Last year, singer/songwriter/producer Eric Roberson celebrated the 10th anniversary of his landmark independent soul music recording, The Vault, Vol 1.0, while this year marks his 20th year as a recording artist, signified by his sole major label single release as a solo artist, “The Moon,” for Warner Brothers Records in 1994. Accordingly, Roberson, long crowned the King of Independent Soul (or “honest music” as he’s referred to it throughout his storied career), has accumulated loads of guest performances and rarities outside of his one compilation, one group (United Tenors), and six original studio projects — enough so that this is his second compilation of such found material, the first being 2005’s The Appetizer. While it doesn’t bear the weight and cohesion of the usual Roberson original studio album (that’s coming later this year, from all reports), as a compilation, B-Sides, Features and Heartaches is a worthwhile purchase for the completest and Erro fan.
With two decades of skin in the game, Roberson has dabbled in a lot of different genres and sub-genres of R&B, soul, dance, hip-hop and soulful house music. This patchwork quilt of a collection reflects Roberson’s varied interests and outputs with a number of quality artists, many relatively unknown to the mainstream but all with strong followings. While B-Sides serves as its own appetizer for fans waiting for Roberson’s next original release of all new material, it also serves as a nice reminder of some great projects that might have fallen out of fan rotation and some wonderful, often independent artists that may be getting introduced to Erro’s fans for the first time through this compilation. Several of these tracks enjoyed a strong replay life among deejays, mixtape masters and podcast producers during their initial run, including DJ Spinna’s “Butterfly Girl,” Angela Johnson’s “Let Me Know” from her A Woman’s Touch, and Zo’s “This Could Be The Night” also featuring Big Pooh and Darien Brockington from SunStorm, R&B winners all.
More rare but deserving are the lesser known standouts that bloggers tried to make happen, including the spacious, yet delicate “She Was Fly” by rising urban alternative stars, Full Crate & Mar. Meanwhile, Wes Felton’s atmospheric “Postcards From The Edge,” is as compelling as it is strange, saved by an undeniable hook that gives anchor to this otherwise loose avant-garde. Aaron Camper makes a nice showing on a moody rambling rose that could have benefited from a bit more pep or blues in its arrangement and execution, but “Far Away Girl” remains a chill evening with a brisk wine.
The two best revivals of the project, for my druthers, couldn’t be more different. Leading the way is an intricately arranged, brightly toned, but still undeniably urbane “Touch” starring NYC pixie, the vocally exquisite Collette, joining Roberson with the flutist/singer/songwriter Monet adding her jazzy soul solution into the mix, making the cake taste better. The second is M-Swift’s swirling jam, “Games,” which vibrantly swings before sliding nicely into home base with its cha-cha disco rhythms just in time for the ‘70s dance craze’s return to prominence. With the ‘80s dance thump of “Let Me Know” and the straight-ahead synthy meets tribal house of DJ Kemit’s “Fortune Teller,” “Games” rounds out a trio of thrilling up-tempo material that represents Roberson at his most vibrantly alive.
Less enthusing are some of the more sing talking signatures that are always a part of any Roberson release, such as the newly released “Anymore.” While these cuts make up a significant portion of Roberson’s catalog with such past gems as “Love Calls” and “Only For You,” the sung raps here can feel like throwaway fillers rather than must-haves. In a previous SoulTracks review of Les Nubians, “Déjà-vous,” I said Roberson was the best thing about this otherwise uninteresting cut, and that remains true still.
All in all, as with Appetizer, the vocally pristine Eric Roberson delivers a mixed bag of goods that are more fruit than vegetable in their appeal. For those who’ve never before heard these 11 rescued cuts from the memory bank and two newcomers on B-Sides, Features and Heartaches, there are plenty of delicious centers in this assorted box of chocolates. Similar to that joyous, if gluttonous experience, you’ll be cherry picking the ones you’ll devour and discarding the rest half-eaten, but enjoyed, and know that it was all worthwhile. Recommended.
By L. Michael Gipson