"Taylored In Silk" by JOHNNIE TAYLOR – US Album from June 1973 on Stax Records (July 1975 in the UK) Plus Bonus Tracks (May 2011 UK Concord Music Group Inc/Universal/Stax 'Stax Remasters' Expanded Edition CD Reissue with Six Bonus Tracks - Joe Tarantino Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…I've Got Someone I Can Call My Very Own…"

Now here comes a Stax-Soulful goody – released Stateside first (delayed all the way until 1975 in the UK) – the original American vinyl LP hit the US R&B charts in early July 1973 and quickly proved a winner, eventually settling at No. 3 on the LP charts (back in the days when albums shifted genuinely huge numbers). 

It was held in affection then and remains so to this day. Hardly surprising then that the Taylor in Silk was due a digital dust off and the new custodians of the Stax Records legacy (Concord Music Group of the USA) have done a nice job on this CD reminding us of its lurve charms (the 8-track album is augmented with a generous Six Bonus Tracks - the A&B-sides of three stand-alone US Stax 45s). Here are the velveteen details...

Released Monday 16 May 2011 in the UK - "Taylored In Silk" by JOHNNIE TAYLOR on Concord Music Group, Inc/Stax 0888072328754 (Barcode 0888072328754) is part of the 2011/2012 'Stax Remasters' Series and breaks down as follows (55:58 minutes):

1. We're Getting Careless With Our Love [Side 1]

2. Starting All Over Again

3. Cheaper To Keep Her

4. Talk To Me

5. I Believe In You (You Believe In Me) [Side 2]

6. One Thing Wrong With My Baby

7. I Can Read Between The Lines

8. This Bitter Earth

Tracks 1 to 8 are the album "Taylored In Silk" by JOHNNIE TAYLOR – released June 1973 in the USA on Stax Records STS-3014 and July 1975 in the UK on Stax Records STX 1012

BONUS TRACKS:

9. Hijackin' Love

10. Love In The Streets (Ain't Good As The Love At Home) – Tracks 9 and 10 are the A&B-sides of an August 1971 US 45 on Stax STA-0096 (no UK issue)

11. Standing In For Jody

12. Shackin' Up – Tracks 11 and 12 are the A&B-sides of a January 1972 US 45 on Stax STA-0114 and May 1972 UK on Stax 2025 083

13. Doing My Own Thing (Part 1)

14. Doing My Own Thing (Part 2) – Tracks 13 and 14 are the A&B-sides of an April 1972  US 45 on Stax STA-0122 (no UK issue)

The new 12-page booklet has very knowledgeable and affectionate liner notes by BILL DAHL who did the exceptional liner notes on Bear Family’s 1961-1970 "Sweet Soul Music" CDs (10 volumes) and their 1945-1960 "Blowing The Fuse" series on R'n'B music (16 volumes). I’ve reviewed nearly all of them. You also get the original artwork on the front and rear of the booklet, musician and session details etc. But it's a shame the booklet doesn’t go any further. There’s no new photos, no memorabilia - and it makes the inlay feel workmanlike at best – even a little dull – when it should have spread its wings a little. But the big news is the SOUND…

I've reviewed the other titles in this new 'Stax Remasters' Series (see list below) and duly raved about the fabulous sound quality on all – especially after years of lacklustre reissues in jewel cases and repro digipaks. Well this is the same. 24-bit remastered from the first generation tapes at JOE TARANTINO Mastering in Berkeley, California – the audio quality is fantastic – which of course makes you reassess every song – and here it gives incredible clarity to these hugely underrated slices of Seventies Soul.

The whole album is good and very much in a smoochy mode – songs about lovin' and cheatin' and not getting' caught cheatin' etc. "I Believe In You (You Believe In Me)" made the top spot on the US R'n'B charts in June 1973 (lyrics above) while the lovely cover of Prince Phillip Mitchell's "Starting All Over Again" is superlative Stax Soul.  The witty lyrics of Mack Rice' "Cheaper To Keep Her" still bring a smile to a face and a tap to a foot - while the sound quality on the mid-tempo "I Can Read Between The Lines" is gorgeous.

And the funkier singles are a huge treat – off-setting the slightly loverman feel of the album. "Hijackin' Love" made Number 10 on the US R'n'B charts – and with its fantastically punchy funk rhythm – it's easy to hear why. The "…using me for a spare…" choppy Soul of "Standing In For Jody" is great - as is the JB funk of its wicked B-side "Shackin' Up" (another song about another woman's husband). The guitar opening of "Doing My Own Thing" makes you think you’ve stumbled on a John Lee Hooker Blues session, but it then settles into a great Soulful groove which brings the guitar back later. "Part 2" feels like a great James Brown B-side you’re glad you’ve rediscovered. Very, very good indeed…

To sum up – this is as superlative value-for-money reissue with top-notch Seventies Soul and sound quality that trumps everything that’s gone before…

STAX REMASTERS Series to 2014 are (all reviewed):

1. Green Onions – BOOKER T & THE M.G.'s (1962)

2. McLemore Avenue - BOOKER T. & THE M.G.'s (1970)

3. Woman To Woman - SHIRLEY BROWN (1975)

4. Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get - THE DRAMATICS (1972)

5. Born Under A Bad Sign - ALBERT KING (1967)

6. I'll Play The Blues For You – ALBERT KING (1971)

7. Be Altitude: Respect Yourself - THE STAPLE SINGERS (1972)

8. Taylored In Silk - JOHNNIE TAYLOR (1973)

9. Do The Funky Chicken - RUFUS THOMAS (1970)