I’ll be honest: I used to hate on Omaha’s Saddle Creek record label. Perhaps it was unwarranted, but as someone who couldn’t stomach Bright Eyes I simply chose to ignore the entire label’s output rather than chance a run-in with Conor Oberst. It was a mistake, though, since there are so many talented, innovative acts calling the label home; take Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson and The Rural Alberta Advantage, for instance.

Another band I missed out on by wearing these blinders was Georgie James, a collaboration between former Q and Not U drummer John Davis and vocalist Laura Burhenn. With Georgie James having called it quits last year, Burhenn is now stepping out on her own with a solo project called The Mynabirds, whose premiere LP, What We Lose In The Fire We Gain In The Flood, will be released by Saddle Creek on April 27th. After one listen to her gorgeous work under this new stage name, it’s hard to not feel compelled to go listen to everything she’s had a hand in. Burhenn clearly “gets it,” coupling a voice that is smoky and substantial, although never too forceful, with an intuitive grasp of American musical forms. Indeed, The Mynabirds name comes from a forgotten Motown house band which included both Neil Young and Rick James–a perfect encapsulation of Burhenn’s mixture of country, gospel, and soul influences.

“Numbers Don’t Lie” begins with its loosest passage, a little over twenty minutes of dreamy organ and twinkling piano keys. Then it gets down to business, laying down the sort of soul throwback that Amy Winehouse would make if she had more talent and less of a drug habit. A simple, shuffling piano melody and a bed of rich vocal harmonies give Burhenn the space to shine, and she does like a star, inflecting her vocals with the slightest bits of sorrow and sweetness. A.J. Mogis (of Monsters of Folk) does the song justice with his relatively clean production, letting the songwriting and singing rise to the fore. From a musical perspective, “Numbers Don’t Lie” isn’t really anything we haven’t heard before, but its flawlessly delivery and palpable passion make it a must-listen.

Those familiar with this site’s past features on The Budos Band and Naomi Shelton know my love for Brooklyn’s Daptone Records is well-documented. On the surface, the label (whose motto is “Keep putting soul up”) has a couple big hurdles to overcome: it is a revivalist label, releasing music whose sound is purposefully outdated, and as a result, operates within a generic niche, namely soul and funk inspired by the original sounds of the tail end of the 1960s through the mid ’70s. It is a testament to Daptone’s curatorial prowess, then, that their releases are almost universally stellar and always satisfying, turning those supposed limitations into a glorious mission statement. Those seeking to dip a toe into these retro waters would be advised to shell out for the upcoming 23 track Daptone Gold compendium. To be released on November 24th, this collection brings together an assortment of album tracks, vinyl singles, rarities, and unreleased tracks from the many artists who have contributed to the cause.

One such artist is Lee Fields, whose “Stand Up” was released in 2006 as a 45 rpm single and is the twelfth song on the compilation. Fields is the sort of artist the folks at Daptone love to resurrect–a marginal but much admired funk vocalist in the 1970s who still performs and records with gusto in the current era. This 7″ cut turned out to be a prelude to My World, an LP Fields released earlier this year on Truth & Soul Records (and his first since the 1970s), and begins with the insinuating groove of percussion instruments and a full-figured bass line.

The “Sugarman” in the artist credit is Daptone co-founder Neal Sugarman, who keeps things tight with the help of Dave Guy’s fiery trumpet and guitarist Al Street. Street’s precise plucking recalls the style of venerated Jamaican Ernest Ranglin (another artist whose career found a second wind thanks to a committed revivalist scene), but it’s obvious that Fields remains the star of this show. Forty years on, his groans and passion are as raw and compelling as ever. For anyone with a touch of the down and dirty in their blood, “Stand Up” should add a little extra swagger to their strut.

As the musical spine of the Daptone label, The Budos Band have made a name for themselves over the past half-decade by cranking out instrumental soul music that takes equal cues from the Blaxploitation films of the ’70s and Afro-Cuban polyrhythms. Although their sound may be the beating heart of the revivalist beast, the fact is that no one has been able to breathe life into soul and funk for the past quarter decade the way The Budos Band does (although Bronx River Parkway is a close second). The Staten Island combo completely understands the grittier side of their musical forbears and, armed with this knowledge, writes songs that sound like they should be in the next Tarantino kung fu send-up.

In addition to possessing ass-kicking flair, “The Proposition” weaves some interesting textures into the funky garb. For starters, there is the discombobulated rhythm of the opening guitar part, which quickly recedes into the background as the brass proudly announces its presence. At the end of the choruses, the whole gang stops on a dime, filling the air with silence for a few breathless moments, before all diving back in simultaneously. About three-quarters in, there is a thumping bridge punctuated by horn blasts and improvised rumbling saxophone–it would be the perfect accompaniment to some flying kick freeze frames.

There is no doubt that The Budos Band has a narrowly defined audience; that’s what happens when you do the soul revival thing and make your tracks instrumental, to boot. But for those that “get” their sound, there is no one who does it sweeter.

Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens are the latest find on the solid Daptone Records label, a music company devoted to releasing music by acts recreating the sounds of late 1960s soul and early ’70s funk. Dedicating yourself to resurrecting the sounds of a bygone era may not earn you much in the way of originality points, but Daptone has a keen ear when it comes to helping spot and develop talent in the old R&B tradition.

Case in point, Naomi Shelton and her upcoming release, What Have You Done, My Brother? The formula here is as straightforward as it comes: a catchy chorus with some call and response courtesy of background singers, the persistent tremolo of a Hammond organ, guitar licks that walk the listener from chord to chord, and a sparse but driving backbeat. This equation sold millions of records for Motown and Stax/Volt, and since it ain’t broke, Naomi ain’t fixin’ it.

My guess is that this title doesn’t have enough tricks up its sleeve to sell most listeners, but soul purists will find a lot to love in this unassuming but potent track.