LEE FIELDS

Sentimental Fool (Daptone)

Growing up with Howlin’ Wolf records played in his churchgoing family home, then witnessing an explosive James Brown show, Lee Fields travelled from North Carolina to New York in 1967 with one aim: to become a soul singer. Having achieved that goal, Sentimental Fool sees Fields hook up with Daptone boss and producer Gabriel Roth for the first time in over two decades.

Digging deep and wearing his heart on his sleeve, his voice oozes emotion as he sings about his own experiences of heartbreak, loss and struggle. Roth makes sure Fields’ voice remains at the forefront on every song by keeping the overall backing instrumentation stripped back. Forever and the title track are two prime examples demonstrating that, when it comes to making authentic R&B and soul-drenched albums with absolutely nothing phoned in, Lee Fields is still very much a force to be reckoned with.

words DAVID NOBAKHT