New Orleans soul queen Irma Thomas released this, her debut album, in 1964. You can hear the classic sixties soul sound coalescing on this album: there’s the blues, the swing and rhythms of R’n’B, the gospel vocal styling, the meeting of rhythm and blues bands with rich orchestration, it’s all happening here. The title track, written by Thomas, is a heart-wrenching mini-epic and most of the album continues in a similar deep and bluesy vein with occasional uptempo moments. A classic soul album from a gifted artist who never achieved the success of some of her 60s soul sisters.