Bettye Lavette – The Scene of The Crime – Anti- 86873

With all the buzz around Duffy and Amy Winehouse, it’s high time for a listen to a soul singer who’s been around for decades but only just received the recognition she deserves.

Bettye Lavette’s career was always full of promise but blighted by bad luck and perverse decisions by record companies. Thanks to a French enthusiast, one of her early recordings finally saw the light of day and that eventually led to the current collaboration with The Drive-By Truckers which is a story in itself.

So what about the music? Bettye’s vocals are raw and emotional and she achieves an incredible intensity on every track. All the songs except for The Battle of Bettye Lavette are covers as she sees herself as an interpreter, rather than a writer, of songs. Just as well, perhaps, because The Battleis the weakest track on the album. You may be surprised to see Elton John’s Talking Old Soldiers on the track listing but it’s one of the highlights and the backing by The Truckers and some Muscle Shoals notables doesn’t miss a beat. Available on vinyl with a free album down-load from Diverse Vinyl.