You can always tell a band that’s lead by a drummer: their sound is tight and their records are even tighter, screwed down so hard that the screwdriver breaks off. That’ been true of Tortured Soul, the soulful trio whose two constants over the years have been drummer/vocalist John Christian Urich and an almost fanatical consistency.
It’s been two decades now since Tortured Soul emerged from NYC acid jazz outfit Topaz and that obsessive approach to music has paid off over five albums and a heap of instantly recognizable songs that will probably continue to be part of some 21st Century American songbook after we’re all long gone. The 20th Anniversary Album features 16 tracks that are not quite a Greatest Hits album — it’s missing “How’s Your Life?” and a few others — but then it doesn’t purport to be. Urich claims that while the band is taking this occasion to look back, Greatest Hits albums tend to mark the end of an artist’s career, or at least their career as a viable recording artist. Instead there are some standards, including Osunlade’s remix of “I Might Do Something Wrong” that launched their career when it debuted on the dancefloor at Shelter. There are also five previously unreleased tracks and mixes, including two live recordings (“Fall In Love” and “Special Lady”) from Little Big Beat Studios in 2020, where their Studio Live Session album was recorded.
All in all, a solid collection that serves as a Cliff’s Notes version of Tortured Soul’s recording career, with a few oddities and rarities for serious fans.
Tortured Soul: The 20th Anniversary Album (TSTC Music / Digital / October 2021)
1. Tortured Soul: I Might Do Something Wrong (Super original edit Intro) (01:11)
2. Tortured Soul: I Might Do Something Wrong (Osunlade Lonely mix) (07:20)
3. Tortured Soul: Don’t Hold Me Down (06:36)
4. Tortured Soul & Black Coffee – I Know What’s On Your Mind (John Christian Urich Tropical Island Sex mix) (06:15)
5. Tortured Soul: Home To You (05:53)
6. Tortured Soul: Did You Miss Me (John Christian Urich mix radio edit) (04:19)
7. Tortured Soul: Why (DJ Spinna remix) (07:39)
8. Tortured Soul: Hot For Your Love Tonight (04:53)
9. Tortured Soul: Enjoy It Now (05:35)
10. Tortured Soul: Can’t Keep Rhythm From A Dancer (Miguel Migs Salted vocal) (06:11)
11. Tortured Soul: I’ll Be There For You (04:40)
12. Tortured Soul: Don’t Lead Me On (John Christian Urich Soul mix) (04:56)
13. Tortured Soul: U Live 2 Far Away (John Christian Urich remix) (06:01)
14. Tortured Soul: We Like Tequila (03:34)
15. Tortured Soul: Fall In Love (live From Little Big Beat Studios) (07:30)
16. Tortured Soul: Special Lady (live From Little Big Beat Studios) (08:32)
