Eddie Floyd - Eddie Loves You So (2008)

As a songwriter, producer, and performer, Eddie Floyd made regular visits to the R&B charts from the mid-'60s through the mid-'70s while he was part of the legendary Stax Records family. Floyd was originally hired by Stax as a writer and, paired with MG's guitarist Steve Cropper, he wrote several hits for the label, including one for himself, the classic "Knock on Wood" (based on the chord progression for "In the Midnight Hour" reversed), which was Floyd's second single when it was released in 1966. Now in his seventies, Floyd has released a new album on the freshly revived Stax imprint that finds him revisiting some of his classic songs from the old Stax days and reaching even further back to songs he wrote when he was a member of the Falcons in the 1950s. Produced by Michael Dinallo and Ducky Carlisle (collectively known as the Tremelo Twins), Eddie Loves You So is perfectly imagined, sounding like it could have come out in 1967 with that wonderfully funky loose vintage Stax soul sound and nary a synth, drum loop, or any kind of hip-hop flavoring present. There has been no attempt here to update Floyd's sound, which is a definite plus. It means he's in his element, and while his voice is just a bit shopworn these days, it actually adds a certain charm to things (he is, after all, in his seventh decade). The bottom line is that this guy has been a top-notch R&B songwriter for a long time, and the evidence here is compelling. "Since You Been Gone," written in 1957 and demoed (but never officially recorded) by the Falcons, is a brilliant song and Floyd pins it to the wall in this new version. Other gems on this heartwarming set are Floyd's take on "You Don't Know What You Mean to Me," written by Floyd and Cropper for Sam & Dave, who recorded it in 1968; "You're So Fine" (another song from the Falcons' catalog, actually written by Willie Schofield and Lance Finney); and the beautiful, smooth, and comforting "Consider Me." Eddie Loves You So is a complete delight and all the more so for never attempting to be current or up to date. It is Eddie Floyd doing what Eddie Floyd does best. He sings his heart out.