I'm Getting Hip (To Your Ways & Actions)

Here's a tasty mid-70s soul tune from Ujima, "I'm Getting Hip (To Your Ways & Actions)" on Epic. A tune I never heard before it was purchased, this record has really gotten under my skin. From the opening notes, where horns build over a bit of wah-wah, Ujima go full throttle, and it is such an enjoyable ride. The singer has a bit of a roughness to his voice which really works with the subject matter, and it contrasts nicely with the backing vocals. In the middle of the tune they take it up a bit and the singer puts it all out there - "I get sick and tired / of that he said, she said jive / I've got to leave you baby". The music is nice and dense, solid rhythm section, an organ with almost a fuzz effect on it, horns and strings moving in the background.

I've become much more of a fan of mid-tempo and slower stuff, but give me more uptempoo stuff like this anyday. Just spectacular. Info on Ujima can be found on the soulwalking website.