The Diddys Featuring Paige Douglas - Agony & Extasy (Japan Remastered) (1977/2013)

A very cool, really rare soul album from the Philly scene – one that was written, produced, and arranged by Hammond organist Charles Earland – but which is a sweet soul album with a really great feel!

There’s definitely a touch of Earland’s keyboard work on the set – especially some of those non-organ lines he brought to his records for Mercury – and there’s a jazzy groove that really sets The Diddys apart from other east coast groups of the time – a more complex approach to rhythm and instrumentation that almost makes some of the tunes feel as if they came from the James Mason side of the spectrum!

The whole thing’s wonderful – as unique as it is rare – and titles include “Intergalactic Love Song“, “Strange Love” and “Your Love Is Like A See Saw Baby“.