DAPTONE RETROSPECTIVE

Cynthia Langston And The Gospel Queens: I Need You To Hold My Hand
From Daptone Gold (Daptone, 2009)

This time of year everyone is looking back on the year that was, or, as the case is now that 2010 is near, the decade that was. Daptone is doing the latter with Daptone Gold, meant not so much to signify the best is in the past, as many greatest hits packages normally imply, but as a retrospective of where they've been.

Although the label hasn't been around for a full decade (at least not as Daptone, they rose from Desco Records) – Daptone's first full length was in 2002 – now seemed as appropriate time as any to reflect. The album successfully meets is goal of covering a variety of releases, some even previously unreleased, but just as successfully avoids repeating many of the selections from their digital-only compilations The Daptone 7-Inch Singles Collection Vol. 1 and Vol. 2.

Over one-third of the album features its flagship act, Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings, in some shape or form. They've certainly been at the forefront of not only the label but of keeping a light on feel good soul music over the last decade. However, when given a chance, other acts shine just as brightly. Take the gospel number “I Need You To Hold My Hand,” which starts out with a “Having A Party”-like intro before pleading with the Lord to accompany the singer (Cynthia Langston), who didn't even get top billing on the album from which it came, through life's journey.

Three previously unreleased tracks make their way here for the first time: the instrumental backing the introduction song, “Giving Up” by Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings – an acceptable cover of the Gladys Knight classic but in no way touching the Donny Hathaway version, and “A Lover Like Me” by Binky Griptite with The Sugarman Three.

It's a great sampler for those who have yet to fully dive in to the Daptone sound, and even for those who have, the previously unreleased songs as well as five songs formerly only available on 45s (that may now be out of print) make it a worthy album to purchase. They have done a great job of trying to play both sides of the fence making it a place where you can hang out with old friends and meet some new ones along the way.