Roland Haynes Jr. & Phenix - Mind Games (2024) [Hi-Res]

There's an interesting back story here. Roland Haynes Jr and Phenix released just one single in 1983, but the main man has never stopped writing, recording and touring. Now, his persistence and determination are rewarded as Athens Of The North compile the best of 40 years' worth of his own home/amateur recordings and put them out as his long-overdue debut album. Jazz-funk and 80s boogie are the keynotes here, and fans of such styles are recommended to check 'Mind Games' out immediately... there are a handful of tracks in the midsection that hint at a flirtation with musical theatre, but that killer slap bassline on 'Jobman Caravan' will make up for those on its own.