If You Need Me - Wilson Pickett

Advantages: still soulful
Disadvantages: no hits - buy a compilation

...This cd was originally produced in 1969, maybe after Soul's heyday, but still a whole lot better than the majority of songs passed off as soulful today. Wilson "in the midnight hour" Pickett has an excellant voice conveying true emotion and really let's you know when he's hurting or yearning. The songs themselves are a mixed bag:- Hey Jude, and Born to be wild, the 2 covers on the cd suffer in that the style of the original is so strong that they don't quite feel right. The uptempo songs such as Save me, toe hold, and man and a half are yhe stanout tracks where the braggardo Mr Pickett drives these songs forward. Slower songs such as back in your arms lack the drive to make them vital Stylishly this is still pure horn driven soul, and as the majority of the songs are uptemp originals you can't help but move your feet - like the huge... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: One of the greatest voices - and 41 tracks
Disadvantages: Lack of date information for tracks [see text]

...? If not, this will surprise you, though personally I'm not over-keen on these two songs and would much rather hear him on his own material. In fact, this collection is so diverse that I find myself wondering how appropriate the title 'Love Songs' is. Especially when it includes his versions of 'Land of 1000 Dances' and 'Run Baby Run'. Roy Orbison sings Wilson Pickett and the Newbeats? Well, yes - and very well too. But love songs? Er, let's not split hairs. What I will register a (little) whinge about is the packaging. Several of these recordings are listed in the booklet as being © 1997 or 2000. Are they all remixes? All right, I know that a lot of people who buy love song compilations may not be unduly bothered about such niceties, but Roy died in 1988 and I for one would have appreciated knowing the date they were originally made... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Some decent rhythm and blues
Disadvantages: Film dialogue in the wrong places

...'s exactly what this song is. It's a guitar led, generic blues number which doesn't really stick out above any other blues song you've heard before, although it's still a decent enough song. It worries me, however, that the song is so generic I keep thinking it's about to segue into the Lisa Simpson song "Moanin' Lisa Blues" from the "The Simpsons Sing the Blues" album. Whilst I do like hearing it as an accompaniment, I've never really rated the harmonica as an instrument in its own right. For me, that makes John Popper's "Harmonica Musings" a filler track. It's impressive enough and John Popper is considered one of the best players around, but it's just 30 seconds of a waste of space, although it does start sounding a little like Stevie Wonder's "Fingertips" right towards the end. Finally, four tracks in, we get to hear from one of the Blues... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful