Rod Stewart - Every Picture Tells A Story
Rod the Mod finds his solo footing, headed for stardom, with the Faces in his wake.
6:00 AM GMT 22/06/2011
Features Disc of the day
The Delfonics
The Delfonics
(Bell, 1970)
Randy Cain, founder-member of the classic Philly soul group, died on April 9. Here, as a tribute, their fourth and finest album.
A future work, The French Horn In Pop, will be a slim volume but this album must form its soundtrack. By the time they came to record their fourth album, Philadelphia group The Delfonics were in the forefront of their native city's sweet soul genre. Signed to Stan Watson's Philly Groove label, they had met in Thom Bell a young writer-arranger-producer of exceptional musical erudition who was central to the development of Philly soul. The Delfonics were Cain and the Hart brothers, William and Wilbert, the former sibling a fine songwriter responsible for all but one of the 10 tracks here, seven of them co-written with Bell. Their first big hit, 1968's La La Means I Love You, had established the group's falsetto and high-tenor lead vocal style, but this album's first track trumped it. Announced by an immediately ear-catching intro courtesy of that standard instrument of soul, the aforesaid F horn, and leads shared by Wilbert (first verse) and William (second), Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time) boasts a formidable Bell ballad arrangement. Whereas, say, Phil Spector would collect a huge orchestra and blast away, Bell's orchestrations and conducting are more measured and clear, and the better for it. The song's storyline - partner repeatedly cheats, comes back each time, but now partner gets mind-blown by walking back in as other partner is walking out - is as sweet a kiss-off as you'll hear. (In fact, in the UK, La La and another earlier US hit, Ready Or Not Here I Come (Can't Hide The Love), only became hits after Didn't I had charted, which is some indication of its sweet soul supremacy.) Almost as good: Trying To Make A Fool Of Me, introduced by a sweeping string and woodwind arrangement that, like several of the tracks here, have the cinematic romp of a Western movie soundtrack (John Ford, not spaghetti) to provide the richest accompaniment imaginable. Other great Bell moments: the instrumental Delfonics Theme and Over And Over, one for ensemble drummers. After this album, Cain left the group and Bell split from Philly Groove. And that was the end of The Delfonics' Top 40 pop action. Sigh.
Geoff Brown
Posted by Ross_Bennett at 6:00 AM GMT 30/04/2009
Further Listening
The Stylistics – The Stylistics (Avco, 1971)
The Detroit Spinners – Spinners (Atlantic, 1972)
Blue Magic – Blue Magic (Atco, 1974)
Previous Disc of the day
-
-
Earl Brutus - Larky
Last salvo of Ginsters Pasty-Warholism from Britpop ramraiders.
12:04 PM GMT 08/06/2011
-
Loudon Wainwright - T-Shirt
An overlooked small wonder from an unpredictable career.
6:00 AM GMT 03/06/2011
-
Landscape - From The Tea-rooms Of Mars… To The Hell-holes Of Uranus
Dry computer club Futurists, upon hitting implausible chart paydirt.
6:00 AM GMT 17/05/2011
-
-
Causa Sui - Summer Sessions Vol 1-3
Epic Danish jams, for when the neighbours get you down.
6:00 AM GMT 12/05/2011
end of body content back to top
Footer
Join us on:
© Copyright Bauer - all
rights reserved.
Reproduction of this
website, in whole or in
part, in any form or
medium without express
written permission from
Bauer is prohibited. All
use is subject to our
Terms of Use
|
|
Comments
Comment on this post
love this album - good work Ross!
Posted by Doug at 12:46 PM GMT 30/04/2009 Report Abuse
Reply to this post
Comment on this post