July 16, 2002

Burke, Solomon : Don't Give Up On Me

f you've ever laughed or cried, you need to hear this

A contemporary of Otis and Aretha and one of the original great soul-shouters with a rich, burning gospel tower of a voice, Burke - the self-styled King Of Rock 'n' Soul - emerges from a 30-year wander in the wilderness with an album that sounds like a lost classic.

Big name fans - Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson, Tom Waits, -Van Morrison, Elvis Costello - contribute tracks, but it's Burke's voice that remains the focus.

With basic production, there is deep, sorrowful soul (the title track), swaggering blues that'd set Jack White's hair on end ('Stepchild') and countless moments of fear and darkness but ultimate redemption.

Described by Tom Waitsas 'one of the architects of American music', Burke delivers as pure and proper a record as you'll hear all year. If you've ever laughed or cried, you need to hear this.

Paul McNamee