Charles Burns
Jimmy Braswell's excellent 45s and this one are the 45s to watch out for on this obscure Georgia label. I've said before that soul music from that State has been sadly overlooked and "I am a fool in love" is yet more proof of this. There is an appealing charm about the song, and the R & B touches and arpeggio-led rhythm arrangement hints at an early 60s date. Burns himself has obviously picked up a lot of his vocal nuances from the church, and while he doesn't really let go, there is enough power and aggression to satisfy purists like me. The whole recording has a simple and direct approach that later soul music never quite captured, and for that reason alone it's a well sought after cut. As for Burns - who was he? Did he make any further recordings? There's so many tiny labels from that part of the world that another Charles Burns disc turning up somewhere wouldn't surprise me at all.