Until the discovery of this set of vintage rehearsal recordings, the Cleveland vocal trio Love Apple was an all-but-invisible footnote to the career of prolific singer/songwriter/producer Lou Ragland. Ragland was a prominent figure on the Cleveland soul scene, and he saw Love Apple as key to his newly minted SMH imprint. None of the group’s material ever saw formal release, but this collection of demo recordings shows its considerable talents. Love Apple members Annette Warren, Lillian Pearson, and Avetta Henry all assisted in the songwriting process, and the six tunes that made it to tape all boast uncommonly thoughtful lyrics on the subjects of infidelity, uncertainty, and romantic disappointment. Most impressive, however, are Ragland’s arrangements, which are immediately affecting in spite of (or perhaps because of) their ghostly, unfinished natures. These sometimes-tentative but always-soulful recordings give a remarkable glimpse into Ragland’s musical process and boast a startling intimacy.