Soul Survivors – The Road Ahead (CD)

Description

Here we go again	01	3:22
Troubled Man	02	3:31
You’re the one	03	4:05
Tonight	04	3:14
The Road Ahead	05	4:13
I’m a Soul Survivor	06	3:03
Our Thing	07	3:50
Toontown	08	4:06
Hold My Hand	09	5:15
Love	10	3:12

Bill Buckley, soulandjazzandfunk.com:

THE SOUL SURVIVORS (not to be confused with the ‘Express Way To Your Heart’ outfit) are a new, young Amsterdam band who say they play music “with a free spirit and a wild heart”. The current lineup is Vocal: Remko Spaaij, Guitar: Max de Kok, Keys – Branco Spadon, Bass: Dimitri Gelens, Saxophone: Jeroen van Genuchten, Trumpet: Pedro Jerónimo and Drums: Steve Cuiper. The boys (all accomplished musicians) came together via their mutual love of classic 60s soul, Stax and Motown  and we’re told that their gigs in an around Holland and Germany are storming, sold-out affairs. We’re they’re coming from can be seen by a quick glance at one of their set lists – the Survivors offer their takes on classics like ‘Barefootin’’, ‘How Sweet It Is’, ‘Take Me To The River’, ‘Get Ready’, ‘634-5789’ and ‘I Thank You’. Oddly their cover of Elvis Presley’s ‘Rubberneckin’’ is another crowd pleaser!

The Soul Survivors are all set to launch their debut album, ‘The Road Ahead’ and our preview copy reveals that it’s a spirited 10 tracker that betrays the band’s love of real soul’s golden age. The LP is topped and tailed by two big, beefy, brassy cuts. The opener ‘Here We Go Again’ and the closer ‘Love’ are both driven by a classic Northern soul tempo – quite frantic. The album’s other cuts are a little less wild  and indeed that helps bring variety and interest, though, throughout, the brash, brass section plays a big part.

The album’s two “slowies” are ‘Our Thing’ and ‘Hold My Hand’ but these are moody rather than lushly romantic. Perhaps they show the influence of Southern soul. That influences is most prominent on the LP’s title track while ‘Toontown’ is maybe the album’s most intriguing track – not really soul, this one, more a Steely Dan/Bruce Springsteen sort of thing. It is though very clever and catchy.

However, the catchiest track and the album’s clear standout is a quite lovely, ‘You’re The One’. It’s a sweet and lovely, easy-on-the-ear roller. Radio-friendly, the band’s team tell us that this one’s going be the album’s focus track… good shout!

Tom Wouters, bluestownmusic.nl:

The Soul Survivors are a young Amsterdam band with an old soul, who have recently made the Dutch club and festival circuit quite unsafe with their soul sound, deeply steeped in the Motown and Stax soul tradition.

‘The Road Ahead’ is their debut album with ten exciting soul hits, based on the excellent horn section (Jeroen van Genuchten, sax and Pedro Jerónimo, trumpet), the keyboards of Branco Spadon and the fine soul voice of Remko Spaaij. That sound provides excellent Sam & Dave soul in songs like Here We Go Again, Troubled Man and Our Thing.

Sometimes the band also makes a trip to the New Jersey sound of Southside Johnny and The Asbury Jukes, as in I’m A Soul Survivor and Love, but the absolute highlight of the album is the title song, The Road Ahead, with great vocals, excellent guitar playing by Max de Kok and a rock solid rhythm section of Dimitri Gelens (bass) and Steve Cuiper (drums).

‘On The Road Ahead,’ The Soul Survivors manage to maintain their live sound, which undoubtedly ensures an exciting evening of soul music everywhere. Just listening to the album made the flower pots on my windowsill dance.