Deep soul debut LP from the Soul Queen of New Orleans

Twice divorced and the mother of four by the age of twenty, Irma Thomas brought a lot of living to her career as a preeminent soul vocalist. Initially waxing singles for Ronn, Bandy and Minit, Thomas landed on the Imperial label in 1963. The following year she debuted the deeply emotional original “Wish Someone Would Care,” crossing over to the pop Top 20 and gaining further attention with an irresistible performance of the Jackie DeShannon-penned B-side “Break-a-Way.” The latter would earn cover versions, including a UK hit by Tracey Ullman, but it wasn’t the only B-side to gain notice across the pond; the Rolling Stones turned Thomas’ brilliant gospel take on “Time is on My Side” into their first stateside Top 10. One listen to Thomas’ original reveals how much Mick Jagger was influenced by her vocal interpretation.

Thomas is superb throughout the album, ably supported by inventive arrangements and superbly earthy session players. She pleads “I Need Your Love So Bad,” builds stirring crescendos on a cover of Clyde McPhatter’s “Without Love (There is Nothing),” and reads Percy Mayfield’s “Please Send Me Someone to Love” with a delivery that suggests Dinah Washington. She turns Randy Newman’s obscure “While the City Sleeps” into Brill Building pop, and draws on her tumultuous romantic history for the original “Straight from the Heart.” Thomas’ recording career didn’t hit a regular stride until she signed with Rounder in the mid-80s, but it was a mistake of the record industry, as she measured up to Aretha, Carla, Koko, Mavis or Etta. The album’s dozen tracks are presented in true stereo, as they were previously on a two-fer with Thomas’ second album, Take a Look. [©2011 hyperbolium dot com]