Simtec & Wylie: "Gettin' Over The Hump"

The kind of record I live for, dazed psychedelic funk-soul of the highest order, shaded in with fuzz guitars, breaks and the tandem Sam & Dave-influenced vocals of Simtec & Wylie.  Though this album was recorded in Chicago, it has more of a Southern soul sound to it, which I’m sure is at least partially due to the duo’s obvious hero worship of Sam & Dave.  The difference with Simtec & Wylie, however, is the wild lyrics—most evident on the tracks “Bootleggin’,” “Gotta Get Over The Hump” and “Put Up Or Shut Up”—a sort of lysergic, stream-of-consciousness soul vibe that has to be heard to be believed.  There’s also an odd, surprisingly heartfelt cover of Rod Stewart’s “Maggie May,” the fast paced distortion-plus-horns crackle of “Sold On You,” and the cautionary psych-gospel-soul of “You Just Can’t Win.”  While sometimes I feel that I might be talking about Chicago soul TOO often (clearly and as I’ve mentioned before, it’s a region and sound that I favor), how can I not when I continue to stumble across LP’s like this?  They’re too outstanding to ignore, and many, like this Simtec & Wylie effort, are undeservedly obscure.  Bringin’ that old-school psych-soul beat back is my mission, can’t stop won’t stop.