Search - Various Artists :: Soulful Divas, Vol. 4: Bold Soul Sisters

The best volume of the Soulful Divas series is the perfect gift for someone who needs a nudge to ditch her no-good man--a companion piece to Rhino's Go Girl! compilation. It's lovingly assembled, with lots of forgotten wonders and marvelous cult favorites: the Aretha Franklin and Ann Peebles tracks you know, but what about Bettye Swann's more-sorrowful-than-angry cover of Jeannie Seely's country hit "Don't Touch Me"? Or Barbara Mason's all-grown-up Southern-soul defense of "Shackin' Up"? Or Mitty Collier's forthright "Git Out"? And the topic seems to inspire some of the most intense, stylish singing in all of soul. The disc is a total kick, neatly sequenced and hip-bumpingly cool. --Douglas Wolk