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.”

Hold On! is the fourth album by the rocking soul man James Hunter and his stalwart sextet.