Spanish Harlem

Stop what you're doing. Lovers of soul, funk, and all the other good grease need to get on this 45 real quick. HopeStreet Recordings brings you a collaboration between Australia's hottest soul voice, Nai Palm, and Australia's heaviest rhythm section, The PutBacks, on that classic, classic joint Spanish Harlem. The Worm, a typically heavy PutBacks instrumental on the flip rounds out two smokin' sides of Burn City soul.

Jerry Leiber and Phil Spector wrote Spanish Harlem for Ben E King in 1960, but it was Aretha Franklin took it to number one in 1970. In 2013, The PutBacks and Nai put it down one more time on 8 tracks of tape with the production team at HopeStreet Recordings and you sure can take that sucker home on wax, but you'd better be quick. After all - this release has been 50 years in the making.

The B side on this record is for the B boys. The Worm baby. Lots of songs fade out, but how many fade in? Yeah. That's real. This kind of lowdown funky break is what the PutBacks really love to put the back in. Ouch. Will someone sample this already so it can go for longer than three and a half minutes?

This record is raucous and rich in the rawness. The drums, bass, and percussion gallop through Spanish Harlem and swagger through The Worm. The guitar and organ howl and huff. Simple production lets the musicians do the talking, and boy, Nai Palm can shout. Sweet layered harmonies over a dirty minimal rhythm track. It's a new thing, it's an old thing, it's a limited pressing and it's yours at www.hopestreetrecordings.com.

Also, we do know what year it is so yes, the vinyl does come with a download code for both sides plus a digital version of another PutBacks instrumental - In The Dirt. Value added. Special funky bonus. Get yours.