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Labelle's Bold & Wild Debut !

gassy goon | 11/09/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The 1971 debut album from Labelle is a tour de force from start to finish. The trio melds r&b, rock, gospel, blues and pop into a fierce & bold statement of a new sound by a black female group . This CD contains some truly amazing songs & vocal performances by Labelle, singing in unison with power and the commitment of a new path and sound back in the competitive & creative music years of the early 70's.



A little background: The trio of Patti LaBelle, Sarah Dash & Nona Hendryx were known as Patti LaBelle & The Bluebelles in the 60's. By 1970 they were struggling, and British music producer/writer/manager Vicki Wickham suggested a new sound & name was neeeded for the new decade. They spent months in London rehearsing, writing & discovering a new , contemporary sound. Vicki got the manager of The Who, Kit Lambert involved as well, and together they produced this brave new album in New York in 1971. Labelle played a tour with The Who to introduce the group here in the US, as well as solo dates too.



This album is a classic & one of their strongest, with outside material and self-penned songs by all 3 members. Labelle sings hard, strong & powerful, and takes us all for a thrill ride with this album. MORNING MUCH BETTER is a slow funk/rocker that just build & builds with Patti giving one of her gutsiest vocals with powerful refrains by Sarah & Nona. A killer performance that starts off the history of Labelle perfectly. SHADES OF DIFFERENCE is the only song co-written by Patti & Nona that the group ever did, and lyrically tells of historic racial stereotypes like slaves, prostitutes & masters and is a stellar song & performance . TIME was written by Patti & husband Armstead Edwards & has a funky bass line that just propels the song and Patti along in one of her most blues & rock oriented vocals ever. Wild stuff, not least of which is their version of The Rolling Stones' WILD HORSES , with Patti singing were gonna ride, ride, ride on that totally casts this country/rock song into a hard r&b/rock mode that is totally unique. TIME AND LOVE is amazing & even has vocal background assistment from friends The Sweet Inspirations & Judy Clay that make it even more gospel-ish. And don't forget Sarah Dash's BABY'S OUT OF SIGHT - a torrid performance from Patti, Sarah & Nona all about the blues a woman has when her man is gone. The closer WHEN THE SUN COMES SHINING THROUGH [ THE LADDER ] written by Michael D'abo from Manfred Mann is a concise tight-knit arrangement of a beautiful socially aware message song that would have made a great single & possibly the most commercially sounding song on here. These are just some of the highlights on this amazing album . For Labelle to combine r&b with rock was revolutionary, and this album has some of the best songs & performances that they ever created. Maybe it was too ahead of it's time, but back then, it was a world where there was musical creativity and genuis .



One more thing: Labelle is backed up by some truly amazing musicians on this album. The musicians really gel with Labelle, & there are amazing guitar solos, bass lines, etc. that make it all cohesive and support the voices & messages that Labelle gave the world. A stellar, mighty debut by a female vocal group that really could not be outdone or outsung."

Whetting the Appetite

Jonathan Stroud | Pittsburgh, PA United States | 08/31/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Patti LaBelle once said "The older I get, the stronger I get. My voice gets better with age." She was right. The Patti on this album is young, spry, but still filled with the "Bluebelle" mentality. The group is excellent in their harmonies. Patti's interpretations of the lyrics are wonderful. "Time and Love," "Wild Horses," and "Morning Much Better" showcase the pure funk and soulfullness of the group. I gave this album a 4, because on it's own, it is great. If you have never heard a LaBelle album, then you should start with this on and go to each in chronological order. When compared to later albums, this would get a 3 or maybe a two; but on it's own, it is a masterpeice. It does just what it says, "LABELLE," it introduces you to Patti, Nona, and Sarah. It wets the appetite for more."

Stellar Work

Timothy A. Dillinger | Nashville, TN United States | 09/10/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In the middle of their transition from girl group to space women, LaBelle recorded an album that captures them as they began the journey to find their voice. While they cover material by Carole King, Laura Nyro and The Stones with an incredible amount of power, it was the lyrics that they composed together that gave us a glimpse into what the future would hold for LaBelle. The band is TIGHT, the vocals are unmatchable and most importantly, the spirit of this recording demonstrates the seeds of strength that would carry this group to the forefront. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (along with the companion album "Moonshadow")."