Titres
A1 Sugarland Express 6:59
A2 It's Love Baby 3:53
A3 Keep It Up Don't Let It Go Down 4:59
A4 Gotta Fall In Love Again 3:42
B1 (Wear Your) Red Dress (Tight) 5:59
B2 Follow Me 3:30
B3 Who Babe 3:20
B4 We Just Can't Help It 3:22
Crédits
Hiram Bullock : guitare
Jerry Jemott : basse
Herschell Dwellingham : batterie
Bob Johnson : Vibraphone, chant (chœurs)
Bert Keyes : piano
Giorge Pettus : piano électrique, synthétiseurs, chant (chœurs)
Landy McNeal : chant (chœurs)
Compositeurs : George David Weiss, Giorge Pettus, Lutricia McNeal
Arrangements : Herschell Dwellingham
Producteurs : Landy McNeal, Herschell Dwellingham
Voici un album que je ressors assez régulièrement, il me semble que c'est l'unique LP de Timothy Wilson malgré un certain nombre de 45T réalisés depuis 1965. J'ai trouvé un article sur le site "Funkmysoul" qui en fait un bel éloge :
Now let's talk about Timothy Wilson love baby. Quite a rare cult item, a majestic soul album.
This H & L release contains spinning soul for the crowd and for the eclectic ear. Something more than half an hour [36:32”] of stereophonic soul beating the tenders of love to eternity.
The story begins in the honey voice factory with “Sugarland Express”. What a fantastic name for a song! It feels like you’re in candy funk land with a pinch of Salsoul style combined with the uptempo beats. Something is on the run here apart from the melody, but that’s how things evolved back in late 70s (lucky for us you couldn’t find this easy in the disco era). I bet you could come across it in a pile of records right now and just go through it for a kicking sample at once.
Thing is Timothy rings some bells on teasing his words when singing to my ears. Strictly dancing at this point. Giorge Pettus and George David Weisse both composers on this album uplifted the true concept. You might remember Giorge Pettus as a vocalist that made it to urban contemporary stardom with two essential sets for MCA in the 80s and 90s.
“Its Love Baby” is a classic 70’s soul tune when everything back then was purified and sanitized to the holy beat. The sweet Philly sound is written all over. The vibraphone, the quiet storm, the R'n B, the jazz structures all sum up to it. Well if you did have Lou Rawls on the other side of the bridge it’s too hard to compare the nasal touch of voice chords.
Perhaps parts of Thom Bell and Dexter Wansel climb in the atmosphere of the record with the erotic sense coming out of the lyrics. Though you could throw in a touch of a Norman Harris’s feel, straight out of Motown oasis on “(Wear Your) Red Dress(Tonight)”.
My favorite off the album is “Follow Me”. A quite full and ripe tune with all eclectic elements oozing the sentimental ego together. It could be sung from Earth Wind and Fire or even by The emotions. A saxed up tune just how I like it. That unique Timothy Wilson pitch “crying” on some ending words throughout the song(s) make his style captivating. Quality control passed for vocals, bass lines and soul twines.
The stylistics on H&L sure made the evolution of things on the label, you can speak the language clearly on “Who Babe”.
“We Just Can't Help It” is a true ending to my positive vibe on this rare vinyl reissue. Although it might not be the top of the tops due to rules of music industry for the soul masses, it sure comes from the finest grapevine of pure lust and nostalgia from the Philly soul era. To me, for a musical career such as Mr. Wilson’s, when things collaborate fine until the big bang you just can't overmake it.
Timothy Wilson was not only a beautiful voice he was a chain reaction for things to come, down his path, his way, his participating label(s) and someone in the history of time always has to get the credits for a little misunderstanding the soulful way. A sacrifice that leaves behind a masterpiece for us to enjoy and cherish as with all the other rare findings in here.
Sugarland Express
Entre Funk et Disco, dans l'esprit Salsoul Orchestra, que du bonheur !It's Love Baby : Du grand art !
, une superbe balade dans l'esprit Philly, sa voix glisse sur cette production aux petits oignons, une réussite ! Keep It Up Don't Let Go Down : Un up-tempo pour le Dancefloor, on est pris par le groove
, une ligne de basse efficace, des chœurs féminins chaleureux et de beaux claviers très aériens Gotta Fall In Love Again : Une autre belle ballade réussie, l'alchimie se fait toute seule
(Wear Your) Red Dress (Tight) :
On pousse les chaises et les tables, encore un up-tempo ultra efficace, l'esprit Motown rode ! Follow Me : Le titre qui m' a mis littéralement en P.L.S, il me fait penser à Al Johnson
Le petit solo de Sax, les strings, la température monte et la mélodie nous enivre !!! Who Babe : On reste dans la continuité avec une autre ballade, des voix féminines douces et chaudes, Thimoty nous fait vibrer avec son grain légèrement nasillard qui finalement colle parfaitement avec le ton du morceau
We Just Can't Help It :
source : soulfuldetroit.com
