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ALBUM OF THE DAY
7 FEBRUARY 2026
Off The Wall
THE JAMES HUNTER SIX
Released 16 January 2025
Easy Eye Sound / Concord
****-
Classic soul, sharply tailored: the heralded UK craftsman steps out boldly with a crack ensemble, strong songcraft and timeless vocals.
Off The Fence is the eleventh studio album by British soul singer-songwriter James Hunter and his long-standing ensemble The James Hunter Six, and his first release on Dan Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound imprint.
Hunter’s career spans more than four decades, from early R&B and blues roots to a global reputation as one of the UK’s most distinctive soul voices, praised for smooth control and gritty expression.
This album continues that trajectory, featuring twelve original songs anchored in rhythm & soul, jump blues and Northern Soul-inflected grooves.
Standout moments include a rare duet with Hunter’s longtime collaborator Van Morrison on “Ain’t That A Trip,” marking a full-circle moment decades after early work together on Morrison’s records. The band, featuring Myles Weeks (double bass), Rudy Albin Petschauer (drums), Andrew Kingslow (keys, percussion), Michael Buckley (baritone sax) and Drew Vanderwinckel (tenor sax), delivers arrangements that shape each song with precision and warmth, showcasing Hunter’s knack for melodic detail and feel.
Off The Fence feels like both a celebration and a steady refinement of what The James Hunter Six do best. From the opening “Two Birds One Stone,” with its buoyant rhythm and sly lyrical twist, to songs that lean into tender reflection, this is music that rewards head-nodding and wholehearted listening in equal measure.
Across twelve tracks, Hunter’s voice remains the unmistakable centrepiece, capable of scuffed-edge grit one moment and velvet-smooth croon the next, while the band spin grooves that honour classic soul forms without feeling merely retro.
Hunter’s lyricism mixes earnestness with wry wordplay, a quality highlighted in his song “Particular,” which takes a simple phrase and turns it into a playful rumination on love and life. Elsewhere, “Gun Shy” pairs tongue-tied affection with a bluesy sax solo that underscores the band’s tight chemistry and respect for tradition. The infectious “A Sure Thing,” with its nod to Northern Soul bounce, sits comfortably beside the slower, atmospheric pieces “Here And Now,” a love song built around lilting guitar and understated groove.
Read more...
The James Hunter Six Home Page
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH
JANUARY 2026
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Album titles link back to Sun Never Sets On Music's review page for all albums.
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RAHEL TALTS, ROB LUFT
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