Durand Jones: Love this record for its minimalist approach. It has gospel all throughout, deep, beneath, at the root of these tunes. That being said, it’s not a gospel record. As someone who grew up in a rural baptist church, I find this to be beautiful. For me it’s like feeling something that is almost familiar yet, it’s a full-fledged thing.
Durand Jones: Even though it isn’t one of his albums that people usually mention as one of his bests, I really really really love this record. I love the unapologetic political commentary on this one, I love Syreeta Wright’s work on the backing vocals, I love that you can hear some Beatles influence on this record, and most of all I love the ballads. No one can write a ballad like Stevie and for that I will forever love him.
Blake Rhein: This album has a special place in my heart because there are so few soul albums from where I grew up. It was recorded in Grand Rapids, Michigan which is on the opposite side of the state from Detroit. There is a very raw quality to the rhythm section that is augmented by the lush orchestration and background vocals.
Blake Rhein: Ted Lucas got his start in a heavy psych band called the Spike Drivers before moving on to do session work playing guitar and sitar for Motown. His 1975 self-titled album is exactly one half psych folk ballads and half stoney guitar ragas.
