It starts with a great opener. Osunlade rarely puts a remix foot wrong and his ‘Lonely Mix’ of ‘I Might Do Something Wrong’ is spot on in this soulful house number.

You may recall that another version of this one appeared on Osunlade/Re-Offering and it was previously released on New York’s Central Park Recordings as a 12”. As was ‘How’s Your Life’ (broken-jazz funk) and the Alix Alvarez remix. Both are included here to represent the early days of Tortured Soul.

The album finishes with a previously unreleased DJ Spinna (he of remix Madrid de los Austrias action and many more), who does a mighty fine job in the 4/4 mellow tribal soulful house. It’s made No. 1 in my chart this week.

So that’s the remixes covered. The rest of the album introduces us to what the band are all about, a live ‘house’ band — is that unique? There’s soul, funk and the jazz in there also so no real surprise they took the Southport (Soul) Weekender by storm last year. Imagine the warm glow you’d get from hearing ‘Always In Heaven When I’m With You’ or ‘Love Everlasting’ at a live gig.

There are some great soulful love songs on this album like ‘Why Fall In Love’ and the Stevie Wonderish sounding ‘You Found A Way’.

This band work best for me in their jazz-funkiness and revivalists will particularly enjoy the nine minutes plus of ‘Epic’, a bit of ‘Strawberry Letter 23’ on ‘Enjoy It Now’ and the anthem ‘Don’t Hold Me Down’.

Introducing Tortured Soul is a quality album of songs that can stand up on their own merits and can be adapted as ‘commercial’ remixes. A big bonus for us, them and the record label. Onto the small Hectic gripe, as regualr readers will know, I like album covers and this one looks like a Green Day reject. But that’s the only gripe from this tortured soul.

UK Tour
4.15.06 Saturday, LONDON, UK Madame Jo Jo’s
5.04.06 Thursday, LEEDS, UK The Faversham

Reviewed: Tortured Soul - Introducing Tortured Soul (R2 Records) Cat. No. R2CD008/LP008 CD/2xLP
Release date: 6 March 2006Tracklisting:
1. I Might So Something Wrong (Osunlade Lonely Mix) (7:20)
2. How’s Your Life (7:10) (Alix Alvarez Remix)
3. Why (5:43)
4. You Found A Way (7:16)
5. Fall In Love (5:20)
6. Epic (9:21)
7. Enjoy It Now (5:33)
8. Don’t Hold Me Down (6:36)
9. Love Everlasting (4:46)
10 If You Want To Feel Alright (3:55)
11 How’s Your Life (Original) (4:39)
12 Always In Heaven When I’m With You (DJ Spinna Mix) (7:48)

Links:
www.torturedsoulmusic.com
www.r2records.com
www.centralparkrecordings.com