Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, 100 Days and 100 Nights (Daptone)

 

There’s a lot of blog love for Sharon Jones, and that makes a lot of sense. Jones’ debut album and the new 100 Days 100 Nights sound like miraculous crate digger finds—overlooked southern soul albums by a woman with pipes, passion and a broken heart. Those who want to be in the ground floor of a discovery, particularly a soul discovery, are boosting her, and she merits a lot of hype. She’s got the voice, the drama, the ability to often phrase it in memorable songs, and a band that can nail a groove. Still, the self-conscious retro-ness of 100 Days is off-putting. There’s nothing in the songs or sound to betray the album’s origins in the 21st Century, and no matter how well executed, that sounds like an exercise in dress-up. Fortunately, it is well executed, and it is a party starter, but there’s a reason why she’s a cult figure and Amy Winehouse—who recorded Back to Black with the Dap-Kings—is a sensation.