Various - Fillet Of Soul (1974)

From The Lost Record Covers Club

Another Stax compilation proving that the second phase in life of the Memphis label had some real talent. Not sure why this was a full price release yet the earlier post for "Takin' You There" was sold for 50p!  This does include the wonderful Staple Singers, William Bell, Frederick Knight, MGs, Bar-Kays and the Dramatics.

This was given to me by a friend at Polydor who knew I was a soul fan.  This was a real education and brought a whole new string of discoveries for me.  If you don't know the Dramatics "Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get" then search that track alone.

Stax - 2362 035

Here's a brief 4* review from Blues and Soul 1974

Various - Takin' You There (1972)

From The Lost Record Covers Club

One of my favourite compilations.  This was released as a 50p sampler which summarises the revitalised Stax label's new found success.  Stax suffered a huge blow when the classic masters from the label's first phase Redding/Sam and Dave, Bar-Kays were deemed to be owned by former distributor Atlantic.  The label reorganised, recognised the in-house talent of Isaac Hayes and Davis Porter who had written many hits for Sam and Dave, The MGs who played on virtually all of them; the old hands of Carla and Rufus Thomas and; the developed the new signings of The Staple Singers, Dramatics, The Emotions and The Soul Children. 

This is mixed, so gapless and really works.  I think this may have been put together by Carlos(?) the in-house Polydor engineer who ran many demos for UK acts including the Jam.  It's the Stax album that made me look further.  It again shows that SOUL isn't a 60's genre and that the period 1970 - 1975 (prior to the arrival of mainstream disco) is often ignored or wrongly dismissed with that tag.  All real gems in this track list and available elsewhere.  But to me these songs belong together in this order.  Find it if you can.


Stax - 2369 008