Reviewed by Steve Best

The larger than life Allen Brothers - Rance on guitar, Tom on drums and Steve on bass - came to Stax Records of Memphis, Tennessee, one of the great soul labels of all time, where they cut half a dozen or so albums in two periods before moving on. This is a 17 track retrospective spanning 1971 through 1979 and amply showcases Rance's extraordinary voice, which ranges from a gutteral scream to a quite awesome falsetto. Among the delights here, check out the gospelisation of "(There's Gonna Be) A Showdown", the nine minute tour de force of "Ring My Bell" and another R&B song, turned gospel number, the Temptations' "Just My Imagination" (here retitled "Just My Salvation"). I'm told Rance is still going strong. However, this superlative collection captures him at his best.

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.

Interested in reviewing music? Find out more here.