Album of the Week: Daptone Mood by Various Artists

Album: Daptone Mood
Artist: Various
Release Date: May 12, 2022
Label: Daptone Records
Favorite Tracks:

• “I’d Rather Go Blind” by The Frightnrs
• “Could’ve Been” by Lee Fields
• “Tell Me I’m Dreaming” by Los Yesterdays
• “Burning Plain” by Cochemea
• “Slow Love” by Charles Bradley, Menahan Street Band, and Saun & Starr
• “Changes” by Charles Bradley and the Budos Band
• “The Stranger” by Menahan Street Band and Victor Benavides
• “Hamdouchia” by Innov Gnawa

Thoughts: The new compilation from Daptone Records is a collection of slower tunes released by the label’s many artists.  If you’re not familiar, Daptone Records is a Brooklyn-based label founded in 2002 most noted for enabling the late career resurgence of Sharon Jones and Charles Bradley (both of whom are now deceased) and recording numerous other contemporary artists making classic soul and funk as well as reggae and afrobeat.  The album is full of gems and really hits the spot for me right now.

Rating: ****1/2

 

Album of the Week 2022

January

• Olivia Rodrigo – Sour
• Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever
• Adele –30 
• Tran Uy Duc – Came
• Yard Act – The Overload
• Aoife O’Donovan – Age of Apathy

February

• Tanya Taqaq – Tongues
• Various Artists – Summer of Soul soundtrack
• Mitski – Laurel Hell
• Shamir – Hetrosexuality

March

• Lady Pills – What I Want
• Stromae – Multitude
• Jenny Hval – Classic Objects
• Yumi Zouma – Present Tense

April

• Ibibio Sound Machine – Electricity
• Soul Glo – Diaspora Problems
• The Linda Lindas – Growing Up
• Deer Scout – Woodpecker
• Sault – Air

May

• Congotronics International – Where’s the One?
• Oumou Sangaré – Timbuktu