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After Hours 2: More Northern Soul Masters

Fran Fried | Fresno, Ca. United States | 06/27/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Here's another blistering compilation of American soul that we have to go to England for. This 26-song disc comes from Warner and includes rarities from the Warner Bros., Atlantic, Atco, Loma and Reprise labels from 1964-72. This one is just as good for cranking on a car stereo on a summer night (as I discovered one night last summer in NYC) as it is on a dance floor.
Many of the tracks are lesser-known cuts by better-known acts ("Baby Help Me" by Percy Sledge, the bouncing "Here I Go Again" by Archie Bell & the Drells, Ben E. King's string-filled "I Can't Break the News to Myself"), along with a tracks by people better known for other things (Bill Cosby's lighthearted romp through Stevie Wonder's "Uptight," future TV theme-meister Mike Post's stirring instrumental "Afternoon of the Rhino" and Leslie Uggams' snappy 2-minute stomper "Don't You Even Care"). And in most cases, no way does lesser-known mean lesser quality. Most of these songs qualify as parallel-universe top-40 hits. There are some average tunes, such as Mary Wells' "Keep Me in Suspense" and Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles' "You Forgot How to Love," but they're the exception.
The most radiant of the rarely heard gems: Joanie Sommers' tough-yet-resilient vocals over the deliberate, piano-driven stomp of "Don't Pity Me"; Deon Jackson (of "Love Makes the World Go Round" fame) delivering more smooth vocals over a dynamic horn bed on "That's What You Do to Me"; "King of the Horse," The Delights Orchesta's raging response to arguably the best soul instrumental of them all, Cliff Nobles' "The Horse"; and "Fireman" by Vala Reegan & the Valarons -- think a high-rev "Come See About Me" with a tribal beat, rhythmic guitar accents and timely horn bursts."

Too Much Soul!

rollo | usa | 11/22/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Vol 2 of After Hours is just as much fun as Vol 1 and Vol 3. Oh, What a pleasant variety of dynamic and charismatic performances by various brothers and sisters of soul."