Lee Fields and the Expressions – “Special Night” (Singles Going Steady)

Mike Schiller: There is something special, all right, about Lee Fields’ ode to his one true love. Soul music is so difficult to do well because its very name implies an authenticity that too many artists have a hard time conveying, while Fields manages to make it look easy. Maybe it’s because he’s been doing it so long, maybe it’s because he truly believes what he’s singing, but Fields’ voice, his words, even the way he moves on the screen, all of this feels warm, and natural, and right. Leaving the spoken-word coda off this video cut was a smart move as well, as it allows “Special Night” to exist as a pure and true love song, with none of the melancholy rumination on loneliness that sets up the rest of the album. It’s an absolute gem. [9/10]

Andrew Paschal: This cut from veteran soul artist Lee Fields could have convincingly been released decades back. Nonetheless, it sounds just as potent arriving as it did at the tail end of 2016, proving its genuineness and timelessness in a way few artists are capable of doing when mining a classic genre. Fields’ vocals and the meticulous musical backing courtesy of the Expressions carve out a special kind of warmth and tenderness, cutting through cliche into total believability. [8/10]

Adriane Pontecorvo: A slow jam to be reckoned with, “Special Night” is soulful, simple, and clear. Lee Fields hits the nail on the head more times than not when it comes to retro, Motown-inspired tracks, so this is both entirely welcome and utterly unsurprising in the best possible way. Sometimes, classic is classic for a reason, and there’s nothing more that needs to be done to make “Special Night”, well… special. [9/10]

Chris Ingalls: Fields is the real deal, a true soul survivor still making music in the 21st century without an ounce of integrity lost. This song could have been dropped back in 1972, but it somehow manages to sound fresh, with garage-band drums, lots of shimmering Hammond organ and a healthy dose of brass. A layered, tuneful instant R&B classic. [9/10]

Steve Horowitz: Lee Fields and the Expressions do a good job of working in the vineyard of classic soul music. The make tasty new wine from the old and often bitter roots. Fields’ vocals capture the yearning for something special while the horns suggest the wonderfulness of love. Love makes everything worthwhile, maybe. Fields overstates for effect. After being alone for so long, love can feel like salvation, but between the lines, the music suggests he’s not such a happy fella and may be just foolin’ himself. [8/10]

Chris Pittaway: Music from a parallel universe where James Brown and his soul contemporaries dipped a toe into psychedelia in the late ’60s. The combination is fun, and Fields’ smooth-as-hell voice and personality harken back to an older, but timeless, version of cool. Not a radical new take on the traditional soul single, but a worthy example of it. [7/10]

SCORE: 8.33