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.
