Katie Love Ready Or Not 2015

Here's one I just cannot understand. In 2015 this totally great new pop-soul record comes out. I have no idea how I discovered it. I thought I had it on vinyl (I think I got confused with Duffy's Rockferry, which is similar looking), but I apparently bought the digital at iTunes, something I rarely do.

The record is excellent. One solid song after another. Pop-soul with nice arrangements, Katie Love has a fine voice, and everything is in place. Sort of old school in 2015, but done to near perfection.

And then what? I can't be sure. The record company, Red Tree Records, is Canadian, and was tweeting as recently as last year, but the website at redtreerecords.com no longer exists. There are a few songs by Katie Hess and Katie Love Hess that are country at Amazon and iTunes, and those songs predate this record by five years or more. It looks and sounds like the same woman, but who knows.

The title track kicks things off in fine style with nice horns and a catchy chorus. The funky Made For love follows, with hot organ and horns, and Love's great pipes. Waitin' On You is classic soul with more fine organ and horns and another hooky chorus. Gone rocks a bit harder, with syncopated horn charts and sweet background vocals. The pleading soul ballad that is I Can't Help It has an Amy Winehouse vibe, and Love sings it with style. The second half holds up well, with strong ballads Walk Away and Heal This Heart and more rockin' soul-pop in Shake Your Tree and Kick. The Reggae-lite of The Good Life rounds it all out in fine form.

The whole thing has a good beat and you can dance to it. 

I wish I knew who wrote the songs, the musicians and producer, but alas, you get no information with the digital purchase. And five years later, no new music from Katie Love. It may not be "great", but it is consistently strong, and there are no weak tracks. Highly recommended.