Back like they never left, the Night Owls return with another double-sider and amazing slice to add onto their ever growing catalog of reggae inspired renditions of classic soul tunes to work into the of our sets. Night Owls are become quite the household name and have carved out a nice lane for themselves and bringing new energy within the genre.
Side A features Johnnie Taylor’s Stax classic “Ain’t That Loving You” flipped on its head, taking this sweet ballad to new dancehall heights. The song has a long history with Jamaican music having been covered by legends like Alton Ellis, Prince Buster, U Roy, Delroy Wilson, Hortense Ellis and Dennis Brown and, in America, by Black Moses himself, Isaac Hayes. Night Owls’ version sits somewhere in between the classic versions with a hot and heavy feel aimed at getting you on your feet. Calling upon former King Apparatus singer, Slackers cohort and Ska troubadour Chris Murray, Night Owls have perfectly balanced their tough-as-nails riddim with Murray’s soulful and sympathetic vocal delivery on top.
The Night Owls have been pretty consistent with giving us the bang for our buck and ensuring that the flip sides are just as solid as the A-side which is just another reason to love them and their music so much.
Side B is a corker too, with longtime friend and collaborator Malik Moore (The Lions, The Bullets, Ocean 11) truly owning the soul classic, “Are You Lonely For Me, Baby”, originally released on Bert Berns’ legendary Shout! label in 1966, with his commanding reedy and soulful tenor. Whether it’s the Freddie Scott or Al Green version you know best, Night Owls bring you a fresh and fiery take on the song by adding their signature bounce, based loosely on U Roy’s “Stick Together” riddim, while keeping the presence of Scott’s original alive and well thanks to Moore’s deep and immediate delivery.