Some songs simply need to wait for the right voice, arrangement, and moment to finally reach an audience. On Gar Francis Songbook, Vol. Two, twelve original compositions, many of which were previously preserved only as rough demos, are given a vibrant new life by Sapphire Star. Written and arranged by Gar Francis and produced by Monique Grimme, the album arrives worldwide on August 7 through Bongo Boy Records.
So, what can listeners expect from this long-awaited collection? We’ll let Grimme set the scene:
“These songs are fun, kick-butt, high-energy R&B with a punch of Garage Rock and just enough Pop woven into the fabric of today’s sound. Under the artist name Sapphire Star, these songs truly came alive, and now they’re finally here for everyone to enjoy.”
She is not exaggerating. Girls Will Be Girls opens the album with bright brass, playful harmonies, and enough attitude to sound like a lost girl-group single pulled straight from the golden age of American pop. Its doo-wop touches and irresistible refrain establish the album’s guiding principle immediately: classic songwriting should be fun first.
That spirit carries directly into Diddle Diddy Dee, a wonderfully scrappy garage-rock stomper driven by churning rhythm, communal vocal energy, and a hook that practically demands audience participation. All I Wanna Do Is Ride keeps the momentum flying with pounding piano and a swaggering rhythm section rooted in full-bodied R&B. Sapphire Star meets the arrangement head-on, delivering a vocal that is animated, confident, and just rough enough around the edges to preserve the song’s barroom vitality.
Touching Me offers the first real change in temperature. The rhythm relaxes, the atmosphere becomes more sensual, and the vocal stretches comfortably across a roomier arrangement. But the breather does not last long. The Beat Don’t Stop soon throws open the doors again with urgent percussion, bright melodic flourishes, and the call-and-response exhilaration of early Motown. Its title serves as both a hook and a mission statement for the album itself.
One of the collection’s smoothest and most contemporary moments arrives with Natural Thing. Saxophone color, flashes of rock guitar, and a polished groove connect the album’s vintage foundation to modern soul. Bad Girl follows with tougher blues-rock grit and a knowingly dangerous vocal character, proving how easily Francis’s writing can move from sophistication to raw attitude.
Turn Your Love on Me brings a fiery garage-rock bite, packed with bluesy energy and restless movement. Move With It keeps the album pointed toward the dance floor, locking into a lean groove and another chorus designed to be learned before the song has even finished.
Closing track Fight Your Way Back shifts the focus from romance to resilience, pairing an encouraging message with a broad, uplifting arrangement. It is an especially fitting conclusion for a project built around bringing long-hidden songs back into the light.
Grimme’s production preserves the brass, organ, guitar, vocal exuberance, and rough-edged spirit associated with the album’s influences while giving all twelve tracks the clarity and consistency of a unified modern release. Sapphire Star proves equally essential to the transformation, moving convincingly between sweetness, seduction, defiance, and rock-and-roll bravado.
Gar Francis Songbook, Vol. Two is a jubilant celebration of the lasting power of a well-built song. These compositions may have waited years to be heard, but their hooks, energy, and personality feel anything but dated. Fans of classic R&B, 1960s pop, garage rock, and music that simply refuses to sit still should find plenty to love here.
Our final verdict? Highly Recommended.
BELOW: Listen to Sapphire Star and check out their music online. Please support Sapphire Star, Gar Francis, and Bongo Boy Records by visiting their official pages and playing, downloading, and/or purchasing their music. And, as always, thank you for supporting real music.