Little is known about Norman Feels…but we do know that he was an underground soul sensation in the 1970s. He released two classic albums on Just Sunshine Records (the label that was also responsible for putting out milestone recordings by artists like Betty Davis, Karen Dalton and Arica). Over the years, Norman’s songs have been sampled by renowned acts from the likes of Ghostface Killah, Nas and Kanye West.
The sound his songs emit reminds of the classic soul coming out of New Jersey at the time, but it just has that extra thing going for it…something alternative and exceptional. This made for an excellent match with the ‘Just Sunshine’ label that released both of his albums. Just like his labelmate Betty Davis, Norman Feels was an artist that was hard to typecast and compare with his contemporaries/peers…this makes Norman’s work very interesting and worth every soul/funk connoisseur’s time.
In 1973 Norman Feels released his self-titled debut album which has become a much sought after funk/soul classic. Behind Norman’s floating (and extremely soulful) voice hides a dark and almost psychedelic instrumentation that makes this album particularly unique. The recordings have been beautifully arranged by David Van De Pitte (who is world-famous for the arrangements heard on Marvin Gaye’s ‘What’s Going On’) and topped off by Sal Scaltro’s slick production work.
Next to Norman Feels’ fascinating writing skills and trademark voice, on this album you’ll find complicated (and at times brooding) compositions that takes the listener on a dreamy musical journey filled with themes about struggle, relationships and social commentary. Love, beauty and sadness is lingering in every track on this album…all of this makes his self-titled debut a total ‘must-have’ album that begs for a special place in your record collection!
Tidal Waves Music now proudly presents the FIRST ever vinyl reissue of this fantastic album (originally released in 1973 on Just Sunshine Records). This rare record (original copies tend to go for large amounts on the secondary market) is now finally back available as a limited 180g vinyl edition (500 copies). This reissue comes packaged in a gatefold jacket complete with the original 1973 artwork, photographs and lyrics.
