This week's soul CDs reviewed

VARIOUS

Soul Breakout '58 Fantastic Voyage ****

How to define soul music? Is it the combination of secular lyric with sacred musical setting? Is it the grounded intensity of the blues mixed with the spiritual heat of gospel? Or is it just a slinky, casual coalescence of bodily longing and mind-blowing reverie? Whatever way you call it, this is an incredibly cool collection of 1950s cuts that will make music fans drool and soul fans give up the ghost. Bobby “Blue” Bland, Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, James Brown, Brook Benton and many more configure emotion and broken hearts in many ways, not least being that regret is perhaps the biggest burden of all when it comes to the game of love and life. As for the voices, think mellow, think seductive, think modest, think surprises (did you know that It’s All in the Game, performed here by Tommy Edwards, was written by US vice-president Charles Dawes? No, thought not). www.futurenoise music.com

Download tracks:Bobby "Blue" Bland, Little Boy Blue; Sam Cooke, I'll Come Running Back to You