Woman’s Love Rights

Soul and gospel singer Laura Lee had already released music on Chess before she moved to Holland, Dozier and Holland’s post-Motown label Hot Wax. Her 1972 debut album for them is a jubilant ten-track affair that is very similar in sound and production to late sixties Motown. Featuring lots of strident funk-soul anthems and a handful of deep soul ballads, Lee had a powerful, gospel, raspy voice overflowing with passion and guts, and the themes here are often female empowerment, particularly the hits ‘Wedlock Is A Padlock’ and ‘Women’s Love Rights’. An underrated proto-feminist soul gem.