The fact that Lee Fields has never released an album on renowned label Daptone Records is as unbelievable as it is exciting. Finally, in 2022, we eager listeners are gifted the collaboration we’ve been waiting for between these two giants of the soul genre. Fields’ honest singing is brought to life within the context of modernized retro-soul with the authentic performances of the Dap Kings. Daptone is one of the few labels who have somehow found a way to take old-style music and put an almost novelty sounding production on it in a way that makes it digestible for the young listener. Couple that approach with the closest living man to Otis Redding, and you’ve got an album of soul powerhouses.
The opening track, “Forever,” although not trail-blazing in its lyrical content, is engrossing in terms of musical content. Every instrument is played with enticing levels of intricacy, with each musician giving a solo performance of their own. Add a sweetly delivered chorus of “I want to love you forever” and the song delivers a nostalgic lift. “Just Give Me Your Time” is a dripping soul ballad, ripe with enigmatic calls and responses between Fields and the band. The stabs of horns add a unique touch, reminiscent of the incredible performances of the Memphis Horns from Stax-era soul. Finally, the background singers are completely on fire throughout the track, singing perfect harmony with equal parts gusto and prettiness, vibrato without losing the pitch or overstepping one another’s parts.
“Ordinary Lives” is a track as familiar as it is unique. Although sounds like these have undoubtedly been heard before, it’s the mix of Fields’ voice with the interesting chord progression that makes the track original. The drums, although somewhat primitive, are presented in a sensitive way, placed in the back of the mix. The guitar is near-perfect, hitting each note with equal intensity and with an exceptional tone.
Throughout his career, Lee Fields has built a reputation as a purveyor of straight southern soul. A collaboration between him and one of the only true soul labels left is an obvious combination that seems like it should already have happened some years back. Daptone has done a wonderful job crafting a new Fields album rife with memorable chorus, spine-tingling vocals, and a tough backbone of a rhythm section. To all fans of the genre of soul, or even those just wanting to hear something new and powerful, this album is for you.
