David Kinney | San Francisco, Ca. United States | 08/14/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Wilson Pickett had,and probably still has, it all. The church trained passionate voice in an eternal battle between the sacred and the profane. Evidence, based on "Mustang Sally" alone, suggests that the 'devil' usually got the upperhand, but in the context of great soul singing this is usually the case. No other soul man left the church behind in such a funky cloud of dust as "The Wicked" did. Thank you Rhino Records for putting this soul giant's greatest stuff (and it's all great) in one easy to buy package. From his neophyte gospel/doowop crooning with the Falcons, through the monster sixties soul standards with Jerry Wexler at the helm and the Stax musicians kickin' his booty, all the way to some of the greatest pre-disco hits Gamble and Huff ever had a hand in, this set is a soul fan's picnic in the park.Don't let the green grass fool ya in the midnight hour I found a love and she was a midnite mover on funky Broadway!Lord have mercy! Oh, sorry, I'm listening to it as I type this. I think you know how I feel."
All you need. The way you need it.
Eric V. Moye | New York, by way of Dallas | 04/28/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Rhino Records ought to get a Nobel Prize. Seems like no one is putting together compilations of great old music like they have beeen. A Man And A Half is all the best from the Wicked Wicked Pickett.For my money, Wilson Pickett was the greatest of the old time soul shouters. Never a crooner, never as smooth as Smokey or ever the more raw David Ruffin. He wouldn't have been a good fit at Motown, but he was just the ticket for Atlantic. Wilson showed us that he was in a class by himself. Starting with "I Found a True Love", to "634-5789", his most famous "Mustang Sally" it moves quickly onto "I'm A Midnight Mover" and "Everybody Needs Somebody". "Land of 1,000 Dances" would make a dead man's pulse tap to a positively dynamic beat. These songs make you want to move till you sweat. If it was wicked in the '60's or '70's, it was Pickett.This is the one album with everything you would want. Another must have."
Great music, mediocre audio quality
Steven J. Hoffman | Takoma Park, MD USA | 02/19/2006
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Wilson Pickett deserves better. This was issued in the early 90s and since then standards for remastering of vintage R&B/soul/and rock have improved .... Worth getting in terms of the music, 2 discs packed with one great soul track after another .... but the sound quality lacks punch .... I am hoping that someone goes back to the Atlantic studio vaults and remasters this stuff to bring out the full wickedness of Wicked Wilson Pickett!!!"
Wonderfully "Wicked" Pickett!!
Steven J. Hoffman | 11/04/1998
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Rhino/Atlantic does another great job with this 2 CD greatest hits of "The Wicked Pickett"!! Good sound, excellent tracks like "Funky Broadway", "634-5789", "Midnight Hour", "Land Of 1000 Dances", "Don't Let The Green Grass Fool You", plus early tracks he did with The Falcons, and some other obscurities make this one of the best compilations of one of the best 1960s soul singers! The booklet is very good too. If you love classic soul, this 2 CD set is one not to miss!"
Salacious and Soulicious
Charles B Valentino | 01/18/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"For those who want a truly worthy representation of the man's body of work, check out "Man and a Half." This compilation includes gems from Wilson's early days with "The Falcons" as well as classics such as "Land of 1000 Dances" "Midnight Hour" and the staple of all open mic nights "Mustang Sally." However, the songs I have loved the most from this compilation were those that never get airplay. Such songs as Isaac Hayes' classic "Toehold", or other finds such as "I found a True love" make my feet move. I've also discovered new favorites such as "She's looking Good", "Mini-skirt Minnie", and "She said Yes". If you like soul music that's gritty and raw,check out "Wicked" Wilson's music. You won't regret it.
James Brown may be the Godfather, but Wilson Pickett is the Arch Bishop."