Soul singer Don Covay's career traversed nearly the entire spectrum of Rhythm & Blues music, from Doo-Wop to Funk. On 1966's See Saw, featuring its famous title track, Don Covay rides his most creative crest as a solo artist with a hearty collection of songs.

Its rawness is what makes these recordings compelling. A guitarist as well as a singer, Covay's pickings aren't buried in the mix, and you don't need a Geiger counter to detect the grooves.

Most impressive are "See Saw," "Mercy Mercy," "Sookie, Sookie," and "Boomerang," a call to dance with the feeling of Major Lance singing a Curtis Mayfield song. On "Fat Man", you wonder if he's singing about his old Washington, D.C., buddy Billy Stewart. The two began their careers with The Rainbows.

• 180 gram audiophile vinyl