OKP Premiere: Lee Fields Brings The Soul Groove Back Around On "Two Timer"

Vintage-modern soul is having a moment right now, from the endless success of Dap Tone Records to the meteoric rise of Leon Bridges. But standing just to the side of it all, watching slyly from a plush club booth is Lee Fields. The 55-year-old R&B bandleader has been releasing music on Truth and Soul Records since as early as 2002 and has criss-crossed the nation for decades, playing in tiny clubs and theaters, some of which have since closed and vanished into the past. If you're reading this, Lee Fields has most likely been a soul man since before you were born. He's earned the right to sit back, sip a snifter, and make his own moves.

And that's how "Two Timer" came about, Fields's new cover of the classic Little Carl Carlton track, which OKP is very, very proud to premiere. A product of Fields membership in E&J Brandy's Generations of Soul campaign, a new movement that's seen Fields collaborate with Raphael Saadiq and B.J. The Chicago Kid in the name of inspiration exchange and the ongoing refinement of R&B. Backed by his Expressions band, Fields's new cover pushes the tempo a bit, locking kick drum and bass even tighter in step as the legendary vocalist sings in a concentrated rasp, and his voice is as much sandpaper as it is silk. "I chose this song because it's pure unadulterated soul, all the way down to the bone!" Fields told Okayplayer.

The tune is cool and confident in its own forward motion--a testament to the implicit power of soul. Astute listeners will recall that Madlib sampled "Two Timer" once upon a time, and with his re-up of the original, Lee Fields has got it going 'round in our heads all over again. Listen to "Two Timer" below, and if you're in Chicago, catch him performing with Saadiq and B.J. The Chicago Kid on October 14th (RSVP here).