Trapped By A Thing Called Love

Kicking off her Westbound stay with a gem, Denise LaSalle gave the world a new take on Southern soul with this late-nite entree of Stax-y grooves and tales of love on the rocks. Trapped By a Thing Called Love and her two other Westbound LPs (On the Loose and Here I Am Again) set the pace for other Dixie divas like Millie Jackson and Betty Wright, thanks to the finely gauged originals and heavy dose of swagger they contained. The symphonic soul charts of both Gene "Bowlegs" Miller and Hi Records arranger Willie Mitchell (Al Green, O.V. Wright) are on display, too, and the fare ranges from a few choice covers (Barbara Lynn's "You'll Miss a Good Thing") to now-canonized R&B sides like the LaSalle-penned title track. Once available on vinyl and as a two-fer disc that also included On the Loose, Trapped By a Thing Called Love is lost in the vaults once again and awaiting a re-release makeover befitting its classic status. ~ Stephen Cook