Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings – 100 Days, 100 Nights and Naturally

I learned of Sharon Jones because she was involved in some bogus “feud” with Amy Winehouse and Mark Ronson because they’d “stolen” her band, the Dap Kings. I loved the sound of Mark Ronson’s work on his own album and Winehouse’s, so when I discovered that the Dap Kings were responsible for a lot of that sound, it didn’t take me long to find these albums.

Playing with Sharon Jones, the Kings’ sound is really something special. The production is clean, without being glossy, and you can really hear each instrument. The Kings play wonderfully together, and Jones has a classic soul voice that adds a lot to the mix.

The only drawback is the songwriting. The lyrics and melodies of many of these songs can’t match the energy, feel, and emotion that Sharon and the Kings are putting into them. That is why, I think, there aren’t many songs, and several of them are covers. (Another reason for the shorter track listing is a conscious effort to evoke the look and feel of LPs from the late 60s and early 70s.)

Songwriting aside, there are some very good songs here. On Naturally, the 1-2 punch of “How Do You Let a Good Man Down” and “Natural Born Lover” is pretty stellar. “How Long Do I Have to Wait for You” is another favorite of mine. On 100 Days, 100 Nights, there are fewer funk workouts, and one abominable duet (“Tell Me”) that’s the only track on these two albums I have to skip. But the record also contains a few gems in “Something’s Changed” and the title track. Better still, the record comes with a Daptone Records sampler CD hosted by someone named Binky Griptite. It’s almost an hour long, and it’s great. A little uneven, but great.

I can’t wait to pick up their first record, Dap-Dippin’ with Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings. Soul Power!