Work Song

A new Heavy Jazz 45 and it's a corker! James Royal was a rather underrated British singer who served up some fine Modernist cool in his time. Originals of this double-sider will cost GBP100 - GBP150 if you can find the Parlophone 45, so with this first official reissue you can swerve the sharks. A-side 'Work Song' is a jazz-blues standard reimagined with Royal's urgent, expressive vocals and a driving rhythm section that adds raw energy. The B-side, "I Can't Stand It," leans into heavy, fuzzed-out garage soul with punchy horns and an explosive vocal performance. Both tracks prove Royal's dynamic range and emotional firepower, balancing precision with passion that captures the essence of late-60s British R&B at its most visceral and compelling.