Sharon Jones: I Learned The Hard Way

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When you listen to old-school soul singer Sharon Jones and her brassy Dap Kings, you get the sense that if you dropped your iPod the recording might begin skipping like a vinyl release. Such is the case with I Learned The Hard Way, her latest collection of retro R&B which hits all the right notes Jones nailed on her prior release 100 Days, 100 Nights.
 

Although not straying too far from her tried and true formula, Jones belts out a few nuggets on the sweet, funk-tinged title track with its powerful backing vocals. But the proverbial party starter has to be the smooth, sexy blueprint to “I’ll Still Be True” and “Better Things To Do,” both packing much pizzazz.     Jones is not reinventing the wheel with this album, just giving the chrome some spit and polish on “Give It Back” which could definitely be extended or jammed on in concert and particularly on “If You Call” and “Money” that has Jones giving Tina Turner a run for her soul. I Learned The Hard Way is a solid old-school soul record, one probably better made for vinyl than your ipod.