Naomi Shelton & the Gospel Queens – Cold World
After six long years, Naomi Shelton finally returned to Daptone Records’ House of Soul studio in June 2013 to cut this fantastic new album. This is ostensibly a gospel record, but don’t let that deter you. You can dance to this. It’s funky, soulful, and thanks to the gritty 8-track production of Gabriel Roth, sounds like it was recorded around 1968. Shelton is backed up by a band that features Fred Thomas, who played bass with James Brown (listen to his killer bass line on “Thank You, Lord”) and Brother Cliff Driver on piano, who spent time playing with Sam Cooke and Solomon Burke among others. Shelton is 70 years old now, and her voice is heavy, weathered, and sometimes cracks in its upper register. This is precisely part of the appeal. It gives the album a world-weariness that is offset by extreme bursts of exaltation. Shelton’s got “love in her heart” and feels all right as she sings on “Movin'”, a standout track that features some church organ and slinky guitar from Max Shrager. “Bound For the Promised Land” is the album’s best track and recalls The Staple Singers during their funky late 60s early 70s phase. The Gospel Queens, Edna Johnson, Bobby Jean Gant, and Angel McKenzie, are in fine form on “It’s a Cold, Cold World” and the moving ballad “I Don’t Know” also benefits from their backing vocals. “One Day” sounds a lot like the stuff that The Ovations and The Sweet Inspirations were recording for Goldwax in the 1960s. Some of the songs start to run together, but overall this GREAT stuff.