Soulful＜限定盤＞

In the late '60s, it was briefly in vogue for woman singers known more for pop than for soul to go to Memphis, Miami, or Muscle Shoals to record and get funky. Dusty Springfield, Petula Clark, Lulu, and Cher all did this, and so did Dionne Warwick, with 1969's Soulful. And although it was actually a big commercial success, reaching number 11 on the pop charts and number two on the R&B listings, it's not too well remembered. Rhino Handmade's expanded edition of Soulful virtually makes it over into a whole new release, more than doubling its length by adding a dozen tracks in a similar mold from the late '60s and early '70s that appeared on the 1972 double-LP compilation From Within, along with a previously unreleased cover of "Put a Little Love in Your Heart." Those who think of Warwick as a lightweight pop-soulster with a far greater bent for soft Bacharach-David pop than soul might be surprised at how well she handles purer soul material, both on the Soulful LP and the bonus tracks. But although she sounds good and the backing (Soulful was recorded at American Sound Studios in Memphis) is strong, all of the material is comprised of covers of well-known soul and rock hits. The interpretations range from the Beatles (the deliberately dragged-out renditions of "We Can Work It Out" and "A Hard Day's Night" are not among the highlights), Aretha Franklin, and Motown to Sly & the Family Stone and "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" (the last of which did give Warwick a big hit). She does this stuff well, but she was neither the first nor the best to cover such songs, which makes it less stylistically distinctive than her more renowned covers of Bacharach-David songs. Still, no serious Warwick fan should be without this record, as it shows a different side of her talents than is evident from most of the recordings from her prime. [This CD is only available for purchase over the Internet, from www.rhinohandmade.com.] ~ Richie Unterberger|

Soulful is a major work in Dionne Warwick's deep catalog, and one worthy of study and appreciation. Starting off with a Top 20 hit from October of 1969, her gutsy rendition of "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling," the album shifts from songs containing the sweet and ever present voice found on '60s radio to one of a masterful artist in control, renditions of "Do Right Woman" and the tender approach to "I've Been Loving You Too Long" allowing these copyrights to be heard in a different and intriguing light. Recorded at American Sound Studios in Memphis, TN, with the great Chips Moman engineering and co-producing with Warwick, the only place you'll find the names Burt Bacharach and Hal David is on the label: "A Burt Bacharach-Hal David Production Produced by Chips Moman and Dionne Warwick." In her liner notes on the back cover the singer writes, "I hope you will enjoy experiencing with me the joy and excitement I felt in recording Rhythm and Blues -- my way." To quote blues singer Genya Ravan, "and she means it!" Working with the producer of the Box Tops' "The Letter" and Elvis Presley was a wonderful change and stretch for the woman who was so closely aligned with the music and production of Bacharach and David. Recording in the state that has bragging rights to Graceland was in vogue during the final year of the 1960s and into the early '70s, Steve Cropper's production of Mitch Ryder's The Detroit-Memphis Experiment just another part of the story leading up to the legendary Dusty in Memphis album, perhaps this genre's centerpiece. It's easy to see how a pop princess like Dionne Warwick with such a string of hits could get overlooked -- perhaps by virtue of the sheer volume of her output. The same could be said for Tommy James, whose brilliant My Head, My Bed & My Red Guitar went unnoticed by pop fans too intent on hearing his greatest hits time and again rather than investigating the artist that made those hits. Like Tommy James' Elvis-influenced album, Soulful deserves a very special place in rock history. "We Can Work It Out" is what Otis Redding might have done with the material, while "Hey Jude" has a church-like feel, not immersed in gospel but enough of that flavor to lift it above its pop confines. The short fade with the voices bouncing off the horns was a very nice way to close out the album. There are three Beatles covers as well as some Young Rascals, Aretha, Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell, and James & Bobby Purify. Moman also crafted Petula Clark's Memphis this same year, and both Petula and Dionne take on Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready," indicating perhaps what these Top 40 singers were feeling in their heart -- the need to express themselves on compositions that they found compelling. "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" is the standout, not because it was the hit from this collection but because Dionne takes on a new fire, pouring her heart over the great drum work. This version of the song gets little to no airplay on oldies stations, let alone blues and R&B radio, which is tragic. Warwick is a pro as well as a major talent, and Soulful deserves to be treasured as the important musical statement that it is. ~ Joe Viglione