Leaflet advertisement for a replica of the mechanical clock of the Gothic cathedral of Strasbourg, France, c. 1900
I talked a little about the reissue label called Numero Group in my entry on Titan: It's All Pop, but I don't think I mentioned the label's biggest project to date, a series of releases known as Eccentric Soul. This series collects the tracks recorded for forgotten soul and R'n'B labels in the '60s and '70s, finding underappreciated soul scenes in places like Phoenix, East St. Louis, and Columbus. My favorite release of the series has been Twinight's Lunar Rotation, a two-disc set highlighting the forgotten artists of Chicago's Twinight Records. This release has been a big hit with collectors, and the Numero Group has put together a reunion show to celebrate the success. Some of the Twinight musicians will be performing for the first time in thirty years! Check it out:
That cool-lookin' cat in the upper-right of the poster is Renaldo Domino, one of my favorites from the Twinight collection (the album also features his picture on the cover, wearing an AWESOME royal blue velvet suit!) Renaldo Domino (named after Domino sugar because of his sweet voice) came to Twinight in 1969 after having modest success on smaller labels, but he never really got the push he deserved. His four songs are the highlight of the collection for me because of his great voice and daring arrangements. Check out "Nevermore" from 1969, the b-side to his shoulda-been-a-hit single "Not Too Cool to Cry". The spooky backing vocals on the intro set the mood, and they come back to chant "nevermorenevermore" in the chorus. The vocal melody is lovely, and Domino's sweet high voice really brings it to life. The strings add a delicate sadness to the arrangement, but Domino is not in the mood for subtlety. He's pretty upset and he's letting us know that he's not coming around anymore. Or nevermore. Or something.
"Nevermore" by Renaldo Domino
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