Hold On!

With *Hold On!*, James Hunter proves that vintage-sounding soul can still be utterly vital and vibrant. The Brit sings—and writes—like Sam Cooke’s natural-born heir, but he brings his own tricks to the table too, whether delivering a sharp retort to spiritual dogma atop the funky feel of “Free Your Mind (While You Still Got Time),” slipping in a subtle ska undercurrent on the easy-rolling “This Is Where We Came In,” or unleashing his bluesy guitar skills on the instrumental “Satchelfoot.”