Darrell Banks – Don’t Know What To Do – 7 Vinyl

When it comes to sixties soul music, Memphis vs. Detroit equals raw vs. smooth, gritty vs. slick, down-home vs. uptown, right? At least that’s the received wisdom. So how do you explain these two polished yet gut-wrenching tracks, originally released on the Memphis-based Stax/Volt label, by Detroiter Darrell Banks. You can star t by throwing that tired Detroit-vs.-Memphis cliche right out the window. As it turns out, the 1969 LP on which “Don’t Know What to Do” and “My Love Is Reserved” appeared benefited from a bit of the magic of both cities.