Wednesday, 27 April 2022

Norman Feels [2022] - Don't / More Love [Soul Direction #SD009]


Nottingham based Soul Direction's latest vinyl 7" release is due next month. It contains two previously unreleased tracks from Norman Feels (aka Norman Solomon).

Norman Feels sang with his brother in The Souvenirs before a solo career in the early 70s releasing three singles (the third was promo only) and two albums on New York label Just Sunshine, a label famed for The Voices Of East Harlem and also recently deceased Betty Davis (one time wife of Miles Davis).

"Don't" appeared on his debut, self-titled album in 1973 but the mix on this new single is different mix which was recorded earlier in 1972 (10 Apr 1972 is noted on the original Sterling Sound Inc. acetate, so almost exactly 50 years old) as was "More Love". It is thought that perhaps these two tracks were recorded for a potential single for another label which didn't materialise.

I feel that "Don't" has a bit of a Marvin Gaye vibe about it, a cross between "Grapevine" and his early 70s material, whilst "More Love" is what I'd describe as a sweet soul ballad / stepper with hints of Smokey Robinson. The original album version of "Don't" is also included below.

Both his highly sought after albums, "Norman Feels" and "Where Or When", were reissued, for the very first time, recently (2020) by Light In The Attic/Tidal Waves on vinyl. 

The single comes with picture cover and sleeve notes on the back and will be available to pre-order from Soul Direction in due course.

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Details
Rating: 8.2
Explicit: N
Genre/Style: Neo Soul
Format: Single
Media: 7"
Label: Soul Direction
Cat No: SD009
Date: 05/2022
Key/BPM: N/A
Value: £15

1 comment:

  1. You're absolutely right. The comparison with Marvin Gaye is obvious, if only by the musicians revolving around him and of course the intonations in the voice. Listen to his 2 albums released in the years following "What's Going On". But it is true that he was not the only one at that time to copy him, given the success of Marvin!!!

    Yves

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