A Story is a Deal

Archie Bell and the Drells were one of the most popular soul groups of the sixties and seventies, retaining a legacy that has kept their records on dance floors ‘til this day. LET’S GROOVE: THE ARCHIE BELL & THE DRELLS STORY is their first ever 2CD complete career retrospective, featuring all of their Billboard R&B, Pop and Disco hit singles, as well as the rarer tracks that became legendary hits on both the Northern Soul and Rare Groove scenes in the UK.

At times on Dirty Deal, it's virtually a Little Feat reunion, with five members from the classic lineup helping out on "Three Sides to Every Story," giving it a wonderful, funky momentum. Coco Montoya himself is definitely a better-than-average guitarist and singer when it comes to the R&B/blues axis, although he's at his best on tracks like "How Do You Sleep at Night?" where he has the chance to pull more emotion from his instrument; in this case, more than a touch of bitterness. He's cut from the same cloth as Robert Cray, but without the same soulful subtlety. Montoya is more a shot and a beer than a smooth cocktail.