Published on July 24th, 2012 | by greg

Loving On The Flipside is a Soul Masterpiece

It should come as no surprise to frequent readers of this site that I am a reissue fiend. I dig finding gems that I was unaware of and then wearing the grooves off the wax. Lately, I find myself gravitating to heavy psych, garage and soul reissues when it comes to crate digging and I’m always open to anything as long as it’s a quality release. One of my favorite reissue labels, Now-Again, have another stellar compilation with Loving on the Flipside, Sweet Funk and Beat-Heavy Ballads, 1969-1977, an extremely solid compilation of overlooked ballads from the flip sides of the funk 45s that reside in the Now-Again and Truth and Soul vaults.

Loving on the Flipside, Sweet Funk and Beat-Heavy Ballads, 1969-1977 is a meticulously cultivated selection of vintage funk and soul. The liner notes to this volume are exhaustively researched and provide a thorough background for each and every band which is beneficial for future purchases. The songs that inhabit Loving on the Flipside, Sweet Funk and Beat-Heavy Ballads, 1969-1977 have been dubbed “sweet funk” and are some of the most heart wrenching and joyous recordings that were previously dismissed. Why these songs were originally dismissed is practically unforgivable once you get a whiff of the gorgeous album opener “I Don’t Think I’ll Ever Love Another” by Darling Dears. If the Darling Dears don’t capture your attention, the dazzling sway of Eddie Finley & The Cincinnati Show Band will simply put you in your place. The dynamic Eddie Finley pontificates on lost love and demands your attention one way or another. Marvel at the prostitution come ons of “At The Hotel” by Eunice Collins! If that’s not enough to sell you, by the time that Motor City story-teller Lou Ragland (Hot Chocolate) arrives, I guarantee that you will be convinced that Loving on the Flipside, Sweet Funk and Beat-Heavy Ballads, 1969-1977 is one of the definitive reissues of the year.

If time and space allowed, I could go on forever about the outstanding nature of Loving on the Flipside, Sweet Funk and Beat-Heavy Ballads, 1969-1977. I don’t want to spoil too much of the album as I have a tendency but you simply need to hear this album with your own ears. Loving on the Flipside, Sweet Funk and Beat-Heavy Ballads, 1969-1977 will be available sometime in September (Amazon.co.uk 9/24/2012) via Now-Again and will remain in heavy rotation long afterwards.