The Final Solution

Chicago vocal quartet the Final Solution (why oh why did they choose that name?) are responsible for this would-be soundtrack album from 1975. It’s a typical Numero release. At one time known as the Keldirons, the group had a single wonderful release on the Twinight label, which Numero included on their definitive label comp last year. No doubt the research from that collection led to this never-was project. Brotherman the film never got made — there may not have even been a final script before the group and a few musicians laid these tracks down in 1975. Finally mixed in 2008, it features minimal instrumentation for this era of soul music: just four-part harmonies, guitar, bass and drums. What sets this release apart is some changalangin’ guitar courtesy of Carl Wolfolk. It’s a deeply boogie counterpoint to the polish of the vocals. The guitar plays over everything and was likely intended as a guide track but becomes almost a no-wave accent to the funk. At least eight tracks on this disc are superb, such as the theme and the up-tempo "Never Coming Back.” The rest are low budget but still very listenable for the near-sublime vocals.