The Haggis Horns were formed way back in 1999 in Leeds and since then they’ve become one of the UK’s top soul bands – performing sell-out concerts, headlining festivals, playing countless sessions and backing numerous visiting soul stars who know they’ll provide a proper soulful backdrop to their shows.
‘What Comes To Mind’ is the band’s third album in their own right and it’s a tight, soulful and funky package that pays homage to their heroes and influences … people like Donald Byrd, The Mizells, EWF and, their original inspiration, The Average White Band.
Hear that AWB influence right from the start with the funky, exuberant, riff-laden ‘Return Of The Haggis’. The brass wok is bob and you’d easily be forgiven for thinking that here you’ve dropped on some long lost 70’s soul artefact. There’s more of the same on ‘You Got To Keep On Bumping’ and the self-explanatory ‘Keep It Tight’, garnished with fiery vocal chanting.
Fans of funk vocals will find plenty here too. John McCullum fronts the excellent old school soul tune ‘Give Me Something Better’ (shades of EWF), while Lucinda Slim slinks her way through the loose ‘I Can’t Stop The Feeling’. John Turrell (from Smoove and…) is in the mix too. He leads on ‘It Ain’t What You Got’… another big funk bash and like the whole LP, a throwback to another time, another place!
(BB) 3/5
