Irma Thomas “In Between Tears”

(Alive) Wow! I have a British reissue of this from the early 80s with a really boring photo cover, but the original artwork on this 1973 LP is so weird, wonderful, and mesmerising that it makes this Swamp Dogg production sound much better than I remmeber it, and I remember diggin it. Thomas’ Imperial LPs were from the mid-60s and her return to studio recording on Rounder wasn’t until the mid 80s, so other than those great live albums on Island this the sole document of a brilliant singer at perhaps the peak of her vocal power. The singing on this album is breathtaking, as Dogg’s great arrangements and weird and wonderful songs allow everything to be both laid back and intense at the same time, showcasing a uniquely powerful set of pipes. And she can emote! And pull off a powerful talking intro as well. Apparantly Duane Allman is on “You’re the Dog (I Do the Barking Myself)” but it’s the horn arrangements that sell that song (not to mention the kind of lyric that Swamp Dogg could really work some magic with). Spectacular!