Lee Fields might be the most famous non-famous artist in soul and funk music. Since three decades the singer from North Carolina has been releasing tons of records, but never made the break-through. The quality of his work can’t be blamed considering that he hits the same nerve as Charles Bradley: The desire for authenticity. For »Faithful Man« Fields collaborated once more with The Expressions, who already supported him on »My World«. Furthermore Jeff Silverman and Leon Michels, the guys behind Aloe Blaccs »Good Things«, were taking care of things in the studio. The result sounds less poppy than the Blacc record. Fields simply turns back time and manages to give the record a sense of Motown, Stax and Daptone. On »Wish You Were Here« the trumpets and trombones get under one’s skin while Fields melts away on the mic. Missing pitch range is compensated by staying power and between organs and rhythm guitars one seems to hear the cracking noises of old record players. It’s those moments as on »Still Hanging On« or the groove of »Moonlight Mile« that make »Faithful Man« special. Fields, once more, might not get more famous through this record – he’d deserve it though.
Faithful Man
