Soul Brother No. 1

AMG Review of Soul Brother No. 1

Stephen Thomas Erlewine
All Music Guide

A Hear Music release available through Starbucks stores, the Soul Brother No. 1 compilation is an entertaining collection of 16 James Brown singles, offering plenty of big hits -- "Try Me," "Night Train," "I'll Go Crazy," "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag (Pt. 1)," "Please Please Please," "Think," "It's a Man's Man's World," "I Got You (I Feel Good)" -- but going a little lean on the heavy funk of the late '60s and early '70s. Such tactics fit with the promise of the title, which suggests that this showcases soul instead of funk, which it does in an entertaining fashion. It's not definitive, but it's not intended to be -- it's a good basic sampler, that's all.