An interview with WKNO, Memphis’ NPR station, is forthcoming
Bible & Tire Recording Co., the new sacred soul label from Bruce Watson of Fat Possum, has released ‘The Last Shall Be First: The JCR Records Story, Vol. 1’ to rapturous reviews. An interview with WKNO, Memphis’ NPR station, is forthcoming. Here’s the first single, The Calvary Nightingales’ powerful “Keep On Pushing” (OK to post).
Here’s what we’re reading:
“Four stars… a righteous riot… sincerity and power.”
–Geoff Brown, MOJO, October, 2020
“Awesome gospel soul.”
–John Schaefer, WNYC Newsounds / Soundcheck, September 8, 2020
“Raw 1970s Memphis gospel-soul.”
–Andrew Sacher, Brooklyn Vegan, August 24, 2020
“Some of the deepest, rawest, most moving and little heard… gospel… he scores on these impossibly rare sides… It’s astonishing that the rootsy, heartfelt and authentic qualities of these tracks weren’t considered strong enough to make it to the big leagues, but the excellence of these cast-offs makes for a moving and, well, spiritually uplifting listening experience…. This is, as the cliché goes, the real deal. Deep, sanctified and potent… The best part is that there is more promised in future volumes. Get on board y’all.”
–Hal Horowitz, American Songwriter, September 24, 2020
“Stirring… the music intersects nicely with the soul sounds emanating from Memphis during the same era. One can easily imagine some of the tracks appearing on the Hi or Stax imprint if only for different lyrical content.”
–Jedd Beaudoin, Pop Matters, September 18, 2020
“The electricity of these performances will make the hair stand up on the back of your neck, no matter how lousy your speakers may be… an integral part of soul music’s story. And perusing this album offers up a catalog of structures, melodies, and harmonies that are deep in the DNA of soul… these tracks offer a master course in guitar and keyboard tones, grooves, and vocal harmonies that are compelling in their own right. Though they may be superbly recorded by 1972 standards, they are also played with great fervor… gems.”
–Alex Greene, Memphis Flyer, September 19, 2020
“Hard-grooving soul… a combination of distinctively deep and beautiful vocal harmonies, up-front guitar, grooving bass, explosive drums, and that ever-present overtone of rhythm and blues and country and western that swirled together under the roof of Stax Records just a few years earlier… the very essence of gospel soul at its finest.”
–Glide Magazine, September 9, 2020
“8 stars (out of 10)… plenty of authentic grit… very powerful display of talent that is thankfully being preserved well in this medium, and let’s hope there’s more to come.”
–Tom Haugen, Take Effect, September 20, 2020
