Harding might touch on 1960s and '70s soul vibes and party hard on rootsy, booty-shaking numbers such as Next Time and Keep On Shining, yet this is no reverential exercise, the singer revealing his taste for garage rock in The Drive and I Don't Wanna Go Home.
Best of all, he shows no inclination for vocal histrionics, despite his clear ability. Think of it as power, restrained.
• Soul Power. Curtis Harding. ANTI-Records.
• Four stars (out of five)
Single download: Keep On Shining
For those who like: The Spinners
- Shane Gilchrist