Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings

I Learned the Hard Way (Daptone)

By Dana Raidt
Published: May 8th, 2010 | 7:00am

Sharon Jones’ energy and charisma is second perhaps only to her fellow Augusta, Georgia native, James Brown. Meanwhile, the Dap-Kings—Daptone Records’ house band who served as Amy Winehouse’s secret weapon on Back to Black (Universal Republic)—make it nearly impossible to stand still any time their music is within earshot. It’s an irresistible combination, though the band’s fourth full-length, I Learned the Hard Way, isn’t just for fun, nor is it a blithe tribute to the funk and soul of the past.

Jones’ vocals on songs like “The Game Gets Old” and “Window Shopping” perfectly convey that fleeting yet pivotal moment where hurt and healing overlap, where the bitterness of heartache is still fresh, but the decision to move on has been made. The Dap-Kings’ innovative instrumentation is in the vein of Stax and Motown, complementing the raw emotion in Jones’ voice whether she’s angry and desperate (“Money”), laying down the law (“Give it Back”), or giving social commentary (“She Ain’t a Child No More”).

Though Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings aren’t exactly reinventing the funk or soul wheel, it’s hard not to love them, and with I Learned the Hard Way, the wheel they have built is as solid as they come.

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Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings official Web site

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings MySpace page

Daptone Records