Soul Express CD Review

Buy this album from our CD Shop

This three-on-two CD set comprises, for these ears at the very least, the very best and very worst of Patti LaBelle. This powerful Lady, a diva some would call her with good foundation, either delivers the goods or not and where she does deliver I am very very impressed indeed. Her three albums were very much hotchpotch efforts mixed up from her two year tenure with the great Philadelphia International label which was, criminally and for no good reason, in decline. The label had some great talent, some great producers but I always felt that the hunger of Gamble and Huff for hits and continuity just was no longer there. The hungrier you are, the harder you work. I feel that for the most part these recording do not deserve to be associated with the great Lady or the label.
"I'm In Love Again" really is the rose between two thorns. This is classic, classic Philadelphia and cannot be bettered, but the style of "The Spirit's In It" is too pop orientated and does neither have much by way of memorable material or any significant numbers. The opening disco number and title song from this 1981 release is possibly the highlight of the release and very much in the "Lady Marmalade" bag of sassy soul, divadom, showmanship and finesse. The Norman Whitfield styled horns add an extra layer to the song, but is somewhat spoiled by annoying electric guitar.
Bar this nothing excites me, and the cover of the 50s hit "Rockin' Pneumonia And The Boogie Woogie Flu" is not my cup of tea at all, nor is the embarrassing and cheesy "Over The Rainbow". What on earth was going on here?!
Thankfully 1981 dissolved and 1983 brought forth the gorgeously soulful and orchestral "I'm In Love Again". Now, then, this IS what we want to hear. It also launched a few hits, too, and that isn't bad either! The first song could easily belong to the repertoire of The Three Degrees and MFSB should just great on this. You cannot beat orchestration of this calibre. The luscious strings and piano kick into gear with the smoky, jazzy soul of "Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be?)" and beats hands-down anything contained on the first album.
We all know and love "Love, Need And Want You" which is a collaboration between Kenneth Gamble and Bunny Sigler. Gorgeous. This style of quality Philly soul fits Patti like a glove. I wish we heard more of it today. I thought that her latest release was sterile and as soulless as you can get, and it is well that Edsel remind us of such greatness in these days of dullness.
One of my all-time favourites, period, is the superb Cynthia Biggs / Kenneth Gamble / Dexter Wansel penned ballad "If Only You Knew". This is Patti and Philadelphia International at its very, very best, make no mistake. I still get the old goose pimples today when listening to this. This is so gorgeous that if you have not heard it then I would recommend purchase of this 2 disc set purely for this song alone.
It is a pity that this LP is split over the two discs, and it isn't until track 3 with Womack & Womack's "Love Bankrupt" that the quality continues. This is not dissimilar material from "Love T.K.O." or their own set of the same year. The Joseph Jefferson funky number, "When Am I Gonna Find True Love" isn't too bad, but still continues the theme of consistency.
This is something that cannot be said of the "Patti" album. It is just a real nasty, nasty mish mash of styles and was thrown to the wind and the Electro market which I detested with a passion. The best efforts on this particular album Bunny Sigler's composition "Living Double", James Smith's slinky "I Can't Forget You" and Joseph Jefferson's "What Can I Do For You" which uphold the traditional values of the label.
Whatever my grumbles, this remains an essential purchase for fans of quality soul, Patti LaBelle and those who love the Philly sound. Do not overlook.
- Barry Towler