Thee Sacred Souls - S/T LP (Blue Vinyl)

Produced by Gabriel Roth, Thee Sacred Souls is a warm and textured record, mixing the easygoing grace of sweet ’60s soul with the grit of early ’70s R&B. The performances are utterly intoxicating, with Lane’s weightless vocals anchored by the rhythm section’s deep pocket and infectious chemistry. Hints of Chicano, Philly, Chicago, Memphis, and even Panama soul turn up here, and while it’s tempting to toss around labels like “retro” with a deliberately analog collection like this, there’s also something distinctly modern about the band that defies easy categorization, a rawness and a sincerity that transcends time and place.