Another insanely obscure genre/scene, another nicely executed collection from the Numero Group. For those who don't know, Numero is the label behind the recent Wayfaring Strangers and Big Mack comps, which profiled female folkies from the canyons of Cali and a fledgling 60s soul label from Detroit, respectively. This time, they've unearthed a whole heap of rare… gospel funk. That's right, gospel funk – "gospel by stealth," as they put it in the liner notes – was an almost non-existent sub-genre, though the tracks included here span from 1968 to 1980. Jesus-loving or not, this shit is neat and damn fonky and ranges from swirling Motown sounds to straight up hard funk. Choice cuts include 5 Spiritual Tones' "Bad Situation(1)" – an all-too-brief dissertation on why "people don't want to serve the Lord," with a plodding bassline – as well as the Mighty Voices of Reason's swelling "I Thank The Lord(2)" and the soulful blues guitar on the Gospel Comforters' "Jesus Will Help Me(3)." The organ-driver garage sound of the Universal Jubileers' "Childhood Days(4)" might be the best track here, but it's a close call with the wah-wah and bongos of LaVice & Co.'s "Thoughs Were The Days(5)." Everything here has been remastered from original sources, and it all sounds pretty damn good considering. This is also, so far as we know, the first Numero release to be made available on vinyl, and the 2LP edition comes in a deluxe heavy stock double LP sleeve with clean, crisp design. 18 songs; 58 minutes.

reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red