THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: average white band

AVERAGE WHITE BAND – Cut The Cake

February 9, 2023 /

Now, I’m very partial to some funk whether it be of the hard rockin’ variety or super slick dance grooves like on Cut The Cake. Average White Band just don’t get mentioned as a great funk band as I guess no one expects killer grooves like this to come from Scotland.

This album appeared in ’75 and was their third release, it actually reached number 1 in the US. The tilted track leads off the album and what a killer groove it is, and was a huge hit. Superb sounding track and the production is stellar. School Boy Crush follows and the tempo is slower but the groove is just superb. The music flips from serious groovin’ uptempo to slower soul/funk Philly style.

I have two favourites off the album: the aforementioned Cut The Cake, and the wicked grooves of  Groovin’ The Night Away, which is very reminiscent of James Brown at his finest.

If your a fan of 70’s funk then you may already have this but if not, give it a spin and put some happiness in your life.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

AVERAGE WHITE BAND – Feel No Fret

April 26, 2021 /

I am forever amazed that this bunch of hairy-kilt-wearers from Scotland can produce such amazing funky soulful music. This is the seventh full length album the band released, and it came out late ’78/early ’79 depending on where you are in the world. The band are driven along by the amazing talents of Alan Gorrie and Hamish Stuart, who share vocal duties and write most of the material.

When Will You Be Mine gets things underway and sets the tone for the rest of the album. Grooves a plenty to make you get up and dance – a fantastic opening tune! Please Don’t Fall In Love has that distinct Philly soul groove, and is another killer tune. The Hal David and Burt Bacharach classic, Walk On By, is next but done in an almost funk/reggae beat – a fantastic rendition. The title track, Feel No Fret, closes out Side 1 and is an absolute beast of a tune. The underlying groove feels a bit like Exodus by Bob Marley, but seriously funked up. Another killer tune!

Side 2 starts with Stop The Rain – another funked up Philly soul sound. Atlantic Avenue was the song that got all the attention upon release, as all the critics raved about it as it was released as a single. Ace Of Hearts follows, and is slightly disappointing – its not as strong a tune as everything else. Too Late To Cry is the slow smooch tune of the album as the groove is a lot slower. The album closes out with Fire Burning and it is a full on disco experience.

Not quite as outstanding as earlier releases as Side 2 lets the album down somewhat, but it does contain two band classics.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

AVERAGE WHITE BAND – AWB

March 30, 2021 /

If, like me, you have an appreciation and love for early seventies funk, then you will love this album. The big surprise here is the band are actually six white guys from Scotland (even though they were formed in London). One of their most famous tunes is their instrumental track, Pick Up The Pieces, which has been sampled by everybody from Public Enemy to A Tribe Called Quest.

This is their second album released on Atlantic, and they were already firing on all cylinders. When you have the Brecker Brothers rollin’ up to play on your album – you know your doing something right. This album was number 1 in the billboard charts, as was their single Pick Up The Pieces. The songs are all self penned – apart from a cover of the Isley Brothers’ Work To Do, which is a great rendition with some serious horn playing and is funked up. This is an album of two sides. Side 1 has the best funky music around, and Side 2 (apart from the slow funk of last track There’s Always Someone Waiting) is very Motown.

I really love this album and so should you.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

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