(If You Want The Love Of A Man) Come & Get It

Eli Paperboy Reed struck a rich seam of soul gold this year with his third album after plying a more rootsy r&b sound with his first two records. If there were any doubt about the man's credentials, opening the album with a version of Frank Lynch's minor classic Young Girl settled the nerves and the production from hit-maker Mike Elizondo has put Reed on course to become a star.

Like Mayer Hawthorne, Reed is not quite yet the full package but he's getting there fast. The best two songs from Come & Get It - the title track and Just Like Me - have been issued as a 7", using the classic Capitol swirl label so you can file this by your Patrice Holloway, Esquires and Gloria Jones 45s (even if the Brunswick label of Tyrone Davis, Jackie Wilson and Gene Chandler might be closer to this fine single's soul uprising).