(Retro-Soul, Funk, Male Vocal, Jazz) [CD] Soul Scratch - Pushing Fire - 2017 [Colemine Records], FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Exact Audio Copy V1.1 from 23. June 2015
EAC extraction logfile from 9. February 2017, 12:58
Soul Scratch / Pushing Fire
Used drive  : HL-DT-STDVDRAM GT50N   Adapter: 1  ID: 0
Read mode               : Secure
Utilize accurate stream : Yes
Defeat audio cache      : Yes
Make use of C2 pointers : No
Read offset correction                      : 103
Overread into Lead-In and Lead-Out          : No
Fill up missing offset samples with silence : Yes
Delete leading and trailing silent blocks   : No
Null samples used in CRC calculations       : Yes
Used interface                              : Native Win32 interface for Win NT & 2000
Gap handling                                : Appended to previous track
Used output format              : User Defined Encoder
Selected bitrate                : 1024 kBit/s
Quality                         : High
Add ID3 tag                     : No
Command line compressor         : C:\Program Files (x86)\Exact Audio Copy\Flac\flac.exe
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TOC of the extracted CD
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        1  |  0:00.00 |  3:20.55 |         0    |    15054
        2  |  3:20.55 |  2:54.49 |     15055    |    28153
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        9  | 26:14.39 |  2:40.54 |    118089    |   130142
       10  | 28:55.18 |  4:03.43 |    130143    |   148410
Track  1
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     Track quality 100.0 %
     Test CRC F0FAF801
     Copy CRC F0FAF801
     Track not present in AccurateRip database
     Copy OK
Track  2
     Filename C:\Rips v2\Soul Scratch - Pushing Fire (FLAC)\02 - Look How Far We've Come.wav
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     Test CRC 1F97A7BF
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     Track not present in AccurateRip database
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Track  3
     Filename C:\Rips v2\Soul Scratch - Pushing Fire (FLAC)\03 - The Road Looks Long.wav
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     Peak level 96.2 %
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     Test CRC 66BEFDAA
     Copy CRC 66BEFDAA
     Track not present in AccurateRip database
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Track  4
     Filename C:\Rips v2\Soul Scratch - Pushing Fire (FLAC)\04 - Odessa Heat.wav
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     Track not present in AccurateRip database
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Track  5
     Filename C:\Rips v2\Soul Scratch - Pushing Fire (FLAC)\05 - It's Not Over.wav
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     Test CRC 763BA9A4
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     Track not present in AccurateRip database
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Track  6
     Filename C:\Rips v2\Soul Scratch - Pushing Fire (FLAC)\06 - Kiss Me in the Morning.wav
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     Test CRC 1ED9E529
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     Track not present in AccurateRip database
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Track  7
     Filename C:\Rips v2\Soul Scratch - Pushing Fire (FLAC)\07 - Be Kind.wav
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     Test CRC D8A4D021
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     Track not present in AccurateRip database
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Track  8
     Filename C:\Rips v2\Soul Scratch - Pushing Fire (FLAC)\08 - Empty Cup.wav
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     Test CRC 3022011C
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     Track not present in AccurateRip database
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Track  9
     Filename C:\Rips v2\Soul Scratch - Pushing Fire (FLAC)\09 - Fireside Lounge.wav
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     Test CRC A88979EA
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     Track not present in AccurateRip database
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Track 10
     Filename C:\Rips v2\Soul Scratch - Pushing Fire (FLAC)\10 - Thank You.wav
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     Track not present in AccurateRip database
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None of the tracks are present in the AccurateRip database
No errors occurred
End of status report
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Submit result: iF_mdeBLVU2SlbTjBfPb6oaLDss- has been uploaded
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REM DISCID 7D07BA0A
REM COMMENT "ExactAudioCopy v1.1"
PERFORMER "Soul Scratch"
TITLE "Pushing Fire"
FILE "01 - Pacified.wav" WAVE
  TRACK 01 AUDIO
    TITLE "Pacified"
    PERFORMER "Soul Scratch"
    INDEX 01 00:00:00
  TRACK 02 AUDIO
    TITLE "Look How Far We've Come"
    PERFORMER "Soul Scratch"
    INDEX 00 03:19:55
FILE "02 - Look How Far We've Come.wav" WAVE
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    TITLE "The Road Looks Long"
    PERFORMER "Soul Scratch"
    INDEX 00 02:53:49
FILE "03 - The Road Looks Long.wav" WAVE
    INDEX 01 00:00:00
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    PERFORMER "Soul Scratch"
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    INDEX 01 00:00:00
  TRACK 05 AUDIO
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    PERFORMER "Soul Scratch"
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FILE "05 - It's Not Over.wav" WAVE
    INDEX 01 00:00:00
  TRACK 06 AUDIO
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    PERFORMER "Soul Scratch"
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FILE "06 - Kiss Me in the Morning.wav" WAVE
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  TRACK 07 AUDIO
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    PERFORMER "Soul Scratch"
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FILE "07 - Be Kind.wav" WAVE
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  TRACK 08 AUDIO
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    INDEX 01 00:00:00
  TRACK 10 AUDIO
    TITLE "Thank You"
    PERFORMER "Soul Scratch"
    INDEX 00 02:39:54
FILE "10 - Thank You.wav" WAVE
    INDEX 01 00:00:00

Los Angeles soul mob out to rouse the rabble
Bob Dylan winning the Nobel prize for literature was a seminal moment for many reasons. Not least of which it reminded people what we hadn’t got anymore.
We hadn’t got a movement of artists that gave a shit, that were prepared to stand up and comment on the world around them. All we’d got in 2016 was a load of homogenised, corporate commodities who were part of the problem rather than the solution.
That’s how it seemed anyway. Sure, we still had Billy Bragg, but his most recent record was busy exploring the American Railroad, and in England we’ve got Frank Turner packing halls all over the country with his message of equality and positivity, but like British collective Thee Concerned Citizens asked a couple of years ago: “what happened to the anger?”
Such a question has evidently energised LA based soul troupe Soul Scratch. So much so they’ve devoted the phenomenal first track of “Pushing Fire” to it.
“Pacified” is a visceral classic. It’s second verse is an almost perfect condemnation of the world we live in and one which will see Donald Trump become the most powerful man in the world in just days. “Where’s that outrage now? Where’s my people on the streets? All these corporations got a voice but we sit silent in defeat. Guess we can’t risk our 9-5 on something filmsy as hope. We’ve got the same old addiction to a different kind of coke.”
Consumerism taken apart in such a fashion in less than 30 seconds means it is almost tempting to leave the review there, but “….Fire” has much more to offer.
Dale Spollett has an incredible voice, and he – along with the wonderful musicians he is surrounded by – make this a record that can be enjoyed by just about anyone. “Look How Far We’ve Come” is another mighty slab of angry soul to match the first cut here, but Soul Scratch are a savvy bunch. They know it can’t all be about the awfulness of the world, no, there’s got to be some hope too.
To that end “The Road Looks Long” and “Kiss Me In The Morning” are gorgeous tales of love conquering all and others like “It’s Not Over” are the kind of song that makes sense at 2am when you are reflecting on being truly alone.
A varied collection is rounded out by “Be Kind” and “Empty Cup” which are playful, funky fun and a couple of instrumentals, of which “Odessa Heat” – with its fine guitar licks – is the pick.
“Pushing Fire” is ten songs without any flab whatsoever and is completed by “Thank You” which adds a kind of bluesy vibe and some brilliant organ work and adds to an album that knows its way around the greats but is happy to add its own Californian stamp on things.
This is a quite superb collection and if it leads to a collective waking up of the sleeping masses, then so much the better.
(Andy Thorley, maximumvolumemusic.com)

Dale Spollett - vocals
Joel Givertz - guitar
Matt Reale - trumpet
Ian Anderson - sax
Johnny Chou - bass
Adam Greenberg - drums