THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Baby Charles’ 2008 debut LP is an album that helped defined the European funk scene of the 2000s. Driven by the single I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor, an Afro-funk cover of the Arctic Monkeys hit, the LP went rapidly sold out. It was never been repressed and it now changes hands for ludicrous sums on the web.
English writer, DJ, and television presenter Mark Lamarr, who wrote on the album’s liner notes to “file it amongst your funk classics,” invited the band to BBC studios where they recorded a legendary live session for his Radio 2 show God’s Jukebox. In France, the album benefited from a massive support from legendary Radio Nova station thanks to its Nova Aime campaign. Unfortunately, the band split up in 2011 when they were about to enter the studio to give birth to the awaited sophomore album — and while the debut LP was attaining cult status among DJs and collectors.
All of the above more than justifies the new 15th-anniversary edition, which features two bonus tracks: Time Wasting, which displays the heavier psychedelic edge of Baby Charles with an unstoppable chugging groove, a heavy horn-led break, and climatic chorus to finish the track off; and Jackson Fingers, for which the band created a brand-new groove that could work just as well as a ’60s soundtrack or as a dance-floor friendly slab of soul-jazz.
Orignally released on March 10, 2008, the Baby Charles debut album followed the release of three heavyweight 45s, all of which found heavy rotation in funk spots around the globe. Soul diva Dionne Charles delivers her unique, self-penned lyrics and stunning vocal performances, while the band lay down the heavy funk grooves. Throughout the 12 tracks, the combo display a range of styles, which reflect their diverse influences. There’s the Latin-inspired bass groove in Treading Water, the Meters-style funk of Invisible, the James Brown influence on Hard Man and No Controlling Me, the slinky rhythm of I Bet You Look Good On The Danceflloor, a deep soul version of DJ Shadow’s This Time, and even some Egyptian jazz thrown into the mix on the instrumental track The Sphinx. The result is a must-have album for diggers, DJs and funk and soul fans.”
