"JK" RECOMMENDS
One of the best Soul sounds in the UK at the very close of the 20th Century!
"All Talked out" by Roy Hemmings

When a friend let me borrow Roy Hemming's "All Talked Out" I confess to being blown away. I don't usual like much of what passes for Modern Soul but having said that I try to give everything a fair hearing before passing comment. Here is the real McCoy antidote to the syntho-soul and "tailored emotion" that most contemporary aspiring "soul" singers affect.

Roy Hemmings has been about for quite a while. Stylistically he has infinitely more in common with the greats of the 60's and 70's than today's pallid shadows faking it. So, not surprisingly, there is a retro feel to the album. Yet this does not prevent the album from remaining pretty much current.

Seven of the  twelve tracks have been penned by the man himself and they are the business. Beat to ballad Hemmings does the range. Want to listen to lyrics that leave you sharing in a genuine emotional experience? Let "If loving you is all I've got to do" and "If I have one wish come true" touch you. And they will. Want to listen to emotion running away in an uptempo beat then give "7 days since you've been gone" and "Missing you" a hearing and find yourself up on your feet. These are just perfect for any Modern Room at a Northern venue. So too is the final track "Move your body to the music." It will. Distinctly latin flavoured it's a real infectious number with a superb jazzy trumpet break. Hemmings also throws in a few oldies such as the Detroit Spinner's "My whole world ended (the moment you left me)", Donnie Elbert's part penned "Willing & able" and the really well known "Like sister & brother."
 

Why haven't you seen this CD in the racks at our local emporiums? Well, it's not widely available and distributed. This is definitely one of your well and truly rare CD's. You need to get your copy of direct from Quasar Record Production. Price needs to be confirmed with Quasar but should be in £11~£12 range. However, don't quote me on this one. Rumour has it that a 12" release of "Move your body top the music" may be on the cards. If it is then I'll certainly buy it and spin it when I DJ. But both "Missing You" and "7 days since you've been gone" are even stronger sides and ought to be included on a 12" vinyl release. For those who like Barbara Lynn's "Movin on a groove" then these will slot straight in alongside it.