Now Again V/A – Soul Cal: Funky Disco & Modern Soul, 1971-1982 (CD + BOOK)

A decade in the making, Soul Cal is the definitive survey of America’s best, independent, 70s soul-ensembles. Profiled within this album and book are the bands that transitioned from funk to disco; the bands that kept up the backbeat as rhythm moved to the backseat. Against the odds, they left recorded artifacts for we at Now-Again to dig out, dust off and restore. Collected here for the first time are the musical dreams of dozens, dreams that were deferred but were never discarded.

Soul Cal is presented as both a gatefold 2LP and a CD – both formats come with a perfect-bound, 80 page book printed on heavyweight, uncoated paper stock. Photos of each format are presented below; you can also download Luther Davis’ “You Can Be A Star” – the song whose reissue kick started the Soul Cal series ten years ago.

Tracklist:

You Can Be A Star Luther Davis 4:44
Don’t Get Discouraged UPC All Stars 3.36
Wake Up Pure Essence 6:10
Ecology Anubis 3:57
Put A Smile On Time Rhythm Machine 3:52
I’m Gonna Miss You Girl Ellis and Cephas 2:53
Bad Feeling Mixed Sugar 3.:04
Free Your Mind Record Player 3:51
Sha-La-La Mixed Feelings 3:28
Love Is (Full Version) Leon Mitchison and The Eastex Freeway Band 4.40
Keep Running Away Clifford Nyren 4:24
Things Cannot Stop Forever (Remix) Stanton Davis and Ghetto Mysticism 4.46
The Stranger (Edit) C. Henry Woods 8:35
Get Down Freedom Express 3:26