LaBelle's disco tracks tend to get critical short shrift, as if they were an unnecessary diversion from the more pressing matter of singing ballads. That's nonsense. The gritty power of her voice works perfectly in that setting, as demonstrated here, roughing up the cool, streamlined sound of the backing track.
The Blue Belles' Cindy Birdsong left to join the Supremes, leaving the trio of LaBelle, Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash, who changed their look, sound and name. Labelle took a while to get going: there were few takers for their initial denim-clad, socially conscious incarnation, which was a shame.
The controversy around I Sold My Heart to the Junkman died down in time for the ultra-dramatic ballad Down the Aisle to become a US hit. Influenced in equal part by doo-wop and emotionally potent gospel-infused soul, there's a real intensity about it, amped up by LaBelle's vocal.
LaBelle's recorded output understandably slowed up in her 60s and 70s and has tended more towards Christmas albums and jazz than soul. But 2004's Timeless Journey is worth a listen, not least for 2 Steps Away: a soulful reflection on life's journey.
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