THE SWEET DIVINES are doing soul music the only way they know how -- the old-school way. These four young ladies and their band have honed an authentic sound that evokes the greats of the southern soul pantheon -- Stax, Aretha, James Brown, funky New Orleans -- yet feels immediate, unique, and more relevant than ever. The result is heavenly manna for soul purists, beat addicts, harmony lovers, and just about anyone else with a pair of ears and/or feet.

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Last January, when they made their hometown debut in Brooklyn, they were known only as a new spinoff of short-lived but much-loved soul sensation The Dansettes. Since then the Sweet Divines have floored fans and gotten the music blogs buzzing with a continuing streak of sold-out shows, including appearances with Sharon Jones, The Mighty Hannibal, The Budos Band, and Eli "Paperboy" Reed. By springtime, word even reached legendary soul ladies Maxine Brown and Baby Washington who drafted the Sweet Divines' backing band for a double bill at Joe's Pub -- another sold-out show.

Descriptions of the group often rely on the same old catchphrases -- "nostalgia act," "girl group," and such -- but something bigger is afoot here. The format may be classic, but the material is new and the live show crackles with raw heat. The whole experience recalls a time when singers could sing, tunes were tuneful, records were on record, and soul music had soul. When bold soul sisters worked up a sweat cutting three-minute miracles in woodshed studios and blowing the roofs off neighborhood nightclubs. If you think your generation missed out on all of that, think again. The Sweet Divines are making damn sure you get your chance too.