. Thanks for the post.

Happymonk said...

I was gonna grab this, but after another look, I have all these albums. I recommend this collection. Thanks for reminding me.

juan manuel muñoz said...

many thanks, my friend