The renaissance of Lee Fields has really been something to behold. Fields, whose debut record was released way back in 1969, when retro soul was soul the first time around, is on a marvellous run as recent albums My World and Faithful Man alert a new generation to his sound and gumption. Emma Jean, named for Fields's mother, is cut from similar cloth, an album of rich, dramatic, rawly emotional soul, that raspy voice hitting its stride against a sweep of brass, organ and punchy drums. Fields can roar and shout with the best of them (hear Talk to Somebody and the mood cast on Into the Woods), but he can also keep things sweet and slow, as heard on the Dan Auerbach-penned Paralysed. Throughout, he and his band The Expressions set a mood that is wistful and pained, a soul-man kicking the ashes on another relationship gone south. leefieldsandtheexpressions.com
Download: Talk to Somebody, Into the Woods