Julian Cope presents Head Heritage

Unlikely favourite of the week

Elkie Brooks - Two Days Away
Not surprising if a lot of people missed out on this one given that it came out at the height of Punk. My Mum, a big Cleo Laine fan, had it and I secretly loved hearing it through the walls. Played it this week (an old cdr rip from the vinyl) for the first time in a long time. First thing to say for is that this is the first album where Brooks abanonded her Grace Slick influenced vocal style that she developed with Vinegar Joe (who I thought were a bit ordinary tbh though I love "Black Smoke Rising From The Calumet"). Instead she goes for something in terms of singing style that sounds more like Janis / Aretha, or more accurately Ann Peebles and perhaps Dusty under the influence of pre war Jazz. A real old time 40-a-day voice. The great Lieber and Stoller write and produce and you can really hear that experience of working with people like Peggy Lee, Elvis and Ben E King. The Brill Building approach to classic pop song writing is to the fore. That said it sounds a lot more like Memphis than New York and the first tune almost resolves into a fully fledged Parliament type groove though stops just short. The hit single was over-exposed and a bit mawkish but for me this is one of the last really great pre-digital soul albums. The vocal on "Honey Can I Put On Your Clothes" in particular is stunning and is a song awash with harps, which is no bad thing, and when she goes for more of a Diana Ross mid tempo pop soul thing on "Sunshine After The Rain" it's bang on. Adelle and Joss Stone could do with checking it out and having a rethink. For a 1977 release it is refereshing that it displays no more than the slightest nod to Disco though there is a bit of cod reggae to circumnavigate. It's great strength is the total disdain for hipness. As Cannonball Adderley would say "you don't decide you're hip, it's a fact of life". Highly recommended for old school Soul fans looking for something new to listen to. Gripes? Too much top on the bloody bass!