REVIEW: Stoned Soul Picnic - To Love Somebody feat Pauline Black

REVIEW: Stoned Soul Picnic – To Love Somebody feat Pauline Black

The return of Stoned Soul Picnic is in the guise of a limited edition 7” blue coloured vinyl on Dr Soulmaker Records which features the band in fine form with The Selector’s Pauline Black covering The Bee Gees classic To Love Somebody as previously covered by some of the 60’s great artists including Nina Simone, Janice Joplin and PP Arnold. Some might be surprised that Pauline is fronting this song, not that her voice isn’t worthy but the ska/2 Tone connection immediately comes to mind that might not appear to indicate a clear soul vocal. How wrong you would be if you presumed such. 

To Love Somebody is in the classic arrangement as the original, but with an authentic soul Hammond organ funk edge, Black’s vocal touches a nerve that the likes of Simone, Joplin and Arnold have become famed in reaching. The spirit of the song grooves and glides steeped in emotions of mixed love, emotive on many levels, the well known lines ‘you don’t know what it’s like, to love somebody, the way I love you’ are sung here like they were conceived by Black, a real heart tugger that will never age especially when the band are steeped in the historic legendary musical waves of Stone Soul Picnic.

The b side Organ Morgan is a clear reference to all those funk organ bands of yesteryear including The Meters, Booker T and the M.G.’s, The Small Faces, Brian Auger, the list could go on. A real meaty chorus of tight rhythms and dancefloor chords, the movers and groovers of northern soul, Motown will be in talcum powder heaven when this hits the needle. A classy release by one of the best underappreciated bands with a B3 organ under their arm.

Limited to 500 copies, To Love Somebody can be purchased via the following link