VA - Back to the River ~ More Southern Soul Stories 1961-1978 (2015)

Kent's first 3CD anthology of Southern Soul the award-winning Take Me To The River - was critically and publicly acclaimed in equal measure. It has gone on to become one of the best-selling items in the Ace catalogue and continues to sell well more than half a decade after its release. Southern Soul has so many stories to tell that a second collection was always inevitable. Back To The River has taken the premise of its predecessor and expanded its brief to bring you Southern soul not only from the south, but also southern-styled music from the north, east and west of the United States. As before, the 75 tracks run the gamut from well-known classics to little-known and highly valuable obscurities, topped off with a generous helping of previously unissued titles by familiar names. The booklet abounds with scans of highly desirable 45s and rare photos, and once again each of the 75 tracks gets its own individual annotation. Some of the greatest names in soul music can be heard at their best in a total playing time that runs just a fraction under four hours. Kent's commitment to Southern soul remains as strong as ever and there's much more of it to come in the future. The packaging is different from the first volume: A sturdy slipcase houses a 3CD digipak with a separate 64-page booklet similar to their Gil Scott-Heron box.