soul full of sin

• Format: Vinyl LP, archival album, limited edition
• 500 copies limited
• Packaging: Gatefold sleeve with printed inner sleeve, liner notes and photographs
• Release year: 2021
• Recorded: 1971–1973 in Newcastle, England
• Source: Surviving studio tapes and acetate recordings intended for an unreleased Transatlantic Records album
• First official release: Previously unreleased contemporary recordings

Soul Full of Sin presents the surviving early-seventies recordings of The Steve Brown Band, an accomplished Newcastle group whose combination of progressive rock, jazz and funk earned them a substantial regional following but never resulted in an album during their original period of activity.

The band was formed around guitarist and lead singer Steve Brown, born Stephen Regan. He was joined by John Farmer on bass, Jeff Barak on drums, Gowan Turnbull on saxophone and Charlie Gordon on electric piano and keyboards, with several members also contributing vocals.

Working with saxophone and electric piano alongside the conventional guitar, bass and drums line-up, the musicians developed a sophisticated ensemble sound. Their extended compositions combine carefully arranged vocal sections with powerful instrumental breaks, syncopated rhythms and a pronounced jazz-rock influence.

“Hitman” opens the album with an insistent bass figure, atmospheric keyboards and a dark narrative vocal. Its lengthy instrumental passages allow guitar, saxophone and rhythm section to develop the composition without losing the strength of its central theme.

“Night Flight” moves through a more spacious arrangement, while “Shine a Light” balances progressive instrumental detail with an accessible melodic chorus. The musicians frequently shift between tightly controlled ensemble playing and looser passages that reflect the experience gained through extensive live performance.

The second side begins with the reflective “Marija,” followed by the rhythmic “City (The Lights of Love).” The extended title track closes the album with prominent electric piano, saxophone and a deep jazz-funk groove, bringing together the different elements of the band's style.

The Steve Brown Band appeared regularly throughout North-East England and also travelled to London, where they performed at venues including the Marquee Club. A proposed agreement with Transatlantic Records failed to produce the planned album, leaving the surviving recordings unheard for almost half a century.

Reconstructed from the remaining studio tapes and acetate sources, Soul Full of Sin finally presents the album the group should have released during the early 1970s. This limited Seelie Court edition is housed in a gatefold sleeve with an illustrated printed inner.

Track listing:

Side A

1. Hitman – 7:24
2. Night Flight – 7:15
3. Shine a Light – 5:30

Side B

1. Marija – 6:17
2. City (The Lights of Love) – 4:36
3. Soul Full of Sin – 7:02