"In Philadelphia/Don't Knock My Love" by WILSON PICKETT (2016 Edsel CD Remasters Plus 17 Bonuses - Vol. 5 of 5) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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This release features the 1970 US LP "Wilson Pickett In Philadelphia"

"...Fire And Water..." 

England's Edsel Records are no strangers to Soul-reissues. Across the decades they've touched on major retrospectives for Philadelphia International (O'Jays, Billy Paul, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes), Holland-Dozier-Holland's HDH Label and Invictus Records (Chairmen Of The Board, Freda Payne and The Glass House) as well as anthologies for Ann Peebles, The Chi-Lites and Al Green covering their Hi Records label output.

For 2016 - our Demon Group heroes are tackling the whole of Wilson Pickett's ten-album stay between 1964 and 1972 at the legendary Atlantic Records. This fifth and final '2on1' set issued 26 November 2016 in the UK (see full list below) deals with his ninth and tenth studio LPs from 1970 and 1971 and comes bolstered up with a huge seventeen Bonus Tracks on 2CDs.

Across these five digipak-releases (three come with extras – the 1st, 4th and 5th) - you also get exclusive single mixes and many unreleased tracks formerly only available on 2009's "Funky Midnight Mover..." – a 6CD mail-order set from Rhino Handmade – an item that is now long deleted and extremely pricey into the bargain. The booklets also feature new liner notes from noted Soul writer and uber-fan Tony Rounce.

Here are the details for Alabama's finest Midnight Mover...

UK released 26 November 2016 (2 December 2016 in the USA) – "In Philadelphia/Don't Knock My Love" by WILSON PICKETT on Edsel EDSK 7122 (Barcode 740155711238) offers 2LPs Remastered onto 2CDs plus Seventeen Bonus Tracks and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (63:52 minutes):

1. Run Joey Run

2. Help The Needy

3. Come Right Here 

4. Bumble Bee (Sting Me)

5. Don't Let The Green Grass Fool You

6. Get Me Back On Time, Engine Number Nine [Side 2]

7. Days Go By 

8. International Playboy

9. Ain’t No Doubt About It

Tracks 1 to 9 are his 9th studio album "Wilson Pickett In Philadelphia" - released September 1970 in the USA on Atlantic SD 8270 (Stereo Only) and April 1971 in the UK (with the same tracks) as "Engine No. 9" on Atlantic 2400 026 (Stereo Only).

BONUS TRACKS:

10. International Playboy (Remix) 

Track 10 is the A-side of Atlantic 45-2961 – a US 7" single from 1973

11. Pray For The Rain

12. Let It Come Naturally 

Tracks 11 and 12 are from "Funky Midnight Mover: The Atlantic Studio Recordings (1962-1978)" released 2009 in the USA on Rhino Handmade RHM2 07753

13. Funky Broadway (Live In Ghana)

14. Land Of 1000 Dances (Live in Ghana) 

Tracks 13 and 14 are from the Various Artists LP "Soul To Soul – Music from The Original Soundtrack Recorded Live In Ghana, West Africa" on Atlantic SD 7207 

15. Un' Avventura 

Track 15 is the A-side of a 1969 Italian-only 7" single on Atlantic ATL NP 03097

16. Heaven

17. Can't Stop A Man In Love

Tracks 16 and 17 are from "Funky Midnight Mover: The Atlantic Studio Recordings (1962-1978)" released 2009 in the USA on Rhino Handmade RHM2 07753

18. One Step Away 

19. Funk Factory 

Tracks 18 and 19 are the A&B-sides of a 1972 US 7” single on Atlantic 45-2878

Disc 2 (68:44 minutes):

1. Fire And Water

2. (Your Love Has Brought Me) A Mighty Long Way 

3. Covering The Same Old Ground 

4. Don't Knock My Love (Part 1)

5. Don't Knock My Love (Part 2)

6. Call My Name, I’ll Be There 

7. Hot Love

8. Not Enough Love To Satisfy 

9. You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover 

10. Pledging My Love

11. Mama Told Me Not To Come

12. Woman Let Me Be Down Home 

Tracks 1 to 12 are his 10th studio album "Don't Knock My Love" - released December 1971 in the USA on Atlantic SD 8300 and January 1972 in the UK on Atlantic K 40319. 

BONUS TRACKS:

13. Don't Knock My Love (Part 2) Single Version - 1972 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2797, B-side

14. If You Need Me (Remake)

15. Don't Forget The Bridge

16. Rock Of Ages

17. Many Roads To Travel

18. Hope She'll Be Happier

19. Believe I'll Shout

Tracks 14 to 19 are from "Funky Midnight Mover: The Atlantic Studio Recordings (1962-1978)" released 2009 in the USA on Rhino Handmade RHM2 07753 - Track 15 mistaken credited as Atlantic 45-2909

Each of these five card digipaks comes in a gatefold with Volume 5 being the only double-disc issue. Like the four others it sports a comprehensive 16-page booklet in the left flap with new liner notes from legendary Soul writer TONY ROUNCE – a man whose name has graced literally hundreds of quality CD reissues. He goes into all the chart statistics for 1970 and 1971 - his Gamble & Huff project "In Philadelphia" with the second LP embracing Rock artists like Free and Randy Newman - the concert at Accra in Ghana that resulted in the "Soul To Soul" Soundtrack LP in 1972 (Atlantic SD 7207) – his progression to RCA Records and recording at Muscle Shoals and finally to Little Richard attending his funeral in 2006 paying homage in his sermon to one of the Soul greats. Mastered by PHIL KINRADE – the tracks are licensed from Warners and are therefore the US 1996 Rhino versions of old and those 2009 Rhino Handmade rarities – full and punchy Bill Inglot and Dan Hersch CD Remasters from original tapes.

The "Wilson Pickett In Philadelphia" LP (called "Engine No. 9" in the UK after the song became a hit) is dominated by two song writing forces – Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff and a team of four other staff writers which included Bunny Sigler. Gamble & Huff threw three tunes into the ring – the opener "Run Joey Run", the two-parter single and hooky-as-Hell Bobby Eli guitar-fuzz of "Get Me Back On Time, Engine Number Nine" (a No. 3 R&B hit in October 1970 for Pickett on Atlantic 45-2765) and the final LP cut "Ain’t No Doubt About It" – a mid-tempo stroller with choppy keyboards and sweet brass accompaniment (could even have been another 45). Bunny Sigler had his hands in the melodrama of "Days Go By", the don’t worry baby pluck of "Come Right Here" (used as B-side to "International Playboy" in May 1973 on Atlantic 45-2961) and one the album’s genuine gems - "Don’t Let The Green Grass Fool You" – co-written with John Bellmon, Reginald Turner and Jerry Akines who also contributed "Bumble Bee (Sting Me)". The LP peaked at a respectable No. 12 on the US R&B charts with Atlantic in fact taking advantage of the hits on it and pumping out "The Best Of Wilson Pickett, Vol. II" in May 1971 – rewarded with an even higher No. 8 placing (the last time Pickett would break the Top 10). 

As you can imagine - the Bonus Tracks are a mixed bag of killer vs. throwaway. It’s not surprising that Atlantic returned to the catchy legend-in-my-own-time "International Playboy" song in 1973 with a remix where Wilson lists ladies in Rome and New Orleans all too willing to cook more than egg fu yung for the Wicked Alabama lad (one of the Bonus Tracks on CD1). It’s very cool to hear the band count-in "Pray For The Rain" (one of the 6CD Rhino Handmade outtakes) but the vocal never quite takes off – better is the six-minutes of "Heaven" – all strings and ‘reach out and touch me’ lyrics. Sung half in Italian and the rest in English "Un Avventura" is clearly dubbed off a disc and is a weird hybrid that’s interesting but not much else. "Can’t Stop A Man In Love" dates from 23 Feb 1972 and is excellent. But best is the non-album track "Funk Factory" that was paired with the ballad "One Step Away" on Atlantic 45-2878 – a No. 11 R&B hit in June 1972. "Funk Factory" is a truly great Pickett groove co-written by him with Brad Shapiro and Luther Dixon – ending Disc 1 on a bit of a high.

You would think with three singles off the "Don’t Knock My Love" LP – one of which was the huge title track and another US No. 1 R&B hit – that the album would have charted higher than No. 23 - but it didn’t - a sign of things to come. Like many of the smarter players of the day Wilson Pickett was quick to take on board Rock acts whose music had a swing and swagger suited to Soul - here he tackles Free by doing "Fire and Water" from their 1970 Island Records LP of the same name and Randy Newman's "Mama Told Me (Not To Come)" which had become a No. 1 rock hit for Three Dog Night. He then mixed these with Brad Shapiro songs like "Call My Name, I'll Be There", "Hot Love" and the huge title track - a co-write on Part 1 with WP. There's even a hint of Area Code 615 and Paul Butterfield in the harmonica-driven "(Your Love Has Brought Me) A Mighty Long Way" - a fantastic brassy groover that follows perfectly after "Fire And Water" (a Jack Avery, Earl Simms and Carlton McWilliams song itself covered by Bonnie Bramlett in 1975 on her "It’s Time" LP on Capricorn Records). This sexy little beast then segues into a set of strings that introduce the ballad "Covering The Same Old Ground" - a George Jackson song Atlantic used as the B-side to the November 1972 US single for "Mama Told Me (Not To Come)". The audio on this is gorgeous - full of warmth and even though the strings and girls threaten to drown the whole thing on occasion - Wilson howls his heart out and saves the day. 

Edsel's decision to not separate the segue continues with the two-part title track which applies also to the lesser and ever so slightly hammy "Call My Name, I'll Be There". Another of the album's cool cuts is the fuzzed-up guitar of "You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover" - a song with a Stevie Wonder writing credit. The Johnny Ace standard "Pledging My Love" was the B-side to "Fire And Water" which made R&B No. 2 in January 1972 on Atlantic 45-2852. It ends on another B-side with the funky potential of being an A - "Woman Let Me Be Down Home" which Atlantic used as the flipside to "Call My Name, I’ll Be There" on Atlantic 45-2824 in August 1971. Wilson lists off his country-boy complaints – his woman constantly telling him what to do, say and wear (oh dear). 

Collectors are going to love the sheer in-yer-face fuzzed-up funkiness of "Don’t Knock My Love, Pt. 2" in Mono (one of the Bonus Tracks) coming on like a mash-up between a James Brown/Chi-Lites/Sly Stone instrumental – what a Funky Winner! Of the 1971 and 1972 unreleased recordings – and even though the vocal is not quite right - I like the mellow cover of Bill Withers track "Hope She’ll Be Happier" where the highly-polished acoustic guitars and piano make it feel more Carole King "Tapestry" than "Don’t Knock My Love". And the Wilson-penned Jesus song "Rock Of Ages" (another Bonus) is akin to Aretha's passion on the landmark "Amazing Grace" double. 

The original Rhino CDs have been deleted for years and the Rhino Handmade set hard to find and liable to make your bang manager nervous – so this pairing of Pickett’s lesser-heard career is a very welcome reissue indeed. From here he would go on to limited success with RCA... 

"...Start It off!" - Pickett roars to the band as they kick in with the righteous-groove of "Believe I'll Shout" – a holy-roller funk work out with a driving organ backbeat. 

Not everything on these two CDs is unmitigated genius by any stretch – but there are so many great moments like the above that I'm digging it big time. I suggest you dig in too and enjoy the illicit fruit of the wicked man's labours...

Titles in this 26 Nov 2016 Edsel CD Reissue Series for WILSON PICKETT are:

1. In The Midnight Hour/The Exciting Midnight Mover

(1966 and 1967 Stereo 1st and 2nd LPs plus Three Bonus Tracks

Edsel EDSA 3059 - Barcode 740155505936)

2. The Wicked Pickett/The Sound Of Wilson Pickett

(1966 and 1967 Stereo/Mono 3rd and 4th LPs – no bonus tracks

Edsel EDSA 3060 - Barcode 740155506032)

3. I’m In Love/The Midnight Mover

(1968 for both his 5th and 6th LPs – no bonus tracks

Edsel EDSA 3061 - Barcode 740155506131)

4. Hey Jude/Right On

(1969 and 1970 Stereo 7th & 8th LPs with Three Bonus Tracks

Edsel EDSA 3062 - Barcode 740155506230)

5. In Philadelphia/Don’t Knock My Love

(1970 and 1972 9th & 10th Stereo LPs with Seventeen Bonus Tracks

Edsel EDSK 7112 - Barcode 740155711238)

Edsel have also touched on PERCY SLEDGE in this series and his stay at Atlantic Records (three digipak CD reissues):

1. When A Man Loves A Woman/Warm & Tender Soul

(1966 and 1967 Stereo 1st & 2nd LPs plus Four Bonus Tracks

Edsel EDSA 3063 - Barcode 740155506339)

2. The Percy Sledge Way/Take Time To Know Her

(1967 and 1968 Stereo 3rd & 4th LPs with Eight Bonus Tracks

Edsel EDSK 7116 - Barcode 740155711634)

3. My Special Prayer/Singles And Rarities

(1970 fifth and final Atlantic LP - along with a compilation of 27 Bonus Tracks

Edsel EDSK 7113 - Barcode 740155711337)

"The Complete Invictus Studio Recordings: 1969-1978" by CHAIRMEN OF THE BOARD (2014 Edsel 9CD Box Set) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Box set contains "Give Me Just A Little More Time" and "In Session" from 1970

"…Skin I'm In…" 

There’s a huge haul in this mini box set – so let’s get to the Soulful nitty-gritty right away… 

UK and USA released August 2014 - “The Complete Invictus Studio Recordings: 1969-1978” by CHAIRMEN OF THE BOARD is a 97-track 9CD British Box Set on Edsel COTBOXO1 (Barcode 501479789094). It offers fans their 4 studio albums, 3 solo LPs and 2CDs worth of Bonus Tracks – non-album singles, rarities and four previously unreleased tracks (two of which are new Tom Moulton remixes). Each CD-album is housed a hard-card 5” repro sleeve (American artwork) while the Bonus Tracks come in gatefold hard card 5” sleeve that uses the Invictus Label Bag as its artwork. It breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (38:16 minutes):

1. Give Me Just A Little More Time

2. Come Together

3. Bless You

4. Patches

5. Since The Days Of Pigtails (And Fairy Tales)

6. I’ll Come Crawling

7. (You’ve Got Me) Dangling On A String

8. Bravo, Hooray

9. Didn’t We

10. Feelin’ Alright

11. My Way

12. Tricked & Trapped (By A Tricky Trapper)

Tracks 1 to 12 are their debut album “Give Me Just A Little More Time” – released April 1970 in the USA on Invictus ST-7300 and November 1970 in the UK as “Chairmen Of The Board” (with the same track list) on Invictus SVT 1002

Disc 2 (40:21 minutes):

1. Chairmen Of The Board

2. Everything’s Tuesday

3. Pay To The Piper

4. Twelfth Of Never

5. All We Need Is Understanding

6. Patches

7. It Was Almost Something

8. Bridge Over Troubled Water

9. Hanging On A Memory

10. I Can’t Find Myself

11. When Will She Tell Me She Needs Me

12. Children Of Today

Tracks 1 to 12 are their 2nd LP “In Session” – released November 1970 in the USA on Invictus ST-7304 and April 1971 in the UK on Invictus SVT 1003

Disc 3 (41:14 minutes):

1. Men Are Getting Scarce

2. So Glad You’re Mine

3. Working On A Building Of Love

4. I’m A Sign Of Changing Times

5. Elmo James

6. I’m On My Way To A Better Place

7. Bittersweet

8. Saginaw County Line

9. Weary Traveller

Tracks 1 to 9 are their 3rd album “Bittersweet” – released October 1972 in the USA on Invictus ST-9801 and Invictus SVT 1006 in the UK

Disc 4 (37:19 minutes):

1. Everybody Party All Night

2. Skin I’m In

3. Morning Glory

4. Life & Death Pt. 1

5. White Rose (Freedom Flower)

6. Life & Death Pt. II

7. Let’s Have Some Fun

8. Love At First Sight

9. Only Love Can Break Your Heart

10. Live With Me, Live With Me

11. Finder’s Keepers

Tracks 1 to 11 are their 4th and final LP “Skin I’m In” – released October 1974 in the USA on Invictus KZ 32526 (no UK issue)

Disc 5 (41:41 minutes):

1. Saginaw County Line

2. God’s Gift To Man

3. It Was Almost Something

4. Every Couple’s Not A Pair

5. All We Need Is Understanding

6. Everything’s Tuesday

7. I Never Get Tired Of You

8. My Credit Didn’t Go Through

9. Things Are Bound To Get Better Later On

10. Mary Lou Thomas

Tracks 1 to 10 are the solo album by GENERAL JOHNSON called “Generally Speaking” – released 1972 in the USA on Invictus ST-9803

Disc 6 (38:02 minutes):

1. Hypnotic Music

2. Closet Queen

3. Night Comes Day Goes

4. Sunday Morning People

5. Gimme A Glass Of Water

6. Come Together

7. You Hurt Your Mother Again

8. Up-The Organization

9. Children Of Today

Tracks 1 to 9 are the solo album by HARRISON KENNEDY called “Hypnotic Music”  – released 1972 in the USA on Invictus ST-9806

Disc 7 (42:41 minutes):

1. Everybody’s Got A Song To Sing

2. Let Me Ride

3. Roller Coaster

4. Try On My Love For Size

5. It Didn’t Take Long

6. Working On A Building Of Love

7. Funny How Times Slips Away

8. Two Can Be As Lonely As One

9. I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)

10. Danny Boy

Tracks 1 to 10 are the solo album by DANNY WOODS called “Aries” – released 1972 in the USA on Invictus ST-9808

Disc 8 is BONUS TRACKS: 1971-1973 (36:07 minutes) – all track are by COTB except where noted:

Tracks 1 and 2 are Savannah Lady and I’m In Love Darling by GENERAL JOHNSON – the A&B sides of a 1972 USA 7” single on Invictus IS-9093

Track 3 is Men Are Getting Scarce – it’s the USA 7” single A-side edit at 3:13 minutes (the album version is 5:19 minutes) - released 1971 on Invictus IS-9103

Track 4 is Hanging On To A Memory – the non-album B-side to Tricked And Trapped (By A Tricky Trapper) – released 1971 on Invictus IS 9089

Tracks 5 and 6 are Elmo James (Single Edit – 3:28 minutes) and Bittersweet (Single Edit – 3:24 minutes) – the A&B-sides of a 7” single released 1971 in the USA on Invictus IS-9105

Track 7 is Let Me Down Easy – released 1972 as the non-album A-side 7” single on Invictus IS-9126

Tracks 10 and 8 are Everybody’s Tippin’ and Roller Coaster (Single Edit) by DANNY WOODS – the A&B-sides of a USA 7” single issued in 1971 on Invictus IS-9132. The A-side is non-album – the B-side a 2:53 minutes edit of the album version at 3:41 minutes

Track 9 is Everybody’s Got A Song To Sing (Single Edit – 2:52 minutes) – the B-side of Working On A Building Of Love - a 1972 USA 7” single on Invictus IS-9122

Track 11 is Up-The Organization (Instrumental) by GENERAL JOHNSON – the non-album B-side to Sunday Morning People – a 1972 USA 7” single on Invictus IS-9112

Track 12 is Finder’s Keepers (Instrumental) – the non-album B-side to “Finder’s Keepers – a 1973 USA 7” single on Invictus ZS7 1251

Disc 9 is BONUS TRACKS: 1973-2014 (42:30 minutes) - all track are by COTB except where noted:

Track 1 is Finder’s Keepers (Vocal) – the non-album A-side version – a 1973 USA 7” single on Invictus ZS7 1251

Tracks 2 and 3 are Only Time Will Tell and Only Time Will Tell (Instrumental) by GENERAL JOHNSON – the A&B sides of a 1973 USA 7” single on Invictus ZS7 1252

Track 4 is Skin I’m In (Single Edit) – the A-side to the 1974 USA 7” single on Invictus ZS8 1276

Track 5 is Everybody Party All Night (Single Edit) – the A-side to the 1974 USA 7” single on Invictus S INV 2523

Tracks 6 and 7 are You’ve Got Extra Added Power and Someone Just Like You by COTB featuring PRINCE HAROLD – the non-album A&B-sides of a 1976 USA 7” single on Invictus ZS8 1278

Track 8 is Come On In And Dance – the non-album A-side of a 1978 USA 7” single on ICA Recording Group ICA-023

Tracks 9 and 10 are What’s The Use and Where There Is Faith There Is Hope – two PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED tracks. There are no writers credits and were found in the vaults in 2014.

Tracks 11 and 12 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED 2014 TOM MOULTON REMIXES of You’ve Got Me Dangling On A String and Give Me Just A Little More Time

I love the aesthetic feel of the oversized 5” Repro Sleeves – very nice indeed front and rear. The 36-page booklet is gorgeous – full colour-plates of all 7 LPs - with further photos of the band and rare Euro 7” picture sleeves. DEAN RUDLAND (with help from TONY ROUNCE – both long-time Soul aficionados) did the superlatively detailed and informative liners notes – their huge knowledge and love for the label and the period lifting every paragraph. 

The remasters are done by PHIL KINRADE at Alchemy in London and are wicked – full of presence and power. Comparing them – they sound better to the 2009 versions Edsel gave us when they presented this catalogue in 2CD sets years back.

It’s cool to hear the albums again minus the bonus tracks – just as I remember them. The first two LPs had the Invictus hits – "Give Me Just A Little More Time", "You've Got Me Dangling On A String", "Everything's Tuesday" and "Pay To The Piper". Setting aside woeful covers of Frank Sinatra's "My May" and an unwise stab at The Beatles Abbey Road classic "Come Together" - the 1st LP is still chocker full of undiscovered gems like the Motownesque "I Come Crawling" and their cool cover of Dave Mason's Traffic winner "Feelin' Alright". The 2nd platter from 1970 "In Session" had goodies too like the funky "Hanging On To A Memory" and the genius Stevie Wonder clavinet groove of  "I Can't Find Myself" where our hero is 'lost in love again'. The frantic "When Will She Tell Me She Needs Me" sees Danny Woods in typical pleading mode. The socially conscious "Children Of Today" is excellent too. 

But for me it’s the lesser-heard "Skin I'm In" album from 1974 that has more magic and the American “Aries” solo album by Danny Woods is a bit of a forgotten Seventies Soul masterpiece. The only slip-up I can see is the absence of the Instrumental of “Morning Glory” which was a B-side – other than that – this is exemplary stuff. 

Pitched at twenty of our pounds – it works out at a few pence over two quid per CD – which is a bit of a deal frankly. Top job done by Edsel and congrats to all involved…

"...Into A Real Thing...And More" by DAVID PORTER (2015 Ace/Stax Expanded CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...The Sock-It-To-Me Man..."

With his mentor ISAAC HAYES (and later with his piano-playing and writing partner RONNIE WILLIAMS) – Memphis Grocery Boy DAVID PORTER joined Stax Records in 1961 at the ripe old age of 20. He did so after months of post-shift pestering – constantly showcasing his songs and singing to the staff of the then fledging Soul label. It eventually paid off landing Porter a salaried job as Hit Maker/A&R Man/Chief Bottle Washer. Pairing up initially with Isaac throughout the 60ts until Hayes exploded on the World Soul Stage in 1969 with his groundbreaking Solo LP "Hot Buttered Soul" – they wrote hit after hit ("Soul Man", "Hold On! I'm Coming" and "When Something Is Wrong With My Baby") to a point where the duo of Hayes-Porter were to Stax what Holland-Dozier-Holland was to Motown.

But Porter's Solo career didn't start until late. His debut album "Gritty, Groovy & Gettin' It" hit the US shops in March 1970 on Enterprise ENS 1009 rising all the way up to an impressive No. 4 on the American R&B LP charts (reissued on Expanded CD by Ace Records of the UK on Ace/Stax SDX 142 in July 2013 - Barcode 029667055628). And that’s where this 2015 Expanded CD comes in...

Continuing their digital exploration of his Solo output - this timely and clever reissue focuses on his 2nd Solo album "David Porter...Into A Real Thing" first issued on vinyl LP in the USA on Enterprise Records ENS 1012 in November 1970 (it's 1971 UK equivalent simply called "Into A Real Thing" was on Stax Records 2362006 on the famous and sought-after Yellow Label). It went Top 10 Stateside (peaked at No. 9) - but did precious little business in the UK (vinyl copies have always been elusive). Here are the finite details...

UK released August 2015 – "David Porter...Into A Real Thing...And More" by DAVID PORTER on Ace/Stax CDSXD 146 (Barcode 029667072724) is an Expanded CD featuring 3 Bonus Tracks and breaks down as follows (46:27 minutes):

1. Hang On Sloopy [Full Album version at 11:07 minutes]

2. Ooo-Wee Girl

3. Too Real To Live A Lie [Side 2]

4. Grocery Man

5. I Don't Wanna Cry

6. Thirty Days

BONUS TRACKS:

7. Come Get From Me (Parts 1 & 2) – originally unissued track on the January 1998 UK Various Artists CD compilation "5000 Volts Of Stax" on Ace/Stax CDSXD 116

8. Gotta Get Over The Hump – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED 2015

9. Somebody's Trying To Ride Piggy Back – originally unissued track on the October 1999 UK Various Artists CD compilation "Let's Crossover Again" on Ace/Kent Soul CDKEND 174

The 8-page booklet has detailed and classy liner notes from long-time writer and genre expert TONY ROUNCE alongside several foreign picture sleeves for an edited "Hang On Sloopy" - while NICK ROBBINS did the transfers and Remastering at Sound Performance in London. The Audio is glorious – really warm and full of presence – reflecting the expertise and Production values of both Porter and Ronnie Williams. Tracks 2, 3,4 and 6 are Porter/Williams originals while "I Don't Wanna Cry" is a Chuck Jackson cover version. The other cover is of course the album's centrepiece "Hang On Sloopy" which dominates Side 1 at a whopping 11:07 minutes. It was initially a hit for The Vibrations in 1964 but is more famously associated with The McCoys who took it to No.1 in the USA (and many other territories) in September 1965 on Bang Records. There are no writing credits for the three bonus tracks – two of which have turned up as Previously Unreleased Stax outtakes on 1998 and 1999 UK CD compilations – but Tony Rounce (who compiled the CD) quite rightly surmises that they bear all the hallmarks of Porter-Williams penmanship.

Putting my hand on my heart – and as a true lover of all things Stax (check out my painstaking review of Stax Singles Volume 2) – this is one of those albums that should be great but in some parts simply refuses to fly. His side-long "Hang On Sloopy" may have seemed like the height of cool in late 1970 – nowadays it’s talking verses and street hipness seem forced and drag out a groove that would have been better on something else. "Ooo-Wee Baby" is a classic Soulful ballad with backing vocals from The Precious People who turn out to be a trio of Detroit Ladies - Joyce and Pam Vincent and their friend Telma Hopkins.

The Side 2 opener is "Too Real To Live A Lie" goes into more talking Bobby Womack territory – but much better is the piano-funky "Grocery Man" used as a B-side to "Hang On Sloopy" in many European countries ("...fellas used to call me the Sock-It-To-Me man..."). Brass gives "Thirty Days" a cool groove too. The three bonus tracks actually lift the proceedings considerably even if they sound more 1974 than 1970. All three are upbeat funky and far better than they had any divine right to be – especially the 6:27 minutes of "Come Get From Me (Parts 1 & 2)" which feels like a randy Marvin Gaye searching for his inner James Brown. The backing singers are from the Isaac Hayes Movement crew – a trio he not surprisingly called Hot, Buttered and Soul – Pat and Diane Lewis with Rose Williams. 

Porter did two further albums on Stax's Enterprise Records in the USA - "Victim Of A Joke?" (October 1971 on Enterprise ENS 1019) and "Sweat And Love" (December 1973 on Enterprise ENS 1026) - both will undoubtedly surface on CD in the next few years...

"Into A Real Thing" is a Stax Records vinyl album I've seen maybe twice in my life – so its Expanded UK reissue by Ace on CD in 2015 is welcome and especially in this stunning sound quality...