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Features Disc of the day
Harold Melvin & The Blues Notes
Harold Melvin & The Blues Notes
(Philadelphia International, 1972)
Why Teddy Pendergrass mattered.
One of the finest soul singers from the style's last golden age, Teddy Pendergrass has previously achieved MOJO Disc Of The Day eminence with his 1977 solo debut, Teddy Pendergrass. His death last week has demanded a second visit. This 1972 album by the group in which TP had once served as the drummer is the record that first brought the outstanding baritone to the fore. Philadelphia International founders Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff signed Harold Melvin & The Blues Notes to their fledgling label in 1970 and were attracted to the powerful yet tender baritone of featured vocalist Teddy Pendergrass, somewhat of a dead ringer for The Dells' Marvin Junior's. Three exceptional performances on this debut established Teddy as the late '70s' soul force of nature. On I Miss You, Pendergrass is pleading and distraught; on Be For Real he's a sermonising philosopher; on If You Don't Know Me By Now he's a slightly wearied, still ardent lover trying for one last time to convince his woman that they should give their life together another chance. He has not yet developed the more overtly sexual style of his late-'70s solo recordings such as 1978's Turn Off Lights, and the reined-in style suits group work the better. With the Blue Notes, though not on this album, he would also venture into the arena of social commentary (Wake Up Everybody). He should have done so more often, because his declamatory preaching style was perfectly suited to such material.
Geoff Brown
Posted by Ross_Bennett at 6:00 AM GMT 25/01/2010
Further Listening
The O'Jays - Back Stabbers (Philadelphia International, 1972)
Billy Paul - 360 Degrees Of Billy Paul (Philadelphia International, 1972)
The Three Degrees - The Three Degrees (Philadelphia International, 1973)
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This album is a masterpiece of early 70's soul. All of the songs are slow, not a dance/disco tune in sight! On "Be For Real" it is (to my knowledge) Teddy Pendergrass's only recorded spoken rap on any of his albums. "I Miss You" is one of his greatest vocal performances, his heartfelt pleading in the foreground matched by his own pleading background vocal revealing his protagonists inner turmoil.
Philadelphia Internationa never released another album that has this raw uncompromised soulfulness. It's not for the casual listener, but personally it has given me years of deep soulful satisfaction, I can't recommend it highly enough.
Posted by Tim Young at 9:58 PM GMT 08/12/2010 Report Abuse
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