The Uniques Uniquely Yours

A decade before he was topping the country charts, Joe Stampley fronted one of the deep souths most legendary and rockin 60s combos, the Uniques. Once signed to Shreveport, Louisiana-based Paula Records, the Uniques made waves nationally on their very first release, Not Too Long Ago. That pop classic (faithfully/recently covered by Nick Lowe) is just one of many highlights of their 66 debut LP, Uniquely Yours. According to the master tape, this record was originally going to be tagged The Uniques in Action; a shelved album title that could not have been more apt. Finally reissued (and in fabulous mono, to boot), this is southern rock n soul at its finest; a real mÈlange of styles that swings wildly from deep-fried garage rock, frenzied frat-beat, infectious Stampley-penned pop, and gorgeously soulful ballads. From Presley and Gene Vincent to any Justice label 60s garage band worth mentioning, southerners have always littered their LPs with this latter fare. But when it comes to deliv