(Trikont) www.trikont.com

Like its predecessor (same title, sans More), this compilation from Germany’s Trikont label seeks to demonstrate the often arbitrary nature of generic musical distinctions. Classifications such as R&B, soul, urban contemporary (or back in the day, “race records”) have been used to label “black” music. Similarly, honky tonk, country, hillbilly (or more recently, “1980s pop with a cowboy hat”) have come to signify “white” music. And like its preceding volume, this comp also finds itself lumped in with the R&B genre in iTunes. These excellent volumes feature black artists (primarily from the 1960s and 1970s) such as Ike and Tina, Solomon Burke and Clarence “Frogman” Henry, covering “country” material or lending a twang to R&B material. Arthur Alexander’s “Every Day I Have to Cry” is the perfect example of country-soul fusion. Vickie Vann’s “You Must Think My Heart Has Swinging Doors” is immaculately indistinguishable from early 1970s AM country radio, while Lou Johnson gives “She Thinks I Still Care” a more laid-back bluesy swagger. Such presentations prove the saying that there are only two kinds of music: good and bad. More Dirty Laundry is great.

Standout tracks: “Smoke Smoke Smoke” (Sammy Davis, Jr.), “You Must Think My Heart Has Swinging Doors” (Vickie Vann) EDWARD BURCH