I was diggin' on my records but i wasn't sure. I mean, there are plenty of great platters there but if you haven't something good to say... Just don't do it. Anyway, the one minute i was hot on one thing and the other i was thinkin' "naaaahhh", not this one. Finally i came through this. I love LaVern. I mean I LUV LaVern Baker! She was the sexiest, toughest, bustiest diva of the 50s! A real force of nature! Everyone should have Lavern's records on Atlantic. What she cut there it's easily the best example of how rock & roll or rhythm & blues should come out of a woman's mouth. "Voodoo Voodoo" for example is Little Richard in full feminine hormones battle! But i guess most of you already know these. I'm sure though that not many had the chance to hear Baker as a mellow and more polished Soul queen. And i really don't know why the sides she recorded for Brunswick in the 60s remain unavailable. I never crashed on a new package of these recordings. The good folks at Ace headquarters must do something and certainly, immediately. Not only on this LP. LaVern on Brunswick had diamonds and pearls, and comparing to these whatever Aretha recorded it's just mediocre crap. Like both version's of "Think Twice" with Jackie Wilson (you can hear the "dirty" one on the White Trash Soul Sampler No. 1 in here), or the floorburner "Batman to the Rescue" or the never released before til 1998, "I'm Gonna Get You". This record came out in 1970 and it's actually a "highlights" compilation of the seven Brunswick singles. Exchange hands on eBay for about 50 $ and since i never saw it anywhere else, i decided to post it here. Only Etta James can match Lavern Baker and here's the more melancholy side of her majesty.
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