Eugene Blacknell We Can't Take Life for Granted

• Words: Justin Hopper
• Label: Luv N' Haight
• XLR8R Rating: 7/10

It took a hell of a lot more than genius to "make it" in the music biz of the '60s. To have been a brilliant guitarist, effortlessly crossing from driving R&B to deep-funk workouts and every style in between, was no assurance of success-storied soul also-rans comprise entire crate-digging genres. Yet, as the first-ever compilation of his work shows, the late Eugene Blacknell's semi-obscurity seems particularly harsh. Boiling over with funky fervor and grit, everything from heavily sampled 45s ("The Trip"; Beck's favorite, "We Know We Have to Live Together") to the never-released title track seems as fresh and alive today as it ever was.