The Monument Years

The late Arthur Alexander was one of the most talented singers of the 1960s, yet he remains woefully underrated and acknowledged by mainstream media and music fans in general. He is described as a "stylish country-soul" singer (think of someone in the Charlie Rich vein, but even more immersed in soul), but he was by no means confined to any one genre, plus he was also a talented songwriter.This collection highlights "The Monument Years", when Arthur recorded for both the Monument and Sound Stage 7 labels. Most Arthur Alexander fans know that this was not a successful period for the singer (unlike his earlier stint at the Dot label when he had many hits), but this material, most of which appears on CD for the first time, was consistently excellent in quality. What I did not know, however, was how turbulent this period was for Arthur personally. As the liner notes explain, "his years with the label were troubled ones, shadowed by emotional breakdowns, arrests and hospitalization. That Arthur persevered through these difficult times and recorded some stunning sides is testament to his talent."If you've heard Arthur Alexander before, you are aware of what an expressive, distinctive voice he had, and the voice carries this equally strong material, including well-chosen covers of songs such as "Spanish Harlem", "Cry Like a Baby", "Bye Bye Love", and "Lover Please." As another reviewer noted, the backing musicians that Arthur used were also of high quality; names such as Jerry Reed, Charlie McCoy, and even a young Glen Campbell. Hot stuff indeed!This CD comes with a 12-page booklet that includes some vintage Black & White photos and liner notes about Arthur's career (a few ups and unfortunately lots of downs) written by Richard Younger. The track listings include song times, original release date (with the exception of the unreleased material), and songwriting credits. An excellent compilation of an excellent singer from Ace Records.

Should have been a star but things in muscle shoals in those days where hard but bless those that loved the music because it had no barriers. If I was a collector I would want many other Arthur Alexander CD's to add to my collection!Muscle Shoals, AL Forever

There is only one Arthur

good, unusual and rare

Excellent hard to find recordings from an era when music was good.

Great.

i'm ashamed to admit, arthur alexander fiend that i am, i never knew he recorded for monument/sound stage 7. So, here come my old friends ace records uk to let me in on this stuff. I'm telling you, you gotta get one of these. The first four tracks were recorded in Nashville with many of the same cats who played on "Blonde on Blonde," the next half dozen in LA with most of the Wrecking Crew, and many others under Reggie Young's direction, so needless to say, the production value is impressive and varied. The songs themselves, save a few odd covers, are some of Mr. Alexander's finest...the frenetic "You Don't Love Me (You Don't Care)" and "I Really Need You" are incredible recordings and easily two of his finest. In fact, there really are no bum tracks here, you can buy this with confidence...this is some of the best country soul you will ever hear. I just wish I'd heard it sooner!

I got this CD to help complete my collection of soul music from Kent Records. I knew the few legendary tracks by the artist and had the first 'The Greatest' release by him on Kent. However this CD instantly blew me away, it is absolutely brilliant soul music moving from uptempo soulful stompers to heart rending ballads. Indeed although this period of the artist's work is almost entirely ignored it far surpasses most of the original early 1960s music he is known for. He was having lots of personal problems during these sporadic recordings but such is the quality and cohesion of production that the listener would never know.As we know CDs from Kent speak for themselves to soul fans anyway, but I just wanted to say not to overlook this one. There are no big hits or dancefloor favourites here, but the performances, the instrumentation, songs and production are perfect. It's an easy CD to ignore so all the more surprising when heard. A CD that will be treasured and listened to long after tonight is all over.

These are excellent CDs covering the early years of an underrated singer probably best known for covers of his songs by the Beatles and Stones. If you like a stylish blend of country and soul material you will certainly enjoy these CDs. The accompanying booklets provide a wealth of information on session dates and personnel. Thoroughly recommended.

Great album well worth having.

Arthur is in excellent voice. Good listening pleasure recommended for the old who remember and the young who want to know what music was about.

Great and prompt