Kings Go Forth Photo by Jim Newberry

Milwaukee's retro soul Kings Go Forth arrived for their Twin Cities debut with an endorsement from Oprah, a stamp of approval from David Byrne (for whose Luaka Bop label they record) and reviews comparing them to the mighty Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings. The Kings' first foray into Minneapolis at the packed, stiflingly muggy Cedar Cultural Center on Saturday night was a bit of a letdown. The Kings have great taste, with echoes of Earth, Wind & Fire, Tower of Power and Philly soul heard in their horn-accented, Latin-tinged 1970s soul. But the execution of this 10-piece group left something to do desired. While the three-piece horn section was crisp and percussionist Cecilio Negron impressive, the band wasn't as tight as this music demands. Both lead singers Black Wolf and Danny Fernandez were more style than substance. Wolf's high voice and falsetto were grating (he is more likable on the Kings' CD, "The Outsiders Are Back"). Fernandez manifested vocal power but lacked color and character. One other complaint: What was with those long-sleeved T-shirts that looked like faux dashikis? That said, Kings Go Forth still were a crowd-pleasing party band. But they have the potential to be a crowd-thrilling R&B party band if they'd practice as much as such great soul ensembles as James Brown's group, Prince's band or Jones' Dap-Kings – and dress in sharp outfits.