Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - Give The People What They Want

Released January 14th 2014

One bad mamma jamma. Good God. Let me start by saying that. 

Give The People What They Want opens with: "See you coming from a mile away/ And your looking real cocky/ you think that you can keep the sea at bay/ But it's about to get mmmmm choppy." I feel like I can stop writing now. (How's that for an opening of an album John Krueger? Kurt Vile, eat your heart out.)

Much like the first line of the album, Sharon Jones is super bad. She wrote and recorded the album prior to being diagnosed with cancer. Cancer soon found out she was packing heat and headed for the hills. In fact it was supposed to be released last year but was postponed until her treatment was completed. Lucky for us, she came out on top. 

Filmed after she lost her hair from chemo treatment.

She's called a throw back artist, carrying the eternal flame of 60's/70's R&B. But I feel like after you give it a spin, we can agree that she's just got soul. And as you and I and Mr James "I got soul" Brown know, soul is something you just got. It doesn't stop after the first track. It doesn't stop until the album ends. Which brings me to my one and only complaint: coming in at 33:38, this album is far too short. One sentence rant over. 

All nonsense aside, this is the best feeling album I've listened to from spin one that I can recall. And for what many will deem a throw back album, it sounds so fresh. I'm glad I stumbled upon Ms Jones this morning and you will be too. 

Super bad

Dennis