Album review: Shuggie Otis, Inspiration Information/ Wings Of Love (Sony)

Shuggie Otis, Inspiration Information/ Wings Of Love (Sony)

The son of r'n'b bandleader Johnny Otis, Shuggie Otis spent his childhood soaking up soul, blues and rock influences. His greatest achievement remains 1974's often-sampled psychedelic soul masterpiece Inspiration Information, here repackaged with an extra disc of pieces recorded since then, which show his abilities undiminished by age.

With languid, serpentine guitar lines intertwining around funky organ and wah-wah riffs over puttering drum machine and strutting bass, the mood is strongly redolent of Riot-era Sly Stone on songs like “Sparkle City” and the title track, while elsewhere “Island Life” and “Aht Uh Mi Hed” recalls the Miami soul sound of Little Beaver and Timmy Thomas.

Download: Inspiration Information; Island Letter; Sparkle City; Aht Uh Mi Hed