Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

The story of James Carr is a familiar one! Church boy singer raised on gospel takes the broad path to soul stardom but loses his way. His rich baritone and dramatic style could have made James Carr as big as fellow Memphis soul singer Otis Redding but instead there were a smattering of hit singles and a sad demise in the '70s due to mental illness and drug abuse. This isn't the "best" of his music but instead a special compilation for soul collectors and Carr fans which gives you alternative takes to some of his best music like the classic "The Dark End Of The Street" and the brilliant "Pouring Water On A Drowning Man". There is some interesting material here like his covers of Bacharach and David's "What The World Needs Now" and The Four Tops' "I Can't Help Myself". The album closes with three songs from a mid-'90s reunion with The Jubilee Hummingbirds, the gospel group he'd joined more than 30 years earlier. There's a cover of Carole King's "You've Got A Friend" and an excellent "My Soul Is Satisfied". Sadly Carr died of cancer in 2001, he was 58 when he finally found the rest that eluded him during his life.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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